It depends. Review the documents from Social Security carefully before giving them to your LTD carrier. You want to be sure anything you provide is supportive of your disability. At a minimum, you only need to provide your benefit amount and entitlement date.
If you have an approval letter that explains why you cannot work in any capacity, that may be helpful to your claim as well.
When applying for long-term disability (“LTD”) benefits your LTD policy will require you to apply for social security benefits. Your LTD carrier will ask you to provide documentation showing the benefit amount and entitlement date so they can calculate any overpayment and apply an offset moving forward.
When applying for SSDI benefits with the Social Security Administration (“SSA”), they will provide several documents regarding your claim status, benefits, and other information relating to their decision. It may be tempting to send all the documents to your LTD carrier but there could be some consequences.
LTD claims may be based on mental conditions and physical ones. However, the SSA determines disability differently. If your SSA decision only speaks to your mental health, this could trigger a mental health limitation by your LTD carrier.
Overall, you are required to provide your LTD carrier information about your SSDI benefits. Before submitting any SSA documents to them, read the documents first. If the SSA documents are supportive for your disability, then submit them. But if there is any doubt, you should contact a disability insurance attorney who can guide you through what needs to be provided to your LTD carrier.
Disability Insurance Companies Have Lawyers. Shouldn’t You?
Because this law firm was created to focus on disability insurance, we have developed an expertise in this complex area of the law.
Our expertise in long-term disability claims means our clients have the backing of a law firm that has attorneys who:
- Are experts in disability claims;
- Fought all major disability insurance companies and know their tactics;
- A track record of success;
- Won major disability lawsuits that created good law; and
- Recovered millions of dollars in disability benefits.
All our lawyers commit every day of their legal career to helping people get disability benefits from UNUM, MetLife, Prudential, Northwestern Mutual, Hartford, CIGNA, and others.
Because federal law applies to most disability insurance claims, we do not have to be located in your state to help. We help clients nationwide.
Call to get experienced disability lawyers on your side with:
- Submitting a disability insurance claim,
- Appealing a long-term disability denial,
- Negotiating a lump-sum settlement, and
- Filing a lawsuit against your disability insurance company.
Call (800) 969-0488 for a free consultation with a disability attorney.
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