Requirements for Long Term Disability

Many people are unaware of the many requirements for long term disability.  These requirements are a necessity to apply for the coverage as well as to meet eligibility.

Requirements for Long Term Disability

Long term disability is a type of coverage that is provided should a person miss out on his wages due to being afflicted by a disability.   It is called long term, because the coverage is slated to last anywhere from two years and over. 

There are two types of long term disability coverage, and they are individual and group:

• Individual coverage can be purchased separately with the qualifying stipulation that you have not had medical treatment for a disabling condition within the past ten years. 
• Group coverage for long term disability comes from a group such as an employer, or professional affiliation with an association.  Most people receive long term disability from a group coverage. In order to be eligible for long term disability coverage you must have either worked for the employer for a set amount of time or be an active member of the professional association for a certain amount of time.

Getting Coverage

One of the requirements for long term disability coverage is that the potential enrollee must enroll in group long term disability coverage during the initial enrollment plan.  When enrolling you must not have a pre-existing medical condition (i.e illness or affliction) in order to qualify for coverage. 

There are several more requirements for long term disability coverage under a group that you will need to meet:

• You will have to continue either working with the employer or maintaining active membership with the group. 
• Furthermore you will need to continue your enrollment throughout your mandated service wait period and the pre-existing condition exclusionary period. 
• Another requirement is that you will have to maintain an active work requirement where you would work a minimal amount of hours per week.  Long term disability may only be used to replace a portion of your lost wage, unlike Social Security Disability Insurance which can replace your wages if your disability prevents you from working.

Additionally, requirements of long term disability may mandate that you pay for your own health care coverage whereas Social Security Disability Insurance will enable you to be eligible for Medicare/Medicaid which will cover your health benefits entirely.

Getting Help

For more information on the requirements for long term disability, contact your employer directly. If your employer does not offer long term disability coverage, you should speak with an experienced disability attorney about your other options, including social security disability payments available through the government for certain disabled individuals.