Occupational disability insurance despite a pre-existing mental illness: This is how you can get it

Occupational disability insurance despite a pre-existing mental illness: This is how you can get it

According to a report by www.fr.de,
In the case of mental illness, providers may refuse to provide occupational disability insurance. But there are ways in which you can be insured despite a pre-existing condition.

Mental illnesses such as burnout, depression, anxiety disorders or addiction problems are among the most common reasons for leaving working life. A study at Stanford University recently gained new insights into a previously unknown subtype of depression. Occupational disability insurance (BU) protects those affected in such cases, but in some cases providers refuse insurance due to existing pre-existing illnesses.

In order to take out a BU, a number of requirements must be met, including a health examination, in which insurance companies check for existing medical conditions, especially from the last five years. Pre-existing mental problems can mean that the illnesses are either excluded from protection or no insurance can be taken out at all. According to a survey by the General Association of the German Insurance Industry (GDV), 80 percent of all applications for an occupational disability pension are still approved.

People with previous illnesses can submit an anonymous risk inquiry to insurers. If insurance is refused, providers can enter notes in the German insurers' notice and information system (HIS risk file), which can lead to higher payments for insurance coverage or to the refusal to conclude a contract. Providers protect themselves with a risk surcharge because they assume an increased risk of occupational disability. In some cases, insurers may also offer exclusion clauses in which certain body parts or illnesses are excluded if occupational disability occurs.

It is therefore important that health questions are answered honestly with BU insurance, otherwise no benefit will be provided in the event of occupational disability. Therapies that occurred more than five years ago no longer need to be reported. In some cases it may be worthwhile to wait before submitting an application. It is therefore important that people with mental illnesses seek advice from qualified professionals in order to receive the best possible protection.