Principal determines the length of your disability. NOT YOUR DOCTOR OR YOUR RECOVERY RATE. 

I have Principal Financial disability for 18 yrs. through work. Last Jan. I had 4 spinal multi-level laminectomies and fusions and was promptly paid short term disability without incident. After 4 months, disability was stopped as Principal deems 4 months the maximum length of time required to fully recover from this type of surgery. Perhaps their rule of thumb is one month for each laminectomy? Despite my doctor’s refusal to sign a return to work order for another 60 days until my back heals enough to begin resuming normal activities. And my doctor’s office phoning Principal to say the same. And the fact that this type of surgery is not even deemed successful until a year passes to determine if calcium growth around the fusions has occurred or if further surgery is needed. Principal determines the length of your disability. NOT YOUR DOCTOR OR YOUR RECOVERY RATE. The company needs to list each disability they will cover along with the time they will allot for each so customers don’t get fooled into thinking they will be covered for their entire recovery time and instead go down the drain financially because they don’t recover fast enough. Bullying the sick and hurt is shameful.