If you have LTD insurance, claiming for long-term disability benefits can be a mountain of a task, especially if it’s the first time you’re doing so. If you’ve dealt with an insurance company before on a few occasions, you probably have a clue about how some of these firms can be when it comes to compensations.
While there’s nothing wrong with the insurer being thorough, there are reasons why insurance companies deny claims, some of them being very minor. This means that you get your LTD benefits claim approved, you will want to get it right from the word go. This involves submitting your claim in good timing, ensuring that you have the supporting documents ready, and even using legal representation or getting attorney advice where appropriate.
To make the process less daunting for you, here are some tips on how to claim your long term disability benefits.
1. Fill Out and Submit Your LTD Claim Early
After sustaining an injury that results in a long term disability, you will, in most cases, not be able to work. According to legal experts from Preszler Law, which is one of the leading law firms in Vancouver, (https://www.preszlerlawbc.com/services/long-term-disability-lawyers-vancouver/), a serious illness can also lead to long-term disability and is considered the same as the case of injury. The first and most important step is to submit your LTD benefits claim as soon as you can after this since most insurers give a window of about 60 days after the injury, within which you are supposed to file your claim. Actually, filing your claim early will allow the insurance company, time to collect any additional information they may require before approving or denying your claim. It will also help you to avoid delays in processing your claim.
2. Take Notes of Your Communication
Whether via phone calls, email, chats, or any other form of communication, it is important to keep track of discussions you have with your long term disability insurance provider. This information might be critical in the future in case you need the assistance of an insurance lawyer. Whether of SMS or email, be sure to keep the conversations you have with the insurance company safe, preferably in soft and hard copy. For phone conversations, you can always keep the phone logs if at all you’re unable to record the actual conversations.
3. Get Your Medical Records Ready
Your insurance company will obviously need your medical report or records to ascertain whether or not to approve your benefits. As a matter of fact, it is even wiser to get your medical record documents ready before or when filing the claim. This includes both pre and post-disability medical records. If you’re unable to do so, however, you can always send them as soon as possible, since you may not be in a very good condition to start worrying about insurance benefits when still getting treatment. Nonetheless, your loved ones or kin can always help you with the process to ensure that your claim is not delayed for too long. As you do so, be sure to remain with originals or copies of your own in case you need them in future. your doctor or specialist also has to support your LTD benefits claim.
4. Don’t Forget to Read Your Policy Document
Even before you append your signature on the dotted line, there’s a document called the policy document that you’re given by your insurance company. This document contains crucial information such as set timelines, terms & conditions, exceptions, exemptions, and other details pertaining to the long-term disability cover. However, not many people read and understand this document, to be honest. Reading it, understanding it, and having it at hand will help smoothen the LTD benefits claim further for you, including in the future in case you need legal representation.
In some cases, though, it can be difficult to obtain the policy document. A good example is when you’re not the principal holder of the long term disability cover or in a case where the policy is under the name of your employer. In the latter case, you can always reach out to your HR department for a copy of the same. In most cases, though, employers spare their employees the burden and take charge of filing for such claims.