Mike Sizemore Learned, the Hard Way, How Disability Insurance Works

Mike Sizemore is a Life Happens Real Life Stories spokesperson, and he’s helping Life Happens promote the 2023 Disability Insurance Awareness Month outreach campaign, which started May 1.

The Arlington, Virginia-based organization began organizing the campaigns 17 years ago, to tell consumers, employers, financial advisors and even insurance agents about the importance of people insuring their ability to earn a living.

Eleven years ago, Sizemore was a healthy, athletic 27-year-old, with a master’s degree from Virginia Tech, working for a nonprofit employer in Virginia.

Then one day, as he started to cross a street a drunk driver hit him. He suffered severe injuries to his head and body.

Regaining his ability to walk and talk took time. He has been dealing with the lingering effects of his injuries — and using disability insurance benefits to support his recovery efforts — ever since.

Sizemore came to Life Happens’ attention in 2015, when James Jacobs, the agent who placed the disability insurance that covered him, nominated him for the organization’s Real Life Stories recognition program. The product is often sold by life insurance agents but typically is classified by regulators as a non-medical health insurance product.

He continues to support Life Happens awareness campaigns.

Sizemore answered questions about disability insurance via email. The answers have been edited.

THINKADVISOR: Before you were injured, what did you know about disability insurance? Is there anything you didn’t know before your accident but wish that you did?

MIKE SIZEMORE: I thought disability insurance was just an option provided by jobs when filling out benefits paperwork, a policy that would take money from my paycheck for something I was never going to need.

When I first began my position with the nonprofit, I had to ask my mother if the $8 deduction from my check for disability insurance was even worth it. At that time, I thought it would be better used for gas money or other expenses.

As it turns out, I was wrong in all the right ways.

Did you know anyone who was seriously disabled before you became disabled? If so, what did you know about that person’s disability?

Yes, I was familiar with disability insurance because of my uncle, who had serious knee issues from working in a tire plant most of his life.

He was unable to continue working on his feet and had to undergo multiple surgeries.

After his procedures and rehabilitation, he was able to return to work but with limited duties.

Disability insurance helped him maintain his salary and work towards retirement.

What type of disability insurance did you have when you became disabled — group, individual, or both?

I had an individual policy that was employer-paid.

My job at the time also paid for life insurance, health insurance, and contributed towards retirement, and I also had the option to contribute to my policies on my own personal basis.

My injuries were so severe that my hospital bills were almost $2 million. Without my disability insurance policy, I never would’ve been able to afford the recovery process on my own.

When you were injured, how did you or your relatives file the claim and who helped you during the process?

When the accident first happened, I was in a coma, so my company and family handled the disability insurance process for me.

It was extremely hard on my parents, as they didn’t know if I was going to make it. They were waiting at my bedside while also worrying about the $2 million in medical and hospital bills.

Not being from a wealthy background, my family (like most families) did not have the finances to cover the bills.

Thankfully, my disability insurance policy covered the majority of the costs and allowed me and my family to focus on my personal recovery without having the debilitating financial concerns weighing over our heads.

Mike Sizemore. (Photo: Life Happens)