My client suffers from numbness. Will she be able to obtain income protection?
To assess an applicant for income protection (IP), it is important to establish full details of the risk presented to ensure the best possible terms can be offered while adequately protecting the portfolio.
If an applicant discloses a history of numbness, the cause of these symptoms must be established before terms can be considered.
Numbness is a particularly difficult symptom to conclusively diagnose. Consideration needs to be given to the applicant's age, where the symptoms are located and any additional symptoms suffered.
An underwriter must make an important distinction between 'symptoms' and 'diagnosis.' With a precise diagnosis, it is possible to apply the correct terms commensurate to the known risks of the condition. Without a diagnosis, it is not always possible to offer terms because the symptoms suffered could be indicative of a multitude of conditions for which the risk of incapacity differs significantly. Examples of just a few conditions that might result in some form of numbness are migraine, spinal cord lesions/compression, stroke, tumour or demyelination diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
There are a number of conditions that cause numbness, which are uninsurable for IP purposes. But as a result of the possible conditions suffered, if a diagnosis has not been made it is necessary to postpone consideration of cover until such time as the cause of numbness is known or a prolonged period of time has elapsed. During such time the applicant would have suffered further symptoms if the underlying condition were of significance.
Nick Homer
