To deny long-term disability insurance claims, insurance companies need evidence to support their denials. One common source of this evidence comes from various surveillance activities conducted by investigators for insurance companies. Traditionally, this surveillance consisted of stake-outs, tracking movements, and video and/or sound recordings. Now, however, the social media explosion has made it easier than ever to obtain knowledge about people’s movements and activities.

Insurance companies rely on social media for evidence in large part because so many Americans have become accustomed to documenting every event in their lives on Facebook and Instagram. Posting pictures, describing activities, and reporting illnesses and injuries on social media all have become a way of life for many. This social media presence gives insurers a cheap and easy alternative to traditional surveillance. In some respects, what people put on social media may be more genuine than what they would admit during an interview. On the other hand, many individuals pick and choose what they put on social media, often glossing over the more mundane, private, and perhaps unattractive parts of their lives.

As a result, if you are suffering from medical problems that make you likely to file for long-term disability in the future, or if you already have filed for benefits, you should sharply curtail your social media presence, or even avoid it altogether. What you may consider an innocuous post may be interpreted differently by the insurance company; that post may give the insurance company evidence to support a denial of your benefits. Any information that you freely share on Facebook or Instagram is fair game for an insurance company that is looking for a reason to deny your benefits. Insurance companies’ use of surveillance and social media is only one of the many complex aspects involved in successful long-term disability claims. As a result, you will need experienced legal representation and advice to pursue an ERISA-governed disability claim. Bonnici Law Group is a law firm focusing on ERISA long-term disability benefits in Southern California. When you need effective legal representation, contact Bonnici Law Group at 858-261-5454 or email us at help@bonnicilawgroup.com. ��8