Long term disability insurance is intended to help support you if you’re sick or injured and cannot work. Sadly, what should be a straightforward process is anything but simple. Despite paying premiums for years, your insurance company may have unfairly denied your legitimate disability insurance claim, leaving you without a steady income.
Long Term Disability covers a variety of illnesses - Many people think that long term disability only covers injuries that happen on the job. While on the job injuries may be covered, more than 95% of long term disability claims are estimated to be non work-related. For example, cancer, mental illness, chronic illnesses, neurological disorders, and certain degenerative diseases among many others may all be covered by your long term disability policy.
Complex claim paperwork is the last priority on your agenda when you’re struggling with illness or injury. While you may have a long term disability policy, you may also be unsure of what that policy covers, and what you need to do next. This is where we can help. This site can serve as a resource center for information on:
Be sure to download our helpful, free booklet:
Taking Control: Your Guide to Fighting Disability Insurance Denial
If you’ve applied for coverage and haven’t heard from your long term disability insurance carrier for an extended period, it may be time to reach out to them for a decision. Intentionally delaying a claim decision is one way that some insurers demonstrate bad faith and fail to honor their contract with you. Without an official denial, you’re unable to appeal.
When you receive a denial letter from a long term disability carrier, to whom you’ve paid premiums for years, it can be frustrating and overwhelming. Too often, legitimate claims are denied because insurance companies look for every possible legal and technical angle available, that will allow them to deny a valid claim. When an insurer does not live up to its end of the contract, it is called insurance bad faith. In addition to denial, other forms of insurance bad faith include:
Thankfully, denials or low payments aren’t the end of the claims process. Claim rejected? Know your rights and options.