Insurance World

There are some jobs that you know are high risk: firefighting, construction work, military service. What people don’t realize is that some jobs can put you at risk for microscopic toxic substances that damage the respiratory system, silently yet steadily, and by the time you’ve discovered that you’re sick, you’re already been diagnosed with lung cancer.

Look at the odds: 150,000 people develop lung cancer a year, and 15% of those are from people who had been exposed to chemical substances (asbestos, silica dust, radon, and environmental pollutants) while they were at work. If you are in any of the following occupations, you should take out disability insurance. It gives the assurance that if you do get sick because of your job, and have to take weeks and months off for treatment, you’ll be properly prepared. In fact, disability insurance will often replace up to 80% of your gross income, tax-free. It’s money when you need it most—when medical bills are high, and you no longer have your job to pay them.

Shipbuilders are exposed to fiberglass, which have been linked to a higher incidence of cancer. While most manufacturers insist that they’re safe, lab tests and statistics say otherwise. In fact, this evidence has been available for over twenty years, but no laws monitor exposure to fiberglass materials. Some shipbuilders are also exposed to asbestos, another toxic substance that has been banned by some countries.

Asbestos was used in pipe insulation, making pipefitters (especially those who have been working on it before the 1980’s) at risk for asbestos inhalation. Asbestos clings to the lungs, causing lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. Pipe fitters are also at high risk to benzene exposure. Benzene is a carcinogen that has been linked to lung cancer. The same problem plagues anyone who has worked in any job related to insulation.

Tile workers who mount ceiling and floor tiles and other shock-absorbing materials are exposed to high levels of dust. This can cause respiratory diseases, asthma, and lung cancer. The dust can also irritate the eye and skin, and make it susceptible to infections.

Welders and Refinery Workers are exposed everyday to a toxic mix of carcinogens like benzene, poisonous fibers, and gases. This profession has a high rate of reported cases of cancer, aside from physical injuries that can result from working with very sharp objects and hot metals. Sanders face the same problem, inhaling silica dust and noxious fumes. These gases can all scar the lungs, and trigger mesothelioma and lung cancer. Protective gear helps, but since the substances are in the air and are not fully filtered out, just breathing puts you at risk.

You may love your job, or you may not have the option to quit. However, you need a safety net. Since you are exposed to known chemical hazards (even if you can’t see them) it is necessary to take out disability insurance so you or your family will not suffer from financial problems if and when you do get sick.

Peter, our freelance journalists doesn’t take kindly to people driving into his beloved car. No, he doesn’t use his fourteen stone of gym-honed muscle to exact retribution nor is he into road rage. Of course he’s got his car comprehensively insured but he’s also covered another way. He’s got legal insurance. He included in his car insurance as an optional extra. This extra cover allows him to claim for costs and losses excluded covered from normal comprehensive and third party policies. So four months ago when his car was whacked from behind at the traffic lights, the legal profession swung into action! Not for free you understand, after all who’s heard of a solicitor labouring for free? No, but it was free to Peter – his insurance company paid all his legal costs.

Whilst the garage appointed by his insurer made a beautiful job repairing his bent MX5, his comprehensive policy didn’t normally cover claims for personal injury or loss of earnings. So the extra Ј2 a month Peter forked out for legal expense cover, became money well spent. He’s already received compensation for the broken wrist he suffered and negotiations for his loss of earnings are well advanced. One-handed journalists aren’t much use in our office so he took a month off!

Legal expense insurance assists policyholders to claim back losses and compensation where the accident wasn’t their fault. The losses can include the cost of hiring a replacement car whilst yours is in the garage and, for those not comprehensively insured, the costs of having your car repaired. As in Peter’s case, legal expense insurance will also fund claims for personal injury and loss of earnings.

Cover for legal expense is one of those insurances that’s under rated until it’s called on. The insurer will run the claim for you and sends the settlement cheque at the end of the process. All you have to do is record the facts on the legal expense claim form, speak to the solicitor nominated by your insurer, be prepared to answer a few follow-up questions, and sit back. If the case goes to court, they’ll represent you and fight your corner – although you may also have to attend.

Most car insurance policies sold on the Internet don’t automatically include legal expense cover – it’s normally an optional extra. That’s because price competition on the net is so fierce that the insurers prefer to keep their headline premiums down as low as possible.

You’ll find that the optional cost of legal expense cover does vary from insurer to insurer. For example, More Than comes in at Ј17.85 per year, Direct Line Ј19.95, Churchill Ј21 and Budget Ј24 per year. Just a few insurance companies such as Admiral, include some legal expense cover for free.

So make sure you don’t forget legal expense cover when you buy car insurance. Complicated claims for compensation can drag on your years especially if severe injury is involved, and final settlements can end up in millions.