Are you a resident of Ottawa or Eastern Ontario who was injured or otherwise impaired and unable to return to your job? You hay have short or long term disability insurance benefits available to you to supplement your income, as you focus on your recovery. Here is a step-by-step guide to apply for these disability insurance benefits.
1) Determine if you have disability insurance: If you are an employee, ask your employer if you have a disability benefits policy. If you are self-employed, you would only have a disability benefits policy if you had previously purchased one yourself. You may have Short-Term Disability (STD) and Long-Term Disability (LTD) benefits available to you.
2) Review your policy: If you are an employee, ask your employer for a copy of your disability policy. If you are self-employed and have purchased a disability policy, ask your insurance company directly for a copy of the policy. Review the terms of the policy to ensure you are eligible for benefits. While all policies are slightly different, many insurance companies will consider you eligible for disability benefits within the first two years of your disability if your injuries or impairments prevent you from being able to complete the tasks of your usual employment.
3) Check-in with your doctor and/or treatment provider: Discuss your injuries/impairments with your doctor or treatment provider. Ask them whether they would support you in an application for disability benefits.
4) Get the application forms: If you are an employee, ask your employer for the application forms. If you are self-employed, ask the insurance company directly for the forms.
5) Fill out the forms: Most disability programs require you to submit 2-3 forms when making a disability claim:
a) the Notice of Claim (you fill this form out);
b) the Employer’s Report (your employer fills this form out); and
c) the Attending Doctor’s Report (your doctor fills this form out).
6) Get supporting information and documents: Ask your doctor or treatment provider for clinical notes and records that relate to your disability/injuries/impairments. These can accompany your application to support your claim for disability benefits.
7) Review all forms yourself: You are responsible for ensuring that the forms are filled out properly. Review both your doctor’s report and the employer’s form for accuracy after they fill it out. If you find inaccuracies, let them know and ask them to revise the form before submitting it.
8) Submit your application with the supporting records and wait for a decision. Once you submit your application, your insurance company will review it. They may ask you for further information or records. They will then advise you whether they have approved or denied your claim for disability benefits.
If your application is denied after following these steps, it is important to contact lawyers experienced in short and long term disability insurance claims.
Note: Apart from disability benefits from your insurance company, if you live in Ottawa or anywhere across Ontario and are disabled, you may want to consider applying to the following government funded disability benefits as well; in some cases your policy may require that you also seek out one or more of these collateral benefits:
If you have had your claim for short or long term disability insurance refused or terminated, or you require assistance applying for these benefits, the best thing you can do is contact one of our experienced personal injury lawyers who can provide you with a free no obligation consultation. Contact us by phone: 613-518-2416 or fill out our Case Form.