Need A Copy Of Your Policy? Think Twice
Before Picking Up The Phone!
When the time comes to file a Long Term Care insurance (LTCi) claim, it’s often been years (or decades) since a policyholder has reviewed the contract. Many times, an adult child or other family member is planning to file the claim and doesn’t have immediate access to it. Other times, old policies simply get lost.
What would common sense tell you to do in that circumstance? What would a reasonable person do? Simple! You’d look up the insurer’s number and give them a call.
With your home or auto insurance, that would make sense. Customer satisfaction is important in those insurance industries. They want you to have a good experience and they want you to keep buying more insurance from them.
That is not the case with LTCi. For starters, the policyholder isn’t about to buy another policy from them (in fact – when they make a claim their premiums typically stop). Second, the single biggest push in the industry over the past decade has been to aggressively force policyholders into dropping their policies (they don’t want your business anymore). And third, 95% of the companies who sold LTCi policies aren’t even selling them anymore. To them, it’s a defunct product that looms over their balance sheets like a ghost.
The First Phone Call Is The First Recorded Statement Concerning A Loss
Insurers will likely never tell you, but all incoming calls go to the claims department. Customer service number? It gets directed to the claims department, just as if you were calling to start a claim (not simply asking for general information or confirming coverage before filing). When you pick up the phone, you are about to make a recorded statement regarding a loss, regardless of whether you even tell them there’s been a loss at all (whether you’ll be applying for benefits).
You just want the policy. But to them, the purpose of the call is to get you talking. They know that if you talk long enough, your words can be twisted later on to delay, deny, or under-pay a claim. Sharing even the most seemingly innocent details can set you up for disappointment in the future.
They want you to call. They are trained to greet you warmly, perhaps even like an old friend. They will eagerly engage you in conversation. They’ll offer to answer any of your questions about coverage and care options right away. If you don’t have any questions, they’ll make suggestions to feel out whether you gave a “yes” or “no” indication they can use later.
The people on the phone at the LTCi company are not your friends. They are paid actors. They’re not your enemy and they’re not even out to get you, per se. It’s just that their interests are exactly the opposite of yours. It’s black and white to them. What’s good for you is not good for the company checkbook. To them, it’s strictly business and nothing personal. But to you and your family, the money you stand to lose will be deeply personal.
LTCAE Will Get You A Copy Of Your Policy For Free
The quickest and easiest way to get a copy of your LTCi policy is to simply reach out to us. It takes less than a minute to use our online scheduler to book a free appointment. You can also call us at (888)480-4889.
No sales. No commitments. If you have questions, we have answers.
When you hire LTCAE, we make it easy for you. We treat you like your insurer would in a perfect world: as a trusted partner and ally on your side. From start to finish, our process is streamlined, electronic, and efficient.
If you choose to go it alone, we recommend you only contact your insurer in writing. Some insurers list an email point of contact on their websites. All of them list a fax number and physical address.
If all else fails and you do end up calling them, identify yourself, the policy number, and state that you are only calling for the policy and not to discuss anything else.
You may find yourself sounding like a broken record, but if you stay on task you have the best chance of preserving your rights to reimbursement in the future.
Manipulation of your words in an initial call is just one of the hundreds of tactics used by insurers to deny, delay, and systematically under-reimburse claims. It's unfair from a common-sense standpoint, but in their minds, it's only fair game.
Remember: If LTC insurers treated policyholders, families, and providers fairly, we would not be in business.
Find out how you can keep your claim on track, get the compensation you deserve, and prevent yourself from losing thousands of dollars per year. It's quick and easy to sign up for a free consultation. No pressure. No spamming. Just facts and collaboration.