Find the right short term disability insurance.
Did you know that seven out of 10 American citizens will sustain some type of disability at some point in their careers that will prevent them from working for some duration of time? Statistics like these make the need to have some form of short term disability insurance protection in place, even more real. Failing to protect yourself against the likely event that you could become sick or injured and unable to earn the income you need to subsist is risky, especially for those who are the breadwinners of their households.
Luckily, many workplaces today offer their employees the opportunity to buy into short term disability insurance plans. For others, this coverage can be purchased through a broker cheaply and easily.
So imagine the worst has happened and you’ve become sick or were hurt and have to take time off from work. How can you apply to receive short term disability coverage? If your workplace has an insurance plan in place for you, the process couldn’t be easier. You will first need to find out if the type of injury or illness you’re experiencing will qualify under your short term disability insurance plan. In some instances, for example, you might need to be an employee at your place of employment for at least a year before you can make a claim.
The best way to find out if you are eligible is to speak to your workplace’s human resources department. The people in this department will likely know the policy’s coverage inside and out and will be able to tell you whether or not you can apply. Ask for the application forms for making a claim, complete the section that is required of you and then make an appointment with your doctor who will then have to complete another section of the forms. After all, an insurance provider won’t cover you for the time off from work if a doctor doesn’t think you need it.
Once the doctor has stated how long they think you should be off from work, you can submit your forms to the human resources department. They will be in charge of notifying the insurance company with regards to how much money you earn, as short term disability coverage works out to a percentage of your earnings. The forms will be submitted and you then need to wait to hear whether or not your application has been approved.
