Critical Illness - A Dreadful Experience with Scottish Provident

GGG_3

Thanks Molly.

ellie43

Hi GGG

Sorry to hear you are having problems with Scottish Provident. The London Solicitor I used specialises in people with ME, so I am not sure he could help you. I have got your PM, but can you change your profile so I can reply!

The most important thing with these claims is the medical evidence. You need to get evidence from consultants specialising in your condition and they need to comment on diagnosis, symptoms, functioning and prognosis. I would advise you to get at least one consultants report before you seen any 'expert' appointed by your insurer. Preferably get more than one consultants report. I had to get 3, 2 of which I had to pay for. If there is a national support group for your condition you could give them a call to see if they will recommend consultants to provide you with a report.

Don't rely on the FOS for a fair review of your case. They refused to tell me (like my insurer) what medical evidence was needed to satisfy my policy definition.

Bear in mind you might be under surveillance. A favourite time for insurers is when you go to see their 'expert'.

Consider making a DPA application to Scottish Provident, especially if they have already refused your claim once. You will be able to see the paperwork relating to that refusal and then tailor your medical evidence to address the points that have been raised.

hth
Ellie

dmg24

ellie43 wrote: »

The FOS also said that my ability to understand the issues and my persistence is evidence of my ability to work. A real no-win situation, if I had not persisted my claim would not be paid.

Hi ellie43,

I just wanted to say that I share your frustration on this point. I have long term mental health issues, but on several occasions have encountered this type of attitude. One example that stands out (and is now being handled by my MP) is when I was told that I could not be ill, as I had been on holiday!

Best of luck for the future, and hopefully one day it will be accepted that being disabled does not mean that you are not allowed to be intelligent.

ellie43

Yes dmg

I did say to the FOS that I felt that linking intelligence and disability was offensive, but they didn't bother to respond. Incidentally perhaps it could be argued that suggesting such a link is a breach of the DDA. The lack of understanding such as you have encountered is far too prevalent.

I hope you make progress with your MP, I tried that route, but didn't get very far, but it does depend so much on the personality of the MP in question. The thing with chronic illness is that you have to choose your battles carefully, as sadly there injustices on many fronts.

With best wishes for many enjoyable holidays in the future!:)

Ellie

GGG_3

Thanks Ellie,

They must have done surveillance on me already. The only time I’m out is when I’m going to my GP or the hospital.

I’ve spent lots of dosh on BUPA (private medicines) Spend a few weeks admitted in hospitals. Change a few consultants before I even started to claim. Scottish Provident critical illness never even entered my head.

I have 2 different conditions, although both linked with the other. I’m under 2 different consultants in one NHS hospitals now. I have to have blood test once every month. One of my consultant said that the damage has already been done. The other consultant now said “these injections are not a cure”. Meaning I’ll never will get better.

My conditions are so bad I cry all the time.

When I started the claim, Scottish Provident sent an independent (what ever they are called) to my house to substantiate my condition. I was in a dreadful state when she came to see me (sorry I can’t describe). That was last year, I never saw the copy of the report.
After that the letters I got was as though there were going to pay out. But that changed very soon. Instead they started asking me to talk to my consultants to reply. Now I get the same copied letters every month.

My other half stopped paying his/her Scottish Provident critical illness cover………saying

“What’s the point”.

ellie43 wrote: »

Hi GGG

Sorry to hear you are having problems with Scottish Provident. The London Solicitor I used specialises in people with ME, so I am not sure he could help you. I have got your PM, but can you change your profile so I can reply!

The most important thing with these claims is the medical evidence. You need to get evidence from consultants specialising in your condition and they need to comment on diagnosis, symptoms, functioning and prognosis. I would advise you to get at least one consultants report before you seen any 'expert' appointed by your insurer. Preferably get more than one consultants report. I had to get 3, 2 of which I had to pay for. If there is a national support group for your condition you could give them a call to see if they will recommend consultants to provide you with a report.

Don't rely on the FOS for a fair review of your case. They refused to tell me (like my insurer) what medical evidence was needed to satisfy my policy definition.

Bear in mind you might be under surveillance. A favourite time for insurers is when you go to see their 'expert'.

Consider making a DPA application to Scottish Provident, especially if they have already refused your claim once. You will be able to see the paperwork relating to that refusal and then tailor your medical evidence to address the points that have been raised.

hth
Ellie

Angry_Policyholder

Hi,

I'm very sorry to hear about your illness and it saddens me to read stories like yours and the last thing anybody needs when suffering a serious illness is to spend your time fighting insurance companies when you should be recovering. I have also been fighting Scot Prov and during this year setup an action group action against scottish provident to find out if there were any other Angry Policyholders.

The stories I have found are shocking and even though other company names come up Scot Prov seems to have their own special ways of handling claims. I have yet to meet a medical expert who agrees with Scot Prov and it concerns me that they use sales and marketing staff to evaluate claims and claim to have their own medical expert. My claim is till on going but we have already had some national press and we are currently speaking to a major national newspaper about Scot Prov.

Our claim is slightly different as mine was not own occupation but there were major flaws with the claim process. Claim forms that only asked for current medical problems even after recovery, claim handlers not knowing or understanding my illness. All we are trying to do is stop other people going through this and to highlight the way Scot Prov handles opolicyholders claims. We are on twitter and have gained great advice and support and we would love to hear from you or any other Scot Prov policyholders so we can bring this company to account.

Please PM me or contact me direct (search angry policyholder on google) as we would like to speak to anyone who has had issues with their claims.