Wrongfully Denied or Cut-Off Long-Term Disability Benefits? Know Your Rights!

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Being unable to work is not easy for any person, and each person goes through it in various ways. However, it can affect their financial status and leave them without enough money for everyday life or the medicaments they might need for normal functioning. Besides that, it can cause people to feel unhappy with their lives and useless, which can cause some severe conditions such as depression which can further complicate and become even more severe.

Luckily, people who are not able to work can apply for long-term disability coverage that can help them deal with the challenges of everyday life and have enough funds to live a normal life without being stressed about how to earn some money. Sometimes this application is wrongfully denied or cut off after some time, but there is no need to worry, as it is not the end, and in the text below, we will explain further your rights in that situation.

Contacting the insurance company

The first thing to do once the LTD coverage is denied or cut off is to contact the insurance company and ask them to send their decision in writing, whether it is a letter or an email that you can print. It is extremely important because of two reasons. The first one is that, in that way, you can read it a few times and understand why the application is denied, or the coverage is cut off.

The second reason is even more important, as written decisions can provide a perfect outline for an appeal or legal claim that can be filled in a two-year frame. We need to mention that many insurance companies will try to inform their clients via phone call, so requesting a written decision from them might be necessary since they are obliged to send it if the client is asking for it.

Appeal or legal claim

There are two ways one can choose when it comes to denial or cutting of the LTD, and both of them have their benefits and flaws, so it is up to the applicant to decide which of them is a better solution for their case.

Appealing is the first and the one that most people decide to go with, but let’s see if that is the best solution. Namely, when one decides to appeal, the main problem is that the process is led by the same insurance company that denied the application, and no one can guarantee they will change their mind. This process can last between 30-90 days, and clients usually get an invitation from the insurance company to appeal.

Another way is to file a legal claim, which requires a more complicated process, but gives you more chances that the decision will be changed. As we have already mentioned, the legal claim must be filed no later than two years from the denial or cut-off, which means it is necessary to choose between these two solutions on time to avoid losing precious time.

It can be a difficult decision, especially for people who are not familiar with laws and do not like to deal with paperwork, and the best solution for them is to hire professional help who can explain both processes and realize which of them is better for a certain case. Finding the best professionals among many of them online can be a great challenge and extremely time-consuming, and since we know how important time is for these processes, we have found the best ones for you. All you need to do is visit disability.ca, and they will do all the rest.

Avoiding mistakes is crucial

There are a few common mistakes people can accidentally make, which can cost them the benefits of LTD coverage, and knowing and understanding them is the best way to avoid them.

• Incomplete medical records – It seems extremely logical that the client needs to provide a complete medical history to the insurance company in order to get LTD coverage, but it is not rare that people simply fail to do that. It should be done in consultation with doctors, as they know the medical situation of their patients best and can provide the necessary proof.
• Misuse of social media – Social media is a great thing, and since we live in a digital era, it is almost impossible to find a person who does not have a profile on at least one platform. We share great moments with our friends and family, but it can be a little tricky once someone applies for LTD coverage. Namely, insurance companies monitor the profiles on social media of the applicants, and they can easily deny them if they realize someone actually can work.
• Getting back to work – When the person faces a denial or cut off of LTD, they can believe that the only solution is to get back to work, but it is not a good idea if they are not ready. It can cause various health problems and make their condition even worse. Besides that, it can cause problems with getting LTD coverage again in the future and leave them without all the benefits.

Insurance companies and their tricks

Sometimes the insurance companies will try all they can to deny the applications or cut off the LTD coverage, and it is important to know your rights to avoid that. They might state that the applicant is able to work, and their doctors agree with that, state that the disability is not that high, or the medical condition has existed before the application. No matter what they note as a reason for denial or cutting off, the most important is your doctor’s opinion, as they know your medical situation the best and try to do what’s best for you.

Because of that, it is important to fight for your rights and never give up, as LTD coverage is made for people with certain disabilities to provide them with enough funds for a normal life and peace of mind, and no one should deny them to get it.