Medical Disclosures Review

badmemory

I have had a letter from Legal & General re MDR. This threatens to reduce my annuity if the MDR does not support what I have told them at worst I may receive their standard annuity rate. But I was under the impression that I was receiving their standard annuity rate. I declared my only ailment which is does not limit either my length of life or my "enjoyment" of life. The medication for which as far as is known to have no side effects. So basically - why me? I could understand if I had real health issues that would mean my annuity would be increased but I haven't.


I am quite frankly worried that they feel they have made an error & are going to make me pay for it. Would an annuity of £2k pa at 72 on £27k be at a special rate (back in March). Why would it take them until the 20th July to question it?


They say at worst you may receive our standard annutiy rate but I thought I already was. Can anybody tell me what is going on?


I'm now beginning to wish I had taken it all in cash as I originally intended to & am feeling frankly about to be screwed over.

dunstonh

But I was under the impression that I was receiving their standard annuity rate.

There hasnt been any difference between lifetime annuities and enhanced or impaired annuities for some time. It has largely been just "lifetime annuity".

I declared my only ailment which is does not limit either my length of life or my "enjoyment" of life.

To qualify for higher rates you dont need to be impaired. Cholestoral, hypertension, postcode, alcohol intake, smoker status, occupation during working life, any prescribed medication etc can have an impact.

So basically - why me?

They sample check on a random basis with an element of risk targetting (i.e. if they find through sample checks that a high proportion of people are telling lies in a particular area, they will check more of those cases).

Would an annuity of £2k pa at 72 on £27k be at a special rate (back in March). Why would it take them until the 20th July to question it?

The best place to buy annuities is via IFAs. Did you use an IFA? if so, ask them. IFAs have a medical questionnaire which they would keep on file along with copies of any supporting medical information (GP/consultant notes etc). So, you can check what was declared.

The rate does look enhanced.

Can anybody tell me what is going on?

The IFA, if you used one. If not, yourself and your memory or records.

badmemory

To be honest I really didn't think it was enhanced as it varied by only a pound or two from what L&G were on the pension website which is why I went ahead. I did intend to leave it for my son to inherit but thought that next years crash might take too long to resolve.


Luckily I have proof of the medication, I even think I still have the card which gave me access to free prescriptions because of the medication back to 1988. Oh the joys of being not just anal but a hoarder too! I even have credit card recepits to prove my alcohol intake - now that is seriously anal.


I'm still not happy at being called a liar. But on the phone they told me (& I don't think this is true) if the MDR proves that my medical information underestimated the impact on my life expectancy then they would increase the payout.



Can I ask the "nurse" for proof of her (I assume it will be a her and we all know what assume did) qualifications?


Thank you Dunston for your reply - as you can see this has got my paranoia on high alert - so any help will be most gratefully received.

Marcon

I'd pop your paranoia back in its box - easy for me to say, but if you've been honest throughout with L&G (and it sounds from what you have said that is the case), it is highly unlikely anything will happen at this stage.

If you want to do something more positive to set your mind at rest, give TPAS a call for free, impartial information: https://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk

dunstonh

I'm still not happy at being called a liar.

If they have called you a liar then you should complain.

If they have just said they are going to check what you told them then that is not calling you a liar.

If you ran a business that pays more to people based on information they supply, wouldn't you run sample checks on whether what you are being told is correct or not?

Dox

badmemory wrote: »

I'm still not happy at being called a liar. But on the phone they told me (& I don't think this is true) if the MDR proves that my medical information underestimated the impact on my life expectancy then they would increase the payout.

You haven't been called a liar (at least I trust not). You're simply a statistic or a sample case.

Why don't you believe what they said? The nature of reviews is that they can go either way.

I truly think you are letting your imagination conjure up a scenario which doesn't exist, simply because you are worried and upset. It's what most of us do - but as a previous poster has suggested, having a word with TPAS might go a long way to making you feel a bit happier.

badmemory

If they renege on their agreement do I have the right to cancel that agreement?


I am paranoid but unfortunately that paranoia has proved to be correct more often than it proved to be wrong.


I still think that a flat (no annual increase) pension at 72 based on £27k of £2k pa does not include any enhancement.


But thank you everybody for your replies, I will TRY to keep myself calm, but I would love to see my bloodpressure if that nurse was only coming today. Fortunately I do normally see the humour of my state of mind.