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If you become ill or injured and are unable to work as a result, benefits from total and permanent disability (TPD) insurance can be an important way of ensuring you can still put food on the table and take care of yourself and your family. Many of us already have a lot of different kinds of insurance – be it health insurance, home and contents insurance, income protection insurance – and we’re comfortable making insurance claims without any assistance, dealing directly with the insurer. However, TPD claims can be more complex. As a consequence, we’ve seen TPD claims unduly delayed, even where it is an eligible claim that should be approved. While insurers are entitled to make “reasonable inquiries” which are necessary for it to make a decision on the claim, they can often use such inquiries to delay the progress of your claim. This includes stressful activities, such as requiring you to undergo an interview by an investigator. This blog explores what you should do if your insurer asks you to undergo an interview, and what your options are.
Read more here: Do I really need a lawyer to make a TPD claim? – Littles
Insurers sometimes request that you attend an interview with an investigator they have engaged, even if you have a legitimate claim. These investigations are often completed by former police officers specially trained to do this work.
These interviews are often scheduled before you even understand the particular matters that the insurer is investigating, or that you are being investigated in the first place!
If you are asked to attend an interview with an insurer or their investigator, you should ask for a detailed list of questions before going to the interview.
Under the Life Insurance Code of Practice, you also have certain rights:
· you are entitled to have a representative or support person (including a lawyer) present with you at the interview;
· the interview may not run for more than two hours, unless you agree to an extension;
· you can choose the location of the interview, within reason, and you are not required to allow the interview to be conducted at your home;
· you are entitled to a copy of the transcript of the interview; and
· you can choose whether the interview is recorded.
In some cases, you may be able to refuse to attend the interview at all.
We know that communicating with insurers and negotiating their complex processes can be stressful and time-consuming. You don’t have to deal with insurers’ enquiries on your own.
If you have been asked to attend an interview with an insurance investigator or any third party during the assessment of your TPD, income protection, trauma or life insurance claim, seek legal advice first! At Littles, we can advise
· whether the request that you attend the interview is reasonable
· whether you are able to refuse to attend
· what information the insurer has to give you before the interview
Do you have an injury or illness that prevents you from working, or just want to know more about what insurance you have under your super? Get in touch with Littles for a free super claims check. We can help you understand what you’re entitled to. Know where you stand, and get peace of mind.
Not only do we offer a FREE claims check – we handle most insurance claims on a no win, no fee basis. Our Head of TPD and General Insurance, Rowan McDonald, is an insurance law expert. If you think you might have a claim, get in touch with Rowan and his team for high quality legal advice.
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