5 Frequently Asked Questions About Disability Insurance
It won’t happen to me.
When it comes to disabilities, that’s often the mindset we take. However, according to the “2019 Ultimate Guide to Physician Disability Insurance“, roughly 25 percent of American workers will experience a form of disability at some point in their career.
Whether your condition is long-term, short-term, or recurring, disability insurance is the most effective way to protect your source of income. To help you better understand the ins-and-outs of disability insurance, we’ve documented our answers to the top five questions that we field on a regular basis as an independent broker.
1. When is the best time to purchase disability insurance?
Frankly, the best time to apply for disability insurance is right now. When it comes to cost, disability insurance is just like any other type of insurance; it only gets more expensive as you age.
For this reason (and many others discussed in this article), you should consider putting an individual long-term policy in place early on in your career – before you begin working if possible.
Contrary to popular belief, approximately 90% of disability claims are attributed to illnesses, not physical injuries. The most common disabling illnesses include:
- Arthritis.
- Depression.
- Diabetes.
- Cancer.
- Heart disease.
Needless to say, you cannot afford to wait until you’re sick or injured to obtain sufficient disability insurance coverage.
2. How do I collect disability insurance benefits if I become unable to work?
In the event that you do experience a disabling condition that prevents you from working, disability insurance replace a substantial chunk of your income. It can serve as a vital financial backstop to help you sustain your standard of living and minimize financial strain on your loved ones.
To make sure your policy is in full-effect, there are several time-specific terms you will want to take note of:
- Effective date: This is the day that your disability insurance policy officially becomes active.
- Elimination period: Also known as the waiting period, this is the amount of time you must be disabled for prior to receiving disability benefits. Elimination periods can range anywhere from 30-365 days depending on the policy.
- Commencement date: This is the day after the completion of the elimination period. You are now eligible to receive benefits for a covered disability.
Although buying an individual disability insurance policy is often the recommended route, certain types of organizations will offer group plans as well. If you do choose to participate in your employer’s group plan, you should still supplement this coverage with an individual policy.
That’s because what constitutes a disability and how you can qualify to collect disability benefits varies greatly by carrier and policy type. After filing for disability benefits, your insurance carrier will either approve or decline your claim. If your insurer denies your disability insurance claim, it is best to call an experienced disability insurance attorney immediately. This individual will help you navigate the process, from application to appeal to a potential lawsuit.
3. Why are there different definitions of disability?
While the renewability provision of a disability insurance policy stipulates the duration of time you may keep your policy and at what premium, it is the insurance policy’s definition of disability that determines whether or not you will receive benefits.
There are various definitions of disability that are generally used in disability insurance policies, including:
- True own occupation: Under the true own occupation definition of disability, you’re considered disabled when you’re unable to perform the duties of your exact professional specialty. This makes it a must-have for physicians, dentists and other medical professionals.
- Transitional own occupation: Also known as limited own-occupation, this policy provision recognizes you as disabled if you’re incapable of performing your own occupation but can still perform another occupation so long as you do not earn more than you previously did.
- Any occupation: Under this definition, you’re considered disabled if you’re incapable of engaging in any occupation for profit or remuneration. You will only receive benefits if you can longer work in any capacity. This makes it the most restrictive definition of disability.
- Partial disability: Under this definition, you’re considered partially disabled if you’re incapable of performing one or more duties of your regular occupation. There’s no requirement that you suffer any income loss.
- Residual disability: Similar to partial disability, you are recognized as disabled if you’re incapable of performing one or more duties of your regular occupation. However, unlike partial disability, there is a requirement that you have a loss of time or duties and suffer an income loss of at least 20%.
As you can see, navigating the various definitions of disability is no small task. When selecting a provision for your policy, it’s crucial that you ask any and all questions you may have before making a decision.
4. What are the best riders to add to my disability insurance policy?
Once you’ve determined how much disability insurance coverage you need and what type of policy best fits your situation, it’s time to explore various riders. Disability insurance riders are optional features that you can add to your policy to maximize your coverage.
Some of the most common riders include:
- Cost of living adjustment rider: This additional feature offsets the risk of inflation by providing an increase in benefits due to changes in the cost of living.
- Residual or partial disability rider: The additional feature provides disability insurance benefits if you suffer an established percentage of income loss due to injury or illness.
- Return of premium rider: The additional feature allows you to get back your entire premium paid throughout the term of the policy if you never claim benefits.
Although beneficial to many, your personal situation may not call for all (or any) of these riders. On the other hand, your coverage needs may require other riders not listed here. Once again, this underscores the importance of due diligence when it comes to maximizing your disability insurance coverage.
5. What if I’m late with my premium payment?
Should you be late with your premium payment, a termination of coverage may occur. As a result of the termination, you may not be eligible for benefits. At times, however, there are circumstances in which your coverage may still be extended even when you’re delinquent or late on premium payments.
To avoid this altogether, approach your monthly disability insurance payments like you would any other recurring bill you pay. As you can see, it is a key component of your personal finances and should be treated as such.
—
This guest post was authored by Colin Nabity, Founder & CEO of LeverageRx – a digital lending and insurance network for medical professionals.
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Disability Company Reviews
(660)
Showing 8 of 660 Reviews
Lincoln Financial
Uses every dirty trick in the book
It’s next to impossible to get $ out of them without a lawyer. They use plenty of intimidation and unfair tactics. They don’t want to pay. And yet, their CEO made 13 m... read more >
Unum
Unum is evil
On 11/3/2021 I got shot by my boyfriend and my spinalcord got hit, paralyzing me from the neck down and accepting Unum benefits was the worst decision I ever made. I sued ... read more >
Lincoln Financial
Every month I get paid on a different date
I will start by saying that my experience is not as horrible as others, like the folks who have valid claims but get nothing from Lincoln. I feel for you and hope to god y... read more >
MetLife
They will do anything to not approve your claim
MetLife’s handling of my short-term disability claim has been incredibly frustrating and stressful. I followed all the necessary steps prior to my surgery, providing the... read more >
Reply
Sedgwick
Don't trust them, they like to play games
They suck the life out of people that need help. They falsely advertise for helping people that they care. Sorry to tell you it's all about money, they do not care for any... read more >
New York Life
Lyme Disease Disability Claim Denial
I have had repeat claims for genuine medical leave and they have repeatedly been denied by NY Life. I have even been diagnosed with Lyme and going through treatments and t... read more >
New York Life
Disappointed with NY Life Disability Excuses
I am beyond disappointed with NY Life Disability Insurance’s handling of my father’s claim. My father, a 66-year-old man who has suffered two strokes and continues to ... read more >
New York Life
New York Life is a joke!
This company sucks when it comes to disability claims. They are slow at processing stuff, then they always say they didn't recieve the doctors information. You spend your ... read more >
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Disability Denial Reason #2 - Change of Disability Definition & Vocational Review
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Seven Surgeries and The Standard Still Denies Disability Insurance Benefits
Our client was employed with the State of Oregon as a Technical Support Representative. She sought disability through her employer provider LTD Policy with Standard due to low back, hip, and lower extremity pain. She had two hip, two knee and three back surgeries.After paying her for 1.5 years Standard hired a board-certified neurologist to perform a review ... Read More >
Sun Life Wrongfully Denies Disability After Paying For 23 Months
We represent a 57 year-old claimant who’s occupation was selling commercial vehicles for many years. Her job was very physical as it required her to climb in and out of semi-trucks multiple times a day as well as operate them which was very strenuous. She went out of work in due to ongoing and severe debilitating right hip, low back, and bilateral knee pain... Read More >
Nurse Denied Long-term Disability Benefits by Lincoln After the Definition of Disability Changed
Our client, a registered nurse for Dignity Health, found herself in a difficult situation after being diagnosed with lumbar spondylosis and left knee arthritis. She continued to work, however, struggled while attempting to work through chronic lower back pain and left lower extremity radicular symptoms on a daily basis. Sadly, her condition failed to improve and... Read More >
Lincoln Reverses Decision to Terminate LTD Benefits of Corporate Attorney after Dell Disability Lawyers Appeals the Decision
The claimant is an 64 year old former Corporate Attorney and at a prominent Florida business law firm who was forced to cease working in his highly successful and rewarding profession, job, and career on January 27, 2021, and to seek disability compensation under his policies with Lincoln due to severe symptomatology stemming from or following a viral COVID-19 i... Read More >
Transportation Manager with Brain Injury Wins Unum Disability Benefit Appeal
Unum unjustly terminated our client’s disability insurance claim after it had approved and accepted liability for six months. Unum unreasonably concluded, without any evidence of improvement, that the claimant had resumed the sustained work capacity to perform the material and substantial duties of her high level occupation as a Transportation Division Manage... Read More >
Prudential reverses decision to terminate LTD benefits of MRI Tech with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis and degenerative Disc Disease
The claimant is a 58-year-old former MRI Technologist for Fairview Health Services who has long suffered from the debilitating effects of her chronic medical conditions. She has a history of neck pain as well as right arm pain and numbness dating back to 2005 with a reoccurrence of severe symptomatology in 2013. MRI of her cervical spine performed in August of ... Read More >
Engineer With Depression Wins Prudential LTD Appeal
The claimant is a former Senior Technology Services Engineer for Accolade, Inc. who was forced to cease working on May 25, 2021 and to apply for disability insurance benefits under his policy with Prudential because of severe symptomatology related to depression and anxiety. Prudential initially approved his claim for LTD benefits as his symptoms were demonstrat... Read More >
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5 Ways We Help Get Your Benefits Paid
Get Your Disability Application Approved
Our goal is to get your application for disability insurance benefits approved. Applying for disability insurance benefits can be a difficult process and the information you provide is critical. Most disability insurance companies look at your application in hopes of finding a reason to deny your claim. Your disability company will ask you to complete numerous forms, interview you, request lots of information, speak with your doctors and possibly request to have you examined by their hired gun doctor.
Through our experience of having helped thousands of disability insurance claimants, our disability insurance lawyers will guide you through the entire application process and give you the best chance to get your disability claim approved the first time.
Submit A Strong Appeal Package
If your disability insurance benefits have been wrongfully denied, then our disability insurance lawyers know exactly what it takes to get your disability claim approved. You only get once chance to submit an Appeal, therefore every piece of evidence that will support your disability claim must be included. The goal is to win your disability benefits at the Appeal level, but while preparing your Appeal you must consider how a federal judge will review your disability claim if your benefit denial is upheld.
Preparing a strong disability appeal package is an art that requires you to understand how the courts interpret your disability policy language, ERISA regulations / laws, and how to strategically present evidence in support of your definition of disability. We encourage you to contact any of our long-term disability attorneys for a free immediate review of your disability denial.
Sue Your Disability Company
98% of the disability insurance lawsuits filed by our law firm have resulted in either the payment of benefits or a lump-sum settlement agreement. Our disability insurance attorneys have filed ERISA governed and private policy long term disability insurance lawsuits against every major disability insurance company in state and federal courts nationwide and we love fighting for the little guy against the multi-billion dollar insurance company giants.
We have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients and we would like the opportunity to provide you with a free review of your disability benefit denial. There are many complex factors in a disability benefit lawsuit and the legal battle to win long term disability benefits can be fierce.
Prevent A Disability Benefit Denial
Approval of long-term disability is a continuous process as every disability insurance company will evaluate your eligibility for benefits on a monthly basis. You can never let your guard down and assume that your disability company will continue to pay your benefits for as long as you think you need them.
Our disability insurance law firm offers a reasonable flat fee monthly claim handling service in which we handle every aspect of your long-term disability claim and do whatever it takes to make sure you are paid every month.
Negotiate a Lump-Sum Settlement
Let's discuss if a lump-sum settlement or buyout of your disability insurance claim is both available and makes financial sense for you. Our disability insurance lawyers have negotiated more than five-hundred million dollars in disability insurance buyouts and we know how to get you a maximum settlement. A disability insurance company is not required to offer a buyout and not every disability company offers them.
Questions About Hiring Us
Who are Dell Disability Lawyers?
We are disability insurance attorneys that know how to get your short or long term disability benefits paid. As a nationwide law firm we have helped thousands of disability insurance claimants throughout the United States to collect hundreds of millions of dollars of disability insurance benefits from every major disability insurance company.
Our attorneys have been able to either get our clients paid monthly disability benefits or obtain a one-time lump-sum settlement in more than 98% of our cases. Our disability insurance lawyers have seen it all when it comes to disability insurance claims and we know exactly what it takes for your disability claim to be approved.
We offer disability insurance attorney representation nationwide and we welcome you to contact any of our LTD lawyers for a free immediate review of your disability claim. We also invite you to visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we have more than 900 videos and regularly provide tips to help protect your disability benefits.
Who do you help?
Our disability insurance attorneys help individuals that have either purchased a long term disability insurance policy from an insurance company or obtained short or long term disability insurance coverage as a benefit from their employer. We have helped individuals in almost every type of occupation with monthly disability benefit payments ranging from $1,500 to $50,000.
Our clients include all types of employees ranging from retail associates, sales representatives, government employees, police officers, teachers, janitors, nurses, pilots, truck drivers, financial advisors, doctors, dentists, veterinarians, lawyers, consultants, IT professionals, engineers, professional athletes, business owners, and high level executives.
A strong understanding and presentation of the duties of your occupation is essential for securing disability insurance benefits.
Do you work in my state?
Yes. We are a national disability insurance law firm that is available to represent you regardless of where you live in the United States. We have partner lawyers in every state and we have filed lawsuits in most federal courts nationwide. Our disability insurance lawyers represent disability claimants at all stages of a claim for disability insurance benefits. There is nothing that our lawyers have not seen in the disability insurance world.
What are your fees?
Since we represent disability insurance claimants at different stages of a disability insurance claim we offer a variety of different fee options. We understand that claimants living on disability insurance benefits have a limited source of income; therefore we always try to work with the claimant to make our attorney fees as affordable as possible.
The three available fee options are a contingency fee agreement (no attorney fee or cost unless we make a recovery), hourly fee or fixed flat rate.
In every case we provide each client with a written fee agreement detailing the terms and conditions. We always offer a free initial phone consultation and we appreciate the opportunity to work with you in obtaining payment of your disability insurance benefits.
Do I have to come to your office to work with your law firm?
No. For purposes of efficiency and to reduce expenses for our clients we have found that 99% of our clients prefer to communicate via phone, email, fax, or video conferencing sessions. If you prefer an initial in-person meeting please let us know. A disability company will never require you to come to their office and similarly we are set up so that we handle your entire claim without the need for you to come to our office.
How can I contact you?
When you call us during normal business hours you will immediately speak with a disability insurance attorney. We can be reached at 800-698-9159 or by email. Lawyers and staff must return all client calls same day. Client emails are usually replied to within the same business day and seem to be the preferred and most efficient method of communication for most clients.