Is Long-Term Disability for Life?
Long-term disability benefits are not for life. Long-term disability may last for a duration specified in your plan, for as long as your conditions persist, or until the age of 65.
Depending on the details of your insurance policy, you may have a cap on the length of time you may receive disability benefits, such as two, five, or ten years.
Other plans may only cover you so long as your qualifying conditions persist and limit your ability to perform at work. If you recover, you may lose long-term disability benefits.
Many long-term disability insurance plans also have a certain age limit at which point benefits stop. This is frequently 65 years old. Reference your policy for the maximum age limit in your plan.
How Long-Term Disability Works
Often identified by its acronym, LTD, long-term disability is a type of insurance coverage that protects employees should they lose their ability to work for a significant period due to an accident, injury, or illness.
Many employers offer group LTD plans to their employees, either as a work perk or by deducting the cost from the employee’s payroll.
People may also purchase their own individual LTD plans if they are self-employed or want supplemental coverage.
How each plan operates in terms of coverage and payout is different. The specific details of your long-term disability plan are located within your policy.
Reasons to Be Protected by Long-Term Disability
Depending on your condition and the type of work you do, recovery may be months or years. The safety net of a long-term disability insurance policy may be a vital source of support in such a scenario. Your insurance may provide up to 70 percent of your pre-disability income for a specified period as a monthly insurance payout. This steady stream of income may allow you to focus on your recovery.
The usefulness of long-term disability goes beyond the recipient. This coverage may be prudent for parents or others with dependents they provide for, as well as contributors to dual-income households. If an accident prevents you from working, long-term disability may give you and your family stability.
What Qualifies for Long-Term Disability Insurance Coverage?
Contrary to popular beliefs, long-term disability insurance is not just for people with high-risk jobs. And long-term disability is not for life. A significant number of long-term disability claims have nothing to do with the plaintiff’s career choices. Anyone may be diagnosed with a medical condition or sustain injuries in an auto accident or slip and fall accident that might limit their ability to work.
The following are examples of non-work-related illnesses and injuries that may prevent an individual from working and ergo, qualify them for long-term disability insurance coverage:
- Cancer
- Psychological disorders
- Nervous system disorders
- Musculoskeletal illnesses
- Chronic neck and back pains
- Foot, hand, and ankle disorders
- Muscle and tendon disorders
- Fractured bones
- Injuries from a personal accident
- And more if you qualify
Some long-term disability plans have special rules regarding their coverage of pre-existing conditions. Under some plans, a pre-existing condition may be excluded from benefits for a set time period, such as the first two years of coverage, but may then become eligible. For the details of your plan’s specific pre-existing condition rules, reference your policy.
What to Do if Your Long-Term Disability Claim is Denied
Unfortunately, some long-term insurance companies unfairly deny their clients benefits. An internal appeal may just produce a second denial, but if you challenge the insurer in court, a judge gets to decide if your condition merits benefits.
If a judge determines that you do, in fact, deserve benefits, a judge may force the insurer to put you back on the claim or the insurer will simply enter into a settlement. A long-term disability lawyer may be able to represent you through this process and challenge the insurance company on your behalf.
Do You Need Legal Help? Hire Preszler Injury Lawyers Today
If you are thinking about filing a disability claim or require legal assistance to navigate an issue with your long-term disability insurance coverage, the qualified legal representatives of Preszler Injury Lawyers may be able to help.
We can help answer your questions, such as if a long-term disability is for life, and we may also be able to represent you in a lawsuit against an insurer who wrongfully denied your application for long-term disability benefits.
Call us at 1-800-JUSTICE to discuss your case with a member of our team in a free initial consultation. Depending on the details of your case, we may be able to provide effective ways to move forward.
