I quite often have to present a disability insurance offer to a client that has been issued with an exclusion for a pre-existing condition.  My clients’ responses range from resigned consent to complete outrage that the insurance company would not include a condition (or body part affected by the condition) in the coverage.

In most cases, my clients ask me to challenge the underwriters’ decisions.  I will usually comply with their wishes, even though I know my efforts will often be futile.  Occasionally, with additional medical documentation, we can get the exclusion lifted or, at the least, assigned a temporary, rather than permanent status.

I always tell my clients that, because the underwriter can exclude their pre-existing condition from the policy, they are able to issue a disability policy for them.  Without the exclusion – no policy.  If I feel the underwriter is being “unfair” about he exclusion, I will sometimes check with other underwriters  to see if a “no-exclusion” policy might be available from their company (this is one of the benefits of working with a broker rather than an agent who is “captive” to one company).

I have had clients (of the “outraged” variety noted above) who have refused to accept a policy based on an exclusion.  I always point out how short-sighted this could be, as there are many possible diseases and other physical ailments that could potentially cause one to be unable to work.

In one case, my client refused a policy because the insurance company excluded his shoulder from the coverage, due to a recent (minor) shoulder injury.  Even though he knew his shoulder injury wouldn’t keep him out of work, he was willing to risk being without coverage for anything else that might prevent him from working.

If you should be offered a policy with an exclusion, contest it by all means.  However, if you don’t get the exclusion lifted, take the policy anyway.  You’ll still be covered for the majority of illnesses and/or conditions that might keep you from working.

I have heard this phrase many times when broaching the subject of disability insurance with a client.  I always pull out a chart that shows the leading causes of disabilities.  My clients are always surprised to see that accidents are not at the top of the list of disability causes.  And, not surprisingly, the number of accident-related disabilities is dropping.

According to the 2010 CDA (Council for Disability Awareness) Long-Term Disability Claims Review, accident-related claims dropped rather significantly as a cause of new disability claims from 2008 to 2009.  This may be related to lifestyle changes, possibly driven by the economy.

Musculoskeletal/connective tissue disorders continue to rank as the leading cause of disability, according to the study.  This category includes claims caused by neck and back pain; joint, muscle and tendon disorders; foot, ankle and hand disorders; etc.

Cancer is the second leading cause of new claims but is the fourth leading cause of existing claims.

Cardiovascular/circulatory problems have increased slightly in 2009 as a cause of new claims after three years of declines, and are the third leading cause of new and existing disability claims.  Examples in this category include claims caused by heart and circulatory disorders, strokes, etc.

So, while you should protect your income from disabling accidents, there are other causes of disability you should be protected from.