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I am not an expert on disability insurance, so I recommend everyone do their own research and speak to a disability insurance independent broker to get tailored

I am not an expert on disability insurance, so I recommend everyone do their own research and speak to a disability insurance independent broker to get tailored advice, but if you have a "true own occupation" and "partial disability" coverage, then I think you would be covered, e.g. if you are a programmer that can no longer code more than half time due to carpal tunnel, I would think you could collect 50% disability even if you could work full time as a waiter. Of course, it's likely harder to prove such a claim, as the insurance companies look out for fraud. But if you have a clear and well-documented history, medical files, etc., I would think you should be eligible. Note that your megacorp group insurance policy is likely more limited, e.g. it may not have any coverage for partial disability. Happy to be corrected by those more knowledgeable.

brianwawok 4y ago
Right, not an expert either. But you moved the goalpost a little. Carpal tunnel is a medical condition. You can take an xray and see inflamation and rule it. You can't really do that with pain or brainfog. There is no test "how real is this persons pain".
- berberous 4y ago
  Again, not an expert, but I would guess that in a “good” comprehensive disability insurance policy, chronic pain or brain fog is not an excluded condition, per se. It may be much harder to get the insurance company to accept your claim, but that is an issue of proof, not contractual exclusion. I would also guess that a good attorney could help make your claim succeed, even if initially denied, if it can be shown through the totality of the circumstances, e.g. a long history of doctors appointments, pain pills, attempts and inability to keep working due to the pain, a decrease in normal life activities (e.g. you used to be an avid sportsman and have clearly ceased all those activities), etc. If you claim your pain is horrible but they catch you skiing on vacation in Italy, even if somehow that was during a lull in your pain, that’s probably going to not help your claim.

brianwawok 4y ago

Right, not an expert either. But you moved the goalpost a little. Carpal tunnel is a medical condition. You can take an xray and see inflamation and rule it. You can't really do that with pain or brainfog. There is no test "how real is this persons pain".

berberous 4y ago
Again, not an expert, but I would guess that in a “good” comprehensive disability insurance policy, chronic pain or brain fog is not an excluded condition, per se. It may be much harder to get the insurance company to accept your claim, but that is an issue of proof, not contractual exclusion. I would also guess that a good attorney could help make your claim succeed, even if initially denied, if it can be shown through the totality of the circumstances, e.g. a long history of doctors appointments, pain pills, attempts and inability to keep working due to the pain, a decrease in normal life activities (e.g. you used to be an avid sportsman and have clearly ceased all those activities), etc. If you claim your pain is horrible but they catch you skiing on vacation in Italy, even if somehow that was during a lull in your pain, that’s probably going to not help your claim.