Income protection and social welfare

I have been suffering from Generalised Anxiety disorder now since last year and severe panic attacks and have been off work since June. Last week work sent me to an independant psychiatrist via Irish life to assess me to go on to income protection.

I have been seeing a psycotherapist myself since last November and a psychiatrist lately as well as having great support from my GP and company doc.

I found the interview very nerve wracking and had an unmerciful pain in my stomach and up my back with nerves, I drew complete blanks in some places and couldn't even tell the doctor what age I was. I am panicking all week about how it went and waiting to hear, to make matters worse when I returned home from the interview there was a letter there from social welfare requesting my doc to fill out a form to be submitted to their chief medical advisor. I have not slept for a week now worrying about all of this - has anyone been through this process or has any advice, to calm me...... I need some kind of income and really don't want to go back to work as I think the attacks are so dibilitating I won't be able to do my job properly.

Many thanks

Have you been certified medically unfit for work by your GP or other medical professional? If so then presumably you should be able to apply for one of the SW illness/sickness benefits (PRSI linked) or allowances (means tested) anyway. If/when income protection comes through then any allowance you claim might be impacted under the means test. Any PRSI linked benefit should not be. If the income protection assessment/interview is stressing you out so much then perhaps they might accommodate you - e.g. by allowing somebody to accompany you to calm you or something like that?

I have attended the claim already and yes I probably should have had someone attend it with me... I already hand my social welfare over to my employer, but I was thinking worse case scenario if the income protection was rejected (as I have been told that insurance companies can reject claims even with people who are dying of cancer) I at least had social welfare illness benefit now I am stressing as I am afraid I won't have anything....

Why are you paying your SW payment over to your employer? Are they paying salary net of the SW payment for the moment or something?

yes they are paying me full salary until September in September they then paid me 66% which is equivilant to what irish life will pay me if income protection is approved.

So where does your fear of ending up with no income come from?

When is a decision likely on the income protection claim?

It is entirely normal procedure that an Income Protection insurer will seek a second opinion to verify your inability to work. It wouldn't necessarily be the case that you have to answer all the questions that the psychiatrist asks - it's not an academic test. The purpose of the test is to help the independent psychiatrist to assess your fitness for work.

Given the nature of your claim, I would have thought that showing signs of anxiety at the psychiatrist's examination would work in your favour.

LD Ferguson thanks for your reply its a good point that you have made that its not an academic test.....I see you are in the business and was wondering had you any experience of dealing with this. I have been told by a friend who works in HR in my company not to go down this route as they are really tough on the claimants and its not worth it apparently she has a case where the guy has cancer and they are making him jump through hoops which is probably in effect what has made me so apprehensive about claim and whole proceedure.

Clubman... if the insurance company reject my claim based on the interview/assessment last week then apparently work will stop paying me too as they only pay 3 months salary as per their sick leave policy... which would only leave me with social welfare. We could probably survive on that, however, with them sending me a form also for their medical advisor I feel that is up in the air too thus exasperating my anxiety and worry (hope this is clearer)

SBW said:

Clubman... if the insurance company reject my claim based on the interview/assessment last week then apparently work will stop paying me too as they only pay 3 months salary as per their sick leave policy... which would only leave me with social welfare. We could probably survive on that, however, with them sending me a form also for their medical advisor I feel that is up in the air too thus exasperating my anxiety and worry (hope this is clearer)

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I see. It's standard practice for an insurance company or SW to assess claims in this way. I think you may be overreacting and worrying unnecessarily. At least based on the current situation as outlined here. If either or both claims do happen to be rejected (no reason to suppose this just yet) then there are most likely appeals processes too.

Thanks clubman - I know what you are saying is logical but given the nature of my illness (anxiety and anxiety attacks and worrying un-necessarily) the whole irony of the whole thing is that its just given me something extra to worry about !!!!!! I know I am complete lunatic ..... but doesn't stop me worrying if that makes sense..

Obviously you should discuss how best to cope with such issues with the medical professionals with whom you are dealing.

Will do of course thanks for all the advice and any more to come - the fear of the unknown is sometimes worse than something you know for sure and can cope for. Thanks

Hi SBW, How did you get on with your Irish Life Cover. I am in a similar situation and had to endure two of these medical assessments. Felt that I was not able to explain properly how I was feeling. Currently awaiting decision from Irish Life.