Employee’s Sources for Long-Term and Short Term Disability Income Insurance

No one wants to think about suffering a disability, especially if one is at the prime of his life. But job injuries or work-related accidents that can lead to disability regularly happen -- according to the Social Security Administration, a 20-year-old worker has a 3-in-10 chance of becoming disabled before reaching retirement age.

So even as early as now, it would be best to be knowledgeable about your options and the benefits you may avail of in case of either a long-term or short-term disability.

Long-term vs short-term disability income insurance may come from different sources. Short-term disability insurance usually lasts 6 months to a year and any longer than that may start long-term disability benefits.

Short Term Disability Income Insurance

Depending on your employer, as well as your company’s benefits and your length of employment; short-term illness or disability may be covered under your sick leave benefits, short-term disability insurance of even both.

But even if your office does not offer any insurance policy, you may also avail of temporary disability benefits under Worker’s Compensation insurance. Further, some states like California and New York implement temporary disability programs. Some also run state vocational rehabilitation programs.

If you are suffering from a short-term illness or disability, you may avail of benefits from any of the above-mentioned programs. Ask your employer about it or consult with an employment attorney as to your rights in short-term disability insurance.

Long Term Disability Income Insurance

Some workers who receive short-term disability insurance eventually recover from their illness or injury and get back to work. However, there are some who continue to have medical problems or whose health conditions take a turn for the worse and develop into permanent disability.

Long term or permanent disability results to a reduced or total loss of one’s earning capacity. Under the Social Security disability program, a person is considered disabled if he or she:

1. Cannot perform the previous work or job before
2. If the worker cannot adjust to any other work because of his medical condition
3. Such disability will last for at least one year or result to death

The SSA provides monthly cash benefits to people who are unable to work for a year or more because of a long-term disability. Take note that short-term or partial disability insurance benefits shall not be provided by the SSA.

If you have a long-term disability, you may also avail of Worker’s Compensation for permanent disability benefits, supplemental job displacement benefits or vocational rehabilitation and in the worst case scenario, death benefits.

Get Legal Advice

If you have questions about how to avail of such long-term disability insurance benefits, you may call your local social security office, apply online or ask a social security lawyer for help on how to get your application for SSDI going.