If your employer offers LTD, buy it. It is usually only a few dollars per paycheck, even for the 2/3 option (which I recommend) and it is worth every penny.
I always thought LTD would cover one of us if we had an accident and an injury. It never occurred to me one of us would get cancer. But when my Short Term Disability ran out, LTD started right up. And it has been a life saver. Anthony has been busy as my caregiver, and I’ve been unable to work. And the money still comes in to cover our living expenses.
When I filled out the application to be approved for LTD benefits, I was also required to apply for Social Security Disability. The rumors were all over about SSD.
They always reject the first application.
or
They always approve stage 4 cancer applications.
Well, I got rejected. The rejection letter was kind of funny. It stated I was not eligible since my condition was not likely to last 12 months or end in death. I wanted whatever diagnosis they had come up with, instead of the terminal cancer with a median life expectancy of 4 years after diagnosis that my doctors had come up with.
I contacted the Advocacy Group that is engaged by the LTD Insurance Company and they filed the SSD appeal for me.
See, this is how it works. I get a set amount of benefits from the LTD and SSD combined. I don’t have a preference where the money comes from, of course. But MetLife would prefer it come from SSD, so they want me to get approved so their obligation to me is reduced by the amount of SSD I receive. That’s why it is worth it to them to hire an advocacy group to go to bat for me with Social Security. I still do not have approval from SSD, they haven’t responded to the appeal yet. But the advocate who completed the appeal for me said I should have gotten compassion benefits with stage IV cancer. 🙂
Whew, insurance companies sure are around for profit not to help us, right? Any payment that they can deny or delay, they will. It is a giant game with the CEOs and the investors getting richer…. I am outraged on your behalf!!!
Unfortunately, a high number of those who enjoy this form of insurance and who are required to make a claim on their disability policy are denied those benefits for which they or their employers may have paid dearly for years. Also, most long term disability recipients are not in the position to pay hourly legal fees or retainers up front.
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