Ortiz Law Firm is dedicated to helping people recover the disability benefits they deserve. We handle group Long Term Disability (LTD) claims, individual disability insurance policy claims, ERISA disability claims, and Social Security Disability claims.

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How Long Do You Have To Be Disabled To Get Disability Insurance Benefits?

Becoming disabled can be a scary thing. Most of us plan to work until at least retirement age. We expect to have our homes paid for, and children moved out by that time. But life is unpredictable, and sometimes people become disabled before retirement.

It helps to understand how long it will take to start receiving benefits if approved for long-term disability. You don’t have to be disabled for any specific length of time before you apply for long-term disability benefits, but there is typically a 90 to 180 day elimination period before long-term disability benefits are payable.

What Is an Elimination Period?

Having a long-term disability insurance claim approved is a significant first step towards receiving benefits. The next stage is waiting to receive payment. This is called the elimination period. The elimination period is the period of time that you must wait to receive your first check after your benefits are approved. Each policy is different but the elimination period will be stated in your policy. The standard is 90 days; however, some policies can be 180-365 days.

The Importance of Timelines in Disability Insurance Claims

When you have become injured the best thing to do is file your claim as soon as possible. Many long-term disability policies require you to exhaust your sick leave and your short-term disability benefits before applying for long-term benefits. By creating a timeline, you can stay on track and know exactly when you need to apply for long-term benefits.

Keeping a calendar will also help you to understand when you have deadlines. If you miss a deadline, the insurance company will assume you do not need the benefits and will deny your claim. More importantly, if you miss a deadline, your claim may be forever closed with no possibility of reopening it. Filing for long-term disability right away will help you avoid a long lapse in benefits.

Although based in Florida, the Ortiz Law Firm represents claimants across the United States. If your LTD claim has been wrongfully denied or terminated and you’d like to speak to an experienced long-term disability insurance attorney, contact us at (888) 321-8131 to schedule a free case evaluation. We can help you evaluate your claim to determine if you will be able to access long-term disability benefits and how to move forward with the process.