14.1.1 "OCC" and "ACC"
Insurance companies take the disability definition a step further and break disability classifications down to the insured's own occupation or any occupation. The interpretation is dependent upon whether the individual is unable to perform the job he/she was performing before the disability or illness occurred or for which the individual is suited by education, training and experience (occ), or if the disabled person is unable to perform any type of work (acc).
For example, if a surgeon loses a hand, he may not be able to perform surgery. If the surgeon has an "own occupation" policy, he would be covered, even though he would still be able to work as a doctor in a nonsurgical field. With the second definition, the inability to perform any occupation (acc), there would be no recovery because the surgeon is still capable of performing some active occupation.
Some policies will pay for the costs of education or occupational rehabilitation for retraining purposes. Some policies adjust the benefits paid to take into account any Social Security payments. The definition of total disability has yet to be standardized. However, almost all disability policies limit or refuse coverage for disabilities caused by attempted suicide, drug addiction or alcoholism. This definition also varies from policy to policy according to "acc" or "occ."
Now do you see why the difference between the two is so important?
