There is a very good article that appeared in forbes.com entitled:
5 Things to know about coronavirus and people with disabilities.
The 5 points of this article are,
- That people with a disability may experience a higher level of anxiety due to the Coronavirus and that the anxiety poses risks of its own.
- That it may be harder for disabled people to protect themselves during the coronavirus outbreak. Examples mentioned include the fact that some disabled people cannot isolate themselves sufficiently, cannot accumulate supplies, cannot properly clean their homes, wash their hands or perform other tasks as required to protect themselves.
- That the coronavirus can disrupt the regular care and help some disabled require.
- That the need of a disabled person to carve out flexible work arrangements and accommodations may be affected by the outbreak.
- That concerns over minimizing risk and over the consequences of panic or worry may give rise to additional issues.
All of the above five points are important. However, the article fails to mention the most important point of all. You should add point number 6. For those who have private disability insurance, your insurance company is obligated to provide long term insurance benefits “if you are unable to perform your substantial and material duties in the usual and customary manner and with reasonable continuity.”
Many individuals will suffer from anxiety, clinical depression, substance abuse or aggravations of a pre-existing condition as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Such conditions could constitute impairments for which there is either partial or total insurance coverage under a Long Term Disability policy.
To be able to prosecute a claim successfully it is necessary to understand how Long Term Disability insurance works. For more information on this subject contact Ray or Matthew Bourhis (415) 944-3818.