The holidays are soon approaching, which means parties and family get-togethers are just around the corner. Being on long-term disability doesn’t mean you have to say no to these events. But it does mean you have to be careful about what gets put on social media or you risk having your long-term disability benefits terminated.
How Insurance Companies use Social Media to Spy on You
In today’s society, nearly everyone is on some form of social media. It’s a great way to keep in touch with family and friends, share photos, and keep up with current events. Unfortunately, it’s also a method used by insurance companies to try to discredit your claim.
Here’s an example of how that can happen.
Let’s say you’ve recently been approved for long-term disability due to a debilitating lower back condition. Standing on your feet causes you great pain and it’s difficult for you to walk.
You receive an invitation to your granddaughter’s first birthday party. The party is indoors and you know you will be able to sit during the festivities, so you think to yourself, “Of course I can go to my granddaughter’s birthday party.”
Then, when it’s time to cut the cake, you rise to go to the table to sing Happy Birthday, and someone hands you the baby for a picture. Naturally, you smile for the camera.
Two days later, someone posts your picture on Facebook and tags you with the caption, “Fun and Games at Susie’s 1st birthday party!”
A few months later, you receive a termination letter from your insurance company. Their reasoning? If you can attend a party and pick up and hold a one-year-old child, you are not really in as much pain as you claim, and can return to work in your sedentary job.
You’re rightfully confused. How on earth did the insurance company know that you held your grandchild?
They spied on your Facebook account, that’s how.
Never mind the fact that social media doesn’t accurately portray your real situation. In truth, someone handed you your grandchild and you stood for less than a minute. You might have been in pain the entire time, but now the insurance company has “evidence” that you can lift a child and stand (while looking happy!) and they can exploit that photo and use it against you to have your long-term disability benefits terminated.
Tips To Protect Yourself On Social Media
- Make sure your settings are set to “Private.” This applies to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, and any other social media you may use.
- Remove personal information such as your address, email address, and telephone number from your profile.
- Never accept a “Friend” request from someone you don’t know (it could be someone from the insurance company trying to see your private posts).
- Set your account so that only “Friends” can see your post.
- Do not give anyone permission to post on your Page or your account. Set your controls so that only you can post.
- Avoid activity on LinkedIn. Updating your profile on LinkedIn gives the impression that you are looking for work. Also, note that there is a setting for “Let recruiters know you’re open to opportunities.” This should be set to “No” to avoid any misconceptions.
- Tell your family and friends NOT to tag you in photos. And in case your family and friends forget, set your account so you can review all posts and/or photographs that you are tagged in by friends before they are posted.
And last but not least, the simplest way to protect yourself on social media is to stop using it completely. While this might seem harsh, it’s the only way that an innocent and benign post won’t be used against you by the insurance company. Here’s a link to help you pull the plug, if you like the idea.
To read more about how insurance companies unfairly target you for termination of your long-term disability benefits, read our informative article HERE.
A social media investigation is just one of the ways insurance companies try to discredit your disability claim. If you’ve lost your long-term disability benefits, we can help. Tucker Disability Law has over 30+ years fighting the insurance companies. We have a 98% win rate because we know the dirty tricks insurance companies use, and how to beat them!
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At Tucker Disability Law we don’t settle for less. Neither should you.
