LTD and SSDI questions

[ExitLeft]

BIL has had major back problems. He had surgery, which fixed one part, but created new pains that have kept him out of work. Fortunately, he has been paying for LTD through his job for 30 years. His policy is with the Hartford. His date of disability is 12/2016. He just got a note from his neurologist that he won't be able to go back to work at the least until March. The Hartford now wants him to file for SSDI.

They asked me to look at things last week and the first thing I asked was to see the policy. Well, after searching the website and their files, lo and behold there is no accessible link to the written policy. They called a week ago and still no policy has arrived in the mail and the Hartford is saying they need to get the SSDI process started in order to "avoid any delays in processing your claim." The Hartford has people in their call center that were eagerly willing to start the SSDI process for her over the phone. It seemed a little too eager to her and so she put them off.

Can anyone speak to this experience? I realize the Hartford is looking to reduce their out-of-pocket as much as possible and hoping SSDI will kick in, but is there anything to be nervous about utilizing the Hartford to help her file the SSDI claim? Would they be better off speaking with an attorney who handles SSDI/LTD claims? Are there components to the SSDI process that they need to think through about how to answer? If they go forward with the process, but later have issues, is there any reason they may want to seek an attorney in the future (ie, if March comes and he still can't return to work, etc)?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Teacher Terry]

First of all the Hartford should know that SSDI is extremely difficult to obtain. They frequently deny people over and over and often after about 2 years if you keep appealing and don't miss any deadlines it finally reaches an administrative law judge that will hire a vocational expert to assist in making the decision. The only way it ever goes quickly is if the doctor says you are terminal. With a return date of March her claim will be denied. I have never heard of a insurance company wanting to help you file. You don't need a lawyer if you are capable of filling out the paperwork yourself. A lawyer will take about a third of what you get.

 

[pb4uski]

Sounds like The hartford is playing rope-a-dope with the claimant. Have him talk with his employer benefits administration people to see if they can clear the stone-walling... if that doesn't work, hire a lawyer who specializes in disability claims.

https://www.disability-benefits-hel...ility-benefits-and-social-security-disability

 

[MRG]

Sounds like The hartford is playing rope-a-dope with the claimant. Have him talk with his employer benefits administration people to see if they can clear the stone-walling... if that doesn't work, hire a lawyer who specializes in disability claims.

https://www.disability-benefits-hel...ility-benefits-and-social-security-disability

Back when my DW was going through the hoops we found a non-attorney to do the work. He knew the process and got it through, did it a bit cheaper than an attorney wluld.

 

[pb4uski]

Better yet!

 

[Teacher Terry]

The paperwork is not difficult to fill out. We only recommended clients hire an attorney if they were not capable of completing it. The other times we would recommend getting a lawyer is if they had been denied many times and were going to appear before a law judge. This is because this is their last chance to get approved. Many people get frustrated and miss one of the appeal dates and then they have to start over at square one.

 

[ExitLeft]

Thanks for the feedback. Good to know they don't need an attorney to get involved. LTD only covers 60% of salary and they can't afford to give any of that away. The Hartford's FAQ says they can "introduce you to a qualified Social Security Representative" who helps with the filing and can be "particularly helpful" if the claim goes to an Administrative Law Judge. They say the representative only gets paid if the claim is approved and the payment comes out of what would go to the Hartford, so not costing them anything. Is it too good to be true? Are there drawbacks to using the representative? Thanks

 

[Teacher Terry]

None of our clients were on LTD so I can't answer those questions.

 

[gindie]

LTD only covers 60% of salary and they can't afford to give any of that away.

In your original post, you mentioned that he had paid all the LTD premiums himself. That is good, because the benefits would be taxable if his employer had paid the premiums (and not also withheld taxes on them).

 

[brucethebroker]

Many LTD policies are set up to reduce benefits once SS pays. If the ins. co is paying $2000 a month, and SS pays $1500, LTD benefits drop to $500 a month.

Your local senior center may have a lead for inexpensive SS claims help. It is a common problem.

I think you need to get a supervisor at Hartford involved. What? They can't find a policy? How are they paying current claims, then? That fails the smell test to me.