# CU Disability Insurance Claim



## worried (22 Nov 2014)

Hi, hope someone can help me here. I have quite a big CU loan. Loan is in huge arrears because I can no longer work due to injury which left me without the use of one arm. I am now on Invalidity pension. MABS arranged lower payments last year but arrears keep building. 2 months ago CU requested meeting - at this meeting I asked CU to take some of my shares (have share balance which is one third of my loan value) off my loan balance. I then explained about disability, and have been certified unable to work permanently. They gave me forms to fill out, and refused to offset shares against loan pending outcome of insurance claim. My GP then received forms asking about disability - which he filled out. I have heard nothing since. Has anyone any idea what happens next - would like to know how long the process takes, if I'm unsuccessful is there an appeals process, and if I am successful in my claim are my shares secure. Lot of questions, and thank you in advance.


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## Wallpaper (24 Nov 2014)

Ring your credit union and ask at what stage is the claim at. If ECCU (ILCU Insurance company) pay out the disability claim your shares will be left intact.  That is why your credit union didn't want to transfer your shares across.  Do you know when your GP filled in the forms? Your credit union are not deciding on the claim but they should be able to find out at what stage the claim is at.


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## 24601 (25 Nov 2014)

worried said:


> My GP then received forms asking about disability - which he filled out. I have heard nothing since. Has anyone any idea what happens next - would like to know how long the process takes, if I'm unsuccessful is there an appeals process, and if I am successful in my claim are my shares secure. Lot of questions, and thank you in advance.



The delay in disability claims often lies with the turnaround between ECCU sending the relevant documentation to your GP and him/her returning it. However there's no set time on the process but like Wallpaper said, your CU should be able to get an idea for you. 

If the CU is successful in making the claim the loan is fully insured so your shares wouldn't be touched and from your point of view the loan would be done with. 

There is an appeals process for the CU if the claim is successful.

(It's worth noting that the definition for total disability is quite restrictive and what would qualify you for state disability benefits might not meet the insurance threshold - If your case is complex that might go some way towards explaining the delay as they will still have to get their CMO's opinion, upon which their final decision will be made!)

Best of luck with it.


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## Gerry Canning (25 Nov 2014)

Insurances have an unhappy knack of defining disability as TOTAL ,not what  people may reasonably say is total,nor indeed do they readily payout on permanent disability with which you are diagnosed.

On things as clear cut as Heart Attack or a lot of cancers, it is becoming very hard to get claims through.
If your policy is a PPI Type product ,I would be afraid for you as their payout exclusions are sadly too well known .

Get a copy of actual policy and really read it to see where you are. 

Wish you luck.


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## 24601 (25 Nov 2014)

Gerry Canning said:


> Insurances have an unhappy knack of defining disability as TOTAL ,not what  people may reasonably say is total,nor indeed do they readily payout on permanent disability with which you are diagnosed.
> 
> On things as clear cut as Heart Attack or a lot of cancers, it is becoming very hard to get claims through.
> If your policy is a PPI Type product ,I would be afraid for you as their payout exclusions are sadly too well known .
> ...



You'd be right in that it's a very strict definition to satisfy so I wouldn't be banking on a successful claim, but your credit union should be fair in how it deals with you anyway whatever the outcome (I would hope so anyway). 

If the claim is unsuccessful I'd imagine they will allow you set off your shares against the loan balance. 

In terms of getting a copy of the insurance, I don't know if the member can as it's the credit union that's the policy holder rather than the member, but I'm open to correction on that.


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## norahayes (25 Nov 2014)

If your outstanding loan balance including arrears and other debts are under €20,000, and if you do not meet the criteria for the insurance claim, it may be worth looking at applying for a debt relief notice.  Obviously you would need to satisfy all the other qualifying criteria.


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