Insurance companies.. BOO Hisss
Paradox, welcome to the forum. Glad to have another doctor on here, I promise we won't bug you with internet diagnosis.
I had long term disability insurance when I was injured in an airplane accident 18-19 years ago and was forced to retire, the ALS was just DX may 11, 2006. The disability insurance was a blessing, but did not cover anywhere near my normal salary, I had to rely on my savings. It would be good to sit down with your local agent and see what different kinds of insurance are offered.
My own Doctor developed leukemia and had to quit his practice. It was devastating as he was only 40 years old at the time. I would investigate all kinds of coverage available and think of your long term care as well. When ALS gets in the last stages there are a lot of costs involved that many don't think about, much less providing for your family. As long as you have not been diagnosed YET you should be eligible to at least apply for the coverage. I say Go for it.
I also had a large term life insurance policy for years before I ever came up with this diagnosed. It will help my family after I am gone, and that is very important to me.
I'm in Gulfport, Mississippi, where we have seen unbelievable things pulled by the insurance companies to keep from paying out on policies from the hurricane Katrina damage. They have even had engineering firms falsify damage reports to say people sustained no wind damage when the people had videos of their houses blowing away before the storm surge ever hit the coast. Yet they are in court now fighting thousands of cases. The insurance companies are being sued, the engineering firms, the adjusters, everyone involved from the insurance company side of the matter. One of the main people they tried to not pay is a Senator and he is in court as we speak. It is ridiculous the lengths they will go to to try not to pay claims after they have taken payments on policies for sometiimes 40 years.
They made Billions of dollars in profits for the past few years and now are refusing to pay for anything and everything they can get away with. So you go for it. All they can say is no. At least you will have tried. I would never lie, because later they can deny your claim, but if they don't ask don't tell. (Sounds like the military)
God Bless
Capt. AL