What to expect from long-term disability benefits

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What to expect from long-term disability benefits

Suffering a serious injury or illness can be upsetting for numerous reasons. This includes the toll it can take on your ability to work and earn an income. However, there may be benefits available that can make the situation a little easier, like long-term disability.

Below, we explain a few basic aspects of long-term disability benefits and what you might expect in terms of filing a claim.

Types of insurance

There are different types of insurance when it comes to disability, including short-term and long-term disability benefits. There can also be benefits available if an injury occurred on the job.

Regarding long-term disability, there are two types of plans: group plans and individual plans. Understanding the type of coverage you have will be crucial in determining the benefits that may be available. If you are unsure of your coverage, you can talk to a lawyer.

What you may receive in benefits

Though specific benefits and calculations will depend on the type of coverage you have, generally speaking, long-term disability replaces a percentage of a person’s income for a specific amount of time.

As this article notes, most plans will cover between 60-70 percent of a person’s regular income. Benefits may last approximately two years, but they could end sooner or last longer, depending on the details of a claim.

Eligibility requirements

In order to collect long-term disability benefits, a person must meet eligibility requirements. This includes:

• Having a condition that meets the insurance company’s definition of disabling
• Having appropriate coverage
• Being unable to work in either a specific occupation or any occupation, depending on the policy

Problems that can arise

Long-term disability benefits can be crucial to the lives of those who collect them. However, there are issues that can arise and make it difficult for a person to access these critical benefits. This can include wrongful denial of benefits and premature termination of benefits.

Should complications arise involving your long-term disability benefits, it is important that you take steps to understand your legal options. Too often, people assume they have no recourse or they hope the matter will resolve itself. However, these can prove to be costly assumptions, so it is important to discuss your case and possible remedies with your lawyer.