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mamaoftwo

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Does anyone have any expertise in this area? I am as yet undiagnosed but have an appointment next week with the neuro. Everyone has kept saying to get life insurance and/or long term disability in place before an official diagnosis. Despite my efforts, I have been unable to find a policy that will work for us. Here is the problem. We are currently resident in the US but are from the UK. We will return to the UK to be nearer to my family for support/help but wont be going until early next year (that is the plan). We cannot find any insurance policy that we can take out here that will pay out in the UK in the event we need it. Seems we have to resident in the US to get the money and we know that is not an option. We have no support network here at all.
I tried to get a policy in the UK but I cannot get it unless I can prove residency there for the last 6mths - which I cannot. And if we wait and try to get a policy once we have gone home, we wont get one because I will have presumably gotten my diagnosis by then.
So there is the dilemma. Any financial wizards in our midst? I'd love some help/advice. And if you happen to know of a policy I can buy here in the US that will pay out regardless of where you are resident at time of disability/death, then please please let me know. Thank you so much for any help you can offer.
 
Hi Mama..I hope you are well and I think about you and your girls often.
I used to be a broker for LTD/Life Insurance. I just called a friend of mine that owns an agency & asked him if he could get a life policy for somebody who is from the UK, currently lives here..but is concerned that it will not pay out if she moves back to the UK. He said no problem. I asked him if he was SURE and he said, "is a pigs *ss pork....so I think he is pretty sure. He owns a multiline agency (Property, Casualty, Life, Health) and there are agencies all over the country. Who did you talk to that told you it wouldn't pay out in the UK? Was it an agency like Farmers or Allstate or State Farm? Those ones can sometimes have weird rules.
 
I think you will need to tread lightly here.

Here is the language from my plan:

"No payment will be paid .... from a pre-existing condition for which you received treatment, consultation, care or services, or prescription drugs during the three months prior to becoming covered under the plan "

I would wait out some time then apply. Assuming your symptoms are not noticable with a minor examination.

At least in the US, you can be sure that they will search through doctor notes etc to try and find that preexisting condition is met.

Jim
 
That is a great point and so very important. I have a couple policies and they do not have a preexisting conditions exclusion other than a 3 year suicide clause, but they are older. My husband, has some very specific back related exclusions, but the preexisting exclusion is a definite issue aside from the "out of country" options. Also, I know that once we did get a permanent back exclusion modified, so if they slap something funny like that on the policy you can ask the agent to have the company remove or reduce it (like to a one year exclusion). I hope no matter what you meet with someone well versed that can go over policy forms and at least get you what you need :)

There are so very informative threads that you can click on at the bottom of the page.
 
Hello.
We too faced this issue and had problems with life insurance. Due to my age ( 37 ) and health we never looked into alot of things thinking we would do it later after the kids grew up or something. We didnt start looking untill after the first visit with the doctor and we were still turned down. We finnaly were accepted under a policy for mortage coverage on a 15 year term , with no pre exsisiting clauses. I know this would not help with the out of the county thing but may be of some help to someone else..
 
Mamma,

LIke Wes said, pay close attention to the pre-ex clauses. I wrote a disab policy, had a 12 month prex clause, which, my 12 months will be December 1.

On the life, you need to check that. If the agent is a friend of midnights, then you can tell the agent your issues.

YOu are NOT diagnosed yet, so don't give any insurance company more than what they ask for.

I would postpone my dr's appt if necessary.

good luck
 
So am I to understand from all this that it is effectively too late for us to even apply? I have seen several docs about my health problems already, none of them have given me a diagnosis as yet. But my medical file here in the US is filled with all the details of docs I have seen, tests that have been done etc and of course, I am still taking prescription neurontin that was given to me 6mths ago for the fasics and burning pains in my arms.
I find this all so utterly confusing. I know I cannot apply for long term disability because I gave up my job to stay at home after my 3yr old was born. That means I am unemployed currently so I am not eligible for disability cover. In the UK, I could apply for critical illness cover which would give me a lump sum payout in event I am diagnosed with a disabling condition - is there anything equivalent here?
Also, Midnight, if there is someone or some company you think might be able to help us navigate our way through all this, we'd appreciate your help.
We've literally spent the weekend online trying to find anyone who would give us some kind of cover and have come up with nothing. My appointment is supposed to be Wed. I am going to have to cancel until we figure this out, even if figuring it out means accepting that there is no way to get financial help for my family. At least I will have made peace with that.
I cant help but wonder however - there must be PALS out there who did not have LTD or life insurance in place when their illness came up - how do you manage the cost of care? Doesnt it effectively mean that the choice to vent and continue living becomes an option only for those with insurance policies big enough to help, or with families with deep pockets.
How else does any family manage?
 
I got life insurance in the middle of my workup from NY Life. There is no clause that says I will not be paid if there was a preexisting illness I was treated for. Also, I wasn't working when I became ill and they offered me disability ins. Good luck.
 
Thanks Leslie - I will look into NY LIfe.
Tell me, if you dont mind, how did you end up choosing this policy? Did you have someone do the legwork and tell you your options or did you trawl like we have and find this yourself. I want to make sure we find the right thing, assuming there is something that will work. Back home we had a financial advisor we could have turned to but dont have such a person here.
We're so not financial people and get number blindness/small print blindness with all this. I'd love some expert advice.
Thanks.
 
Actually, my ex recommended NY Life to me because he found a great policy. The agent came to my home and we had very extended discussions on numerous occasions before I finally locked into a policy. A nurse came to my home and drew some blood, took a history....and I had a couple of things in my history that still passed. This was before I was diagnosed, but I still had weakness, twitching, etc. The fact that everything was still negative was why I was approved. I didn't really have to say much because they asked for records from the doc. So, I know there are some companies out there, I'm just not sure about the transfer situation. Keep trying!
 
Insurance

I wish we had thought about this before we started seeing neurologists. Way before my husband was even given the early ALS diagnosis...we were denied. We were absolutely devastated....given that he is only 40 we did not think about it until it was to late. I say...apply as early as possible. I try to give all my friends this advice. Kelly
 
Information on Life/Health

Hi Mamma,
I do have a friend that you could call and he is EXTREMELY CANDID (as well as quite entertaining and funny) about insurance/disability and very knowledgeable about "the way" to go about things. He has been great for me personally when I needed to feel like I needed to tell the agent, but didn't know if the COMPANY should/should not know. I would never lie, but I sure wouldn't give any information not asked for. He has a close friend whose wife has ALS as well. I lost my ability to PM and I am not sure if I am allowed to put his number on the forum? Can you PM me and I'll see if I can reply? If not, let me know if I can put his information on my response. Even if you don't go through him, he can give you information on the process, the policies, the types of insurance and give you some direction. I think at one time I gave you my email address at home. And no, I don't think it is too late for you to look for insurance.
 
Midnight - tried to PM you. Came up with a message saying that you have chosen not to receive PM's. I checked what messages I have in my inbox and I do not have your home email. Any idea how else I can reach you? Dont you just need to activate the PM part of your membership?
Thanks!
 
fixed PM

Hi Mamma,
I think I fixed my messaging. I don't know how I messed it up in the first place. I guess I am just talented like that :)
 
Insurance

In going thru past threads, I wanted to comment on life insurance. When my sister was put on long term disability from her work, I enquired at her company about the life insurance coverage that they carry on employees. I did get approval for them to payout the insurance if they wanted to. My sister and her husband decided not to but the option was there. Norma
 
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