Suffering from a long-term disability (LTD) means you already have enough to deal with. You do not want to add fighting with an insurance company to the list. All too often, insurance companies try to avoid paying for coverage. That could leave you vulnerable both physically and financially. There are actions you
Understanding ERISA denials and remedies
The basic concept of insurance is that it functions as a pooling of risk for policyholders and the insurer. Policyholders pay into a common fund to be drawn upon at a later date if needed. The money in the common fund belongs to policyholders and the insurer earns a fee for managing
The basics of bad faith
When you enter into a contractual relationship with an insurance company, you expect that they will honor the terms contained in their policy. At the time you decide to accept their offer for coverage, they made promises to you that you would be protected in the event that something should happen. Unfortunately,
What happens with long-term disability claims?
Many of us depend upon our jobs to provide us with the means to make a living. We create budgets and financial plans based on the amount of money that we make each month. When we suffer an injury or illness that makes working impossible, we need to know what we can
Answers to your questions about long-term disability
Many clients come to us and have serious questions when they suffer from a disability that makes them unable to work. They have disability insurance but do not know what that means or what that entitles them to receive from their insurers. In this post, we want to answer some of the
9th Circuit case considers disability benefits
Recently, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals released a decision that may have a significant impact on long-term disability insurance matters in California. The ruling could potentially limit some of the power that insurance companies have to deny claims for benefits. The case concerned a woman who worked for Boeing. As a
Changes coming for ERISA disability claims?
New regulations will now govern the ERISA disability claims and their appeals proceedings. These regulations will take effect on all disability claims that will be filed in 2018 – starting from the very first day of January. The new rule will affect all disability plans under ERISA. These include pension plans and all long-term
Know the traps of ERISA
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) has been a headache for many people who have been hurt on the job since it was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1974. Before the law was passed, many employees would try to file long-term disability claims from companies who promised them rock-solid insurance
Lifetime Disability Benefits
Some insurance companies offer lifetime disability benefits. They usually come at an additional fee (or premium) and are attached to the policy as an “endorsement” or “rider” to the policy. But not all lifetime coverage is created equal. Some policies – usually those that were issued in the 1980’s or 1990’s – merely continue your benefits
Understanding ERISA disability claims
When you’re a worker for a company who has offered you disability insurance, you may not be aware of ERISA, or the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Why would a retirement act impact your disability claim? And how could it possibly cause a denial of that claim? You need to know how