Grey Matter in Load Securement Claims

As a flatbed operator some of the most common claims can create an absolute nightmare to collect benefits or provide limited coverage. A heavy hauler you are actually deemed to be high risk occupation. This sector alone suffers from more illness chronic disease, sleeping disorders, physical disorders than any other sector of transportation. This is a result of the physical strain on the body, fatigue, hazardous exposure and stress.

The most common injury claims are generally known as “soft tissue” claims. Soft tissue claims generally involve muscles and ligaments. The shift of a load during securement can create more either a complete inability to work or be deened as a soft tissue injury. This bruising, strained or sprained muscles can fall under “Grey Matter” in the claims settling process by the most widely sold accident only contracts utilized as “alternatives to WSIB”.

Soft tissue injuries in most accident insurance policies are limited to 60 days or 40 days in coverage. Where is the rest of your income coming from?

A good example of a claim with “Grey Matter”, is a torn rotator cuff. This involves a bone that is torn from your shoulder socket. This claims is generally payable payable for 60 or 40 days found in the limitation portion of your accident ONLY policy. If the bone was broken, full compensation is paid for the term of your disability.

The average recovery is approximately 6 to 12 months. The Insurance Company is heavily reliant on the medical information that your doctor provides to them. This may include copies of your MRI, X-Rays and still ONLY pay for 2 months. Very few carriers would re-consider this to pay the total period of disability; simply because it is deemed as “Grey Matter”.

This same accident years later, may results in further complexities resulting in a condition related to the this injury and only payable under the illness portion of the insurance contract. So unless you are covered for illness coverage, you may never collect any further benefits.

Many conditions in spite of the fact it was initially as a result of accident are covered by the illness coverage. In this market , there is the highest persistency of illness related claims due to heart attack, cancer, sleep apnea, ulcers, low back pain. Majority of these conditions are covered by illness and NOT the accident portion of a disability insurance contract.

It is important to note that majority of illness claims are paid by a disability insurance policy and NOT a critical illness policy. In spite of the fact they compliment each other, majority of illness claims are NOT life threatening, they require time to heal.

As a heavy hauler not covering yourself for both Injury plus illness will mean not only a loss of income but financial disaster.

For more information please contact us directly or visit our website at www.lmdfinancial.com.

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