Private Long Term Disability Insurance Can Come To The Rescue Of An Injured Worker

Every year thousands of people suffer from disability owing to injury or sickness. Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders that include pain in the neck, back, joints, and disorders in the foot, ankle, and hand; and life threatening diseases like diabetes and cancer, not to mention different types of accidents can impair a person’s ability to indulge in any type of  meaningful work for an extended period of time. Any injury, illness, or psychological disorders can be an incredibly devastating experience since it can force people to default on their payments that may lead to foreclosure and, under extreme circumstances, even bankruptcy. Long term disability insurance coverage can be of great help for  disabled workers since it can help them keep their head above water for the time they are unable to resume work. Long term disability insurance is generally provided by the employers and in cases when it is not, the individuals can contact a private long term disability insurance company for insurance coverage. Disability Insurance (often called DI or disability income insurance) will pay a portion of the worker’s salary till the time he is unable to work or the time period mentioned in the contract.

Private long term disability insurance coverage picks up from where the short term disability insurance coverage leaves off. Short term insurance coverage usually has a time period of three to six months and pays up to 40-60 per cent of a temporary disabled worker’s base salary. Long term disability insurance generally replaces a disabled worker’s 60 per cent salary though certain plans can help injured workers receive up to 70 or 80 per cent of their salary. Benefits may vary depending upon the person’s age, occupation, and the type of policy coverage, though it must be understood beforehand that no policy will pay 100 per cent of the injured worker’s salary for the fear that it may prevent him from returning to work even after recuperating fully from injury. Benefits usually last for a certain fixed period of time or till the worker attains the age of retirement (as a worker by that age, anyways will not be dependent on the income generated during the regular course of work).

A long term disability insurance company are required by the law to pay premiums and other benefits to a disabled worker in accordance with terms and conditions of the policy agreement. But it is often seen that private insurance companies indulge in bad faith practices. A disabled worker already reeling under the blow of fate is made to suffer more hardships by some unscrupulous agencies that resort to a wide variety of tricks to deny legitimate insurance claims. An aggrieved party should immediately consult a good lawyer if the pre-set rules and regulations are not being followed by the concerned insurance company. Good lawyers will fight for your right and help you get additional compensation for the losses resulting out of bad faith practices.

People who are interested in private long term disability insurance coverage must also understand that organizations charge higher premiums for insurance policies that provide more monthly benefits, pay for an extended period of time, and also make prompt payment in an event of an injury or sickness leading to long term disability.

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How To Get The Best Long Term Disability Insurance Claim?

You enrol into a long term disability insurance plan with the best of intentions. When you are not able to work any longer because of some physical disability, you get a fixed monthly income that takes care of your retirement life. Things work well till you retire – that is, you keep on paying the premium. When you go and claim the amount that is legally due to you, insurance companies employ dodging tactics. That is when you need the help of an attorney.

Before going into details about how a lawyer can help you in long term disability insurance claims, here is a basic overview of the insurance plan.

An overview of disability insurance

In the old days, disability insurance was nothing but a pension scheme. The employer paid the premiums, and the employee would get a monthly claim amount when they suffered a disability. These days, anybody can pay the premium:

• Employers can pay 100 per cent premium.
• Employees can pay 100 per cent premium.
• Employers and employees can jointly pay the premium based on mutually accepted percentages.

Many people consider it as good investment that acts as a buffer against the need to work even when they suffer a disability. Often, the monthly benefits from the disability insurance claim range from 50-70 per cent of the actual monthly income of the insured person.

That is in theory; in practice, there can be a great deal of difficulties. Troubles start when one approaches the insurance company. They will ask you a number of questions, and force out answers from you. As a law-abiding citizen, you give honest answers that can be twisted and used against you at a later stage.

Some insurance officials might even send people after the claimant to photograph the person doing some normal activities – like picking some mildly heavy products from the shopping malls or doing gardening work. They will use the photographs to suggest that the person does not have any disability at all and thus is not entitled to put in a claim for compensation.

Then you will be forced to search for a slip and fall attorney New York. There are basically two options for you to hire a lawyer:

1.Before approaching the insurance companies for claims
2.After approaching the insurance companies for claims

Before the approach

This is the best option. As mentioned earlier, the insurance companies might use the information that the claimant provided to deny the claim. If you have an attorney on your side, you can prevent that from happening. An experienced lawyer will easily understand what the insurance official is getting at, and provide suitable answers. In fact, the mere sight of a lawyer with the claimant will make the insurance official think differently.

After the approach

This is kind of a worst case scenario. Sometimes, the damage may have already been done. Experienced attorneys always find a way to ensure that their clients get the claim amount they deserve.

If you are hiring a lawyer when all other options have been failed, you must try and select the best and most experienced long term disability insurance lawyer around. Only they will be able to ensure the best out of the court settlement for the insured person.

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