Date of Absence
The date incapacity began for policy purposes — often when material duties stopped, not first symptoms .
This is
- Anchor date for waiting period and benefit chronology
- Recorded by you, employer, and insurer — may differ between them
- Often the day you could no longer perform core occupation al duties
This is not
- The same as symptom onset or first mild sick day
- Automatically the date on your first medical certificate
- Chosen by you alone — insurers calculate and may dispute it
ClaimBuddy resources
Cross-links to Clinical Atlas, glossary, traps, and policy terms — hover for a quick summary.
How do you know?
Practical signs that this term applies to your situation — not legal advice.
- You identify the first day you could not perform material duties — not just felt unwell.
- Employer absence system shows continuous absence from that date.
- Insurer may state a different DOA on assessment — flag the conflict early.
What triggers it?
Events or thresholds that typically activate this concept in a claim.
- Formal stop-work or reduced duties below policy threshold.
- Waiting period measured from DOA or first incapacity day per clause.
- Pre-existing look-back may compare DOA to cover start and symptom history.
- Notice-to-insurer deadlines may run from DOA or first medical consultation.
Check yourself
Highlighted words link to language-map explainers.
- What is my DOA vs insurer-stated DOA — and what evidence supports mine?
- Did I perform any light duties after my stated DOA (resets waiting period )?
- When did symptoms start vs when did duties become impossible?
Date ladder
These dates are rarely the same day — capture each one separately in ClaimBuddy.
- Symptom onset Earliest health signs — not DOA
- Stopped performing duties Your best candidate for DOA
- First sick note Supporting evidence — may not define DOA
- Insurer-stated DOA Capture if different — request calculation method
How this links to other terms
DOA is when policy incapacity is deemed to have begun.
Deferred period usually runs from DOA or first incapacity day.
You can be ill before DOA — illness onset ≠ incapacity onset.
First sick day is often before true duty incapacity.
Insurers compare DOA and symptom history against cover commencement.
Evidence
Employer absence register, medical certificates , duty-impact statement, insurer claim file
Often mixed with
Confusion drill-downs
Side-by-side guides for pairs people mix up with Date of Absence.
Symptoms from March; stopped client-facing duties 12 June (your DOA); first certificate 14 June.