Disability News

How Long is Short-Term Disability in Alberta?

Experiencing a short-term disability in Alberta is often a challenging and stressful situation. It can significantly impact your ability to work and maintain financial stability. Even a brief period of inability to work due to an illness or injury can be devastating. It can lead to mounting bills, lost income, and a sense of uncertainty.

Short-term disability (STD) insurance serves as a crucial financial safety net for individuals who are unable to work due to illness or injury. It provides temporary income replacement, allowing individuals to focus on recovery without the added stress of lost wages. Unlike long-term disability, which covers extended periods of incapacity, STD is designed to bridge the gap during the initial weeks or months of a health crisis. This support can help cover essential expenses such as medical bills, mortgage payments, and everyday living costs, ensuring that one’s financial stability remains intact during a challenging time of physical or mental recovery.

What is Short-Term Disability?

A short-term disability is a condition that prevents you from performing optimally at work, but only for a certain period of time. This can include minor injuries that may put you out for a few weeks or more serious conditions that will take several months to recover from. Even short recovery periods can impact your life, especially regarding income and financial stability.

Short-term disability (STD) insurance provides financial support to those who can’t work due to a non-work-related illness, injury, or medical condition. This coverage typically replaces a portion of the employee’s income for a limited period, which is usually up to six months in Alberta, although the exact length can vary depending on your specific policy.

Examples of conditions that may be covered by short-term disability insurance include:

• Recovery from surgery
• Mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety
• Back injuries or other musculoskeletal disorders
• Serious illnesses, such as cancer or heart disease

If your illness or injury has the potential to last much longer than six months, you may want to pursue long-term disability benefits instead. This is a separate process. A good short-term disability lawyer can help you understand the difference.

How Long is Short-Term Disability in Alberta?

There are many factors that affect the length of short-term disability benefits in Alberta, most of which are tied to group v. individual policies.

Group benefit Policies

Regarding group benefits, employers get to choose how long they want to offer coverage to their employees. This decision is based on several factors.

First, employers think about how much they want to spend on benefits. Offering a longer short-term disability coverage period means the company will have to pay more in insurance premiums and cover the employee’s absence for a longer time. Some companies, especially smaller ones or those in industries where money is tight, might decide to offer a shorter coverage period to save money.

On the other hand, some employers offer longer short-term disability coverage as a way to show their employees that they care about their well-being. By giving employees more time to recover from an illness or injury before returning to work (or going on long-term disability if needed), these companies can make their employees feel more secure and valued. This can be a good way to attract and keep good employees.

Individual Policies

The length of coverage for individually purchased short-term disability policies in Alberta can also vary depending on several factors.

First, the insurance company you choose will have different options for policy lengths. Some insurers may offer short-term disability policies that last for just a few months, while others might provide coverage for up to a year or more. It’s important to shop around and compare different policies to find one that meets your needs.

Another factor that can affect the length of your short-term disability policy is the type of coverage you choose. Some policies might offer different coverage lengths based on the nature of your disability. For example, a policy might provide a longer coverage period for disabilities caused by accidents compared to those caused by illnesses.

Your occupation and income can also play a role in determining the length of your short-term disability policy. Some insurers might offer longer coverage periods for individuals in certain professions or with higher incomes, as these factors can influence the likelihood and duration of a disability.

Ultimately, when purchasing an individual short-term disability policy in Canada, you’ll have some flexibility to choose the length of coverage that works best for your situation. It’s important to consider your budget, risk factors, and overall financial goals when making this decision. You may also want to consult with a financial advisor or insurance broker who can help you compare different policies and choose the one that offers the right balance of coverage and affordability for your needs.

Remember, short-term disability policies are designed to provide a temporary source of income if you cannot work due to an illness or injury. By choosing a policy with the right length of coverage, you can ensure that you have the financial support you need to recover and get back on your feet.

Can Lalande Disability Lawyers help with Short-Term Disability Denials?

Typically, we litigate long-term disability denials, but in some circumstances, we can assist with short-term disability denials. The decision mostly depends on two things: 1) Were your benefits wrongly denied, and 2) Is your illness or injury likely to require you to apply for long-term disability?

When you hire a disability lawyer – it is because you intend to dispute the insurance company’s disability denial – which is done through litigation. However, given high litigation costs, it often makes it difficult to simply litigate the short-term disability benefits (i.e. the value of the benefits for such a short period of time) without litigating the long-term disability benefits as well.

If you’ve been denied short-term disability benefits and you foresee that, because of your medical condition, you will require access to long-term disability benefits, then perhaps we may be able to assist.

We assess each case individually, so we encourage you to call us and discuss your particular case.

If you live in Alberta and have been denied Short-Term Disability Benefits, call us now.

For nearly four decades, our team of experienced disability lawyers has been committed to advocating for the rights of claimants throughout the disability claim process. We are well-aware of the challenges and obstacles that claimants may face when dealing with insurance adjusters and the potential pressure to return to work before fully recovering or while personally disabled.

Our primary goal is to ensure that you receive the disability benefits you are entitled to. By securing these benefits, we strive to provide you with the financial support necessary to focus on your health and recovery without the added stress of financial uncertainty.

With extensive knowledge and experience in the field of disability law, we are well-equipped to navigate the intricacies of the claim process and work diligently to protect your rights. Our team understands the importance of thoroughly assessing your unique circumstances and will work closely with you to build a strong case supporting your claim.

Based in Hamilton, Ontario, our firm assists disability claimants nationwide, in every Province, from coast to coast.

Call us today at 1-844-4-DISABILITY, or alternative, send us a confidential message through our website and our intake specialist will contact you to set up your free consultation to discuss your legal options.