Filing a disability claim.
These tips will help assure you don't hit the snags described in the accompanying article:

• File as soon as you become disabled and no later than a year after the elimination period ends. In fact, waiting that long "will really raise questions about the credibility of your claim," says Todd Gish of Massachusetts Mutual.

• Be polite but discreet with claims reps. They may sound cordial and concerned in phone conversations, but they still represent the insurer, warns Rafel. To help ensure that nothing you say is misconstrued, some attorneys suggest you ask permission to tape the conversation and offer a transcript. However, Darras says that taping a claim examiner this early on might cause your case to be scrutinized more closely. Instead, he advises that you keep calls brief and take careful notes of what was said.

• The insurer, citing customer-service needs, will tape the conversation. "If you sound angry, use foul language, or make disparaging remarks, it can be used against you," Darras says. "Avoid complaining about the long hours you worked, how much you hate managed care, how little you earned. Remember, the claim file in litigation is the insurance company's letter to the jury. When you write or speak to the insurance company, you should use words you'd want to be judged on in court." So be courteous, Darras says. "If it's a simple question, provide the information. Otherwise, say you'll answer in writing."
  
  • Be wary of visits from a claims adjuster or field rep. "One might call, saying he's nearby and wants to drop in," says Darras. "The visit is an opportunity to size up the neighborhood and your lifestyle, as well as to case the area for videotape surveillance." Offer to meet at a coffee shop or restaurant. You're not required to meet these reps in your home.
  
  
  Doreen Mangan. Keep that insurer from blocking your disability claim. Medical Economics 2001;15:57.