If Long-Term Disability (LTD) coverage is offered through an employer sponsored program available at your place of employment, most of these group LTD plans will contain a “pre-existing condition” exclusion. These types of policies are not underwritten for each of the individuals in the group, so pre-existing condition exclusions are designed to prevent the group LTD plan from insuring someone who immediately presents a claim as soon as their coverage takes effect. The insurance company does not look at the medical history of everyone in the group before insuring them, so the company does not ..read more

Disability  – Am I Required to Apply for Social Security Disability? If you are currently receiving Long-Term Disability (LTD) benefits under a group plan available through your employer, or if you are dealing with a claim that has been denied, the claim administrator (usually an insurance company funding the plan) has probably informed you that you are required to apply for Social Security Disability Income (SSDI). It is important that you review the insurance policy that insures the group plan because these policies usually contain “offset provisions.”   What is an offset? An ..read more

If you are dealing with a situation that will require you to take time off from work due to an injury or illness, you should first check with your employer about whether your employer offers long-term disability (LTD) insurance as part of the company’s benefits package. If so, determine whether you are a participant in your employer’s LTD Plan. If you are a participant in your employer’s LTD plan, contact the human resources department to find out how to obtain the application from the insurance company that funds the LTD Plan. Generally, the terms “disabled” or “totally disabled” are defined ..read more

When someone becomes unable to work due to injury or illness and goes out on disability, there may be sources of income replacement available through the State that you live in and/or the federal government. Only a handful of states have a State Disability Insurance Program, and the Social Security Administration provides federally funded programs to assist disabled workers. State Disability Insurance Program (SDI) Five states (California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island) and Puerto Rico, have State Disability Insurance (SDI) programs. These programs are designed to partially replac ..read more

Long-term care (LTC) insurance covers the costs of nursing home and/or assisted living services. Under most long-term care policies, a person is eligible for benefits when they are not able to do at least two out of six “activities of daily living” without the assistance of a home-health professional, or they suffer from dementia or other cognitive impairment. The activities of daily living are: • Bathing. • Caring for incontinence. • Dressing. • Eating. • Toileting (getting on or off the toilet). • Transferring (getting in or out of a bed or a chair). LTC insurance is expensive. According to ..read more

If you become unable to perform your job because of serious injury or illness, there are several avenues that may be explored depending on the circumstances causing you to become disabled. Some avenues involve receiving benefits from a government agency, and others involve benefits paid pursuant to insurance policies purchased to insure your income in the event that you become unable to work due to a medical condition. In addition, if a person becomes disabled due to an injury or illness that occurred on the job, other disability benefits may be available through the Workers’ Compensation syst ..read more

People’s lives have changed immeasurably since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus has taken many lives and made even more people ill. It has also devastated the economy, putting millions of people out of work. In such a time of uncertainty, you may be worried about your health and that of your family. Scientists have yet to fully understand the long-term impacts of a COVID-19 infection. However, there is already evidence that suggests it has permanent effects on those who have had it, and that these effects vary from person to person.  If you are ever infected with the virus, y ..read more

Like other states in the country, California requires all employees to pay toward short-term disability insurance or SDI. This is done by directly deducting money from their paychecks. Long-term disability insurance is also available for employees and is funded by employers. If a person suffers injuries or illness unrelated to their job and is rendered unable to work, the income they have earned is protected by this insurance and they can recover short- or long-term disability depending on the circumstances.  Short-Term Disability Insurance in California  Short-term disability insura ..read more

If a person is infected with COVID-19 and is unable to work, they qualify for short-term disability insurance payments (SDI). Besides, the state of California has waived the previously 7-day waiting period and allowed those affected to start receiving benefits for the entire period they are unable to work. Medical certification For one to qualify for short-term disability benefits in California, a nurse practitioner or doctor has to prove that you are suffering from COVID-19 through a medical certificate. The certificate must show the day you tested positive for the virus, diagnosis, and how l ..read more

A portion of your pay is reduced from your paycheck by your employer. This money goes toward Social Security benefits, which you pay into for all the years you work and earn wages. While many people end up using their Social Security toward their eventual retirement, another benefit that comes from it is Social Security disability insurance. Social Security disability insurance is in place in the event that you suffer a serious long-term or even permanent disability that prevents you from working. If you become disabled, you have the right to file a disability claim with the Social Security Ad ..read more