A careful explanation of prescription periods in long-term care insurance claims, documenting the period, and seeking advice in good time.
Prescription is a legal question and depends on the circumstances
Time limits can be affected by the date the insured event occurred, by different periods within the policy and by changes in the law. Do not rely on a general figure appearing in an article without checking the documents and the applicable law.
If time has passed or a refusal has been received, seek appropriate legal advice promptly.
Approaching the company does not always stop the clock
A family may assume that as long as correspondence continues there is no urgency. That assumption can be dangerous. Keep all the dates and establish explicitly what is required in order to preserve rights.
The documents worth gathering
An organised timeline helps to make sense of the position.
- The date the difficulty or the need for supervision began
- Dates of diagnosis, hospital admission and functional change
- The date the claim was filed
- Requests for further documents and decisions
- The date each letter was received
Information on this site is not legal advice
Pele Yoetz helps organise long-term care claims, but a question of prescription, a court process or the preservation of a cause of action requires individual legal examination.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you have to file a long-term care insurance claim?
Prescription periods in insurance claims are a legal question that depends on the date the event occurred, the policy terms and the applicable law. Do not rely on a general figure found online — check the documents and seek appropriate advice.
When does the prescription clock start running in long-term care insurance?
The starting point may relate to the date the insured event occurred, and where the condition is continuing the question becomes more complex. That is precisely why it is worth assembling an organised timeline and not delaying a check.
Does correspondence with the insurer stop prescription?
Not necessarily. Families sometimes assume that as long as an enquiry is ongoing there is no urgency, and that is a risky assumption. Establish explicitly what is required in order to preserve rights.
What do we do if years have passed since the condition began?
Assemble a timeline with all the dates and documents and seek a legal review of entitlement promptly. Even where the period is long, the assessment has to be made on the specific circumstances.
Official sources for further checking
This is general information and does not replace personal medical, legal or insurance advice. Eligibility is determined by the documents and rules that apply to each case.