How Long Does Long Term Disability Take to Process?
After you submit your long term disability claim application, the wait for disability insurance approval or denial can seem to take forever. What should you expect while waiting for your disability claim decision, and what should you know about the all-important “elimination period” for disability insurance claims?
Factors That Affect A Disability Insurance Claim Decision
One of the key factors affecting the timing of your disability insurance claim decision will be the disability insurance policy language itself. Each policy sets its own parameters for approval, and each time the insurance carrier must reach out to the claimant for more information or to follow up on an issue adds a bit more time to the process. A disability insurance attorney can work with the claimant to ensure that the disability insurance claim package is as complete as possible, speeding the process; and if the disability insurance claim happens to be denied, the disability insurance attorney can also assist with the disability insurance appeal process.
What Is An “Elimination Period”?
An elimination period is the period you have to be disabled before your long term disability insurance policy kicks in. In other words, very few disability policies begin paying claimants on Day 1 of their disability – the claimant may need to wait 90 or even 180 days after the onset of the disability to start receiving benefits.
In most cases, the process of approving a disability insurance claim will be longer than the elimination period, and claimants therefore may receive retroactive benefits that are backdated to the end of the elimination period. For instance, if you were disabled March 1, your policy has a 3-month elimination period, and your disability claim was approved on November 1, you’ll receive retroactive disability benefits from June 1 through October 31.
What To Expect While Waiting To Get A Long Term Disability (LTD) Insurance Claim Decision
Once a disability insurance claimant has satisfied the elimination period, they can generally expect at least 60 days to pass before a decision is made. There may be some additional back-and-forth during this process as the LTD insurance carrier sends a follow-up letter for more information and the claimant provides it.
However, disability insurance claimants need to be aware of the delay tactics disability insurance carriers often use. By requesting necessary information in a piecemeal fashion, these carriers can stretch out the disability insurance approval or denial period from the typical 60 days to 6 months or more. An attorney can help figure out all the information the disability insurance carrier needs and provide it in one fell swoop, minimizing the need for follow-up communications and helping you receive your disability benefits more quickly.
If you’re wondering just how much longer you’ll need to wait before your disability insurance claim is approved, Dell & Schaefer can help. With a network of disability insurance attorneys all over the U.S., our office boasts extensive experience in negotiating with long term disability insurance carriers and can help you efficiently resolve your disability insurance claim.
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