A monthly income is usually your biggest asset, even if you have some savings or investments. In case of injury or illness, you have to protect your income. In this article, we will show you what you have to do when you are unable to work due to injury or illness.
Go to see a doctor and inform your employer
The very first step you have to take is going to your doctor. You need the right diagnosis, and also they will tell you how long you will be unable to work. That information is crucial for getting your disability benefits. After you know precisely what kind of injury or illness you have, inform your employer immediately.
In most countries or states, you can get temporary disability benefits for up to six months. Therefore, if your recovery won’t take longer than that, you can start your application. However, both your doctor and employer need to sign and approve a few documents in order to have a successful application.
How to get temporary disability benefits
As we mentioned, you can get temporary disability benefits for six months. During that period, your weekly benefits will be cut to 66% of your gross weekly wage. It is essential to know that you have thirty days to file your disability claim. However, if you have a valid reason why you didn’t do it in that period, you can still get benefits. Also, it is impossible to file a claim before you stop working.
People sometimes try to do that so they don’t have to wait for the benefits to be processed. And finally, if your company has its own private disability policy, they need to provide you an application for the private disability carrier.
Superannuation insurance benefits
In some countries, such as Australia, you can claim superannuation insurance benefits. Most of these policies are related precisely to circumstances where people are unable to work. Those benefits include permanent disability, income protection, death and trauma. The best thing you can do is to find expert superannuation lawyers.
They will go through the policy and tell you which insurance benefits you will be able to claim. Also, it is good to know that your injury or illness doesn’t have to be strictly related to your work. If you suffered an injury in a car accident, for example, you would still be able to get the benefits.
What to do if your disability is expected to last for a year or more
In this case, you should consider applying for social security benefits. But how do you qualify for that? Even though it varies in different countries and states, in most cases, you will be eligible if you have been working long enough, and also, if you paid into social security a minimum of ten years. After that, you need to confirm that your disability fits into social security standards.
First of all, you have to provide that you can’t work the same way as you could before the injury. The reason can be a medical condition or an injury if it is expected to last for a year or more. Anyways, to get social security benefits, your health state has to be severe enough to obstruct your working activities.
Disability insurance is different than other types of insurance
People often confuse disability insurance and long-term care insurance. The difference is pretty huge, so you should know it in order to make the correct insurance plan. In most countries or states, disability insurance covers the loss of income for those under the age of 65. It pays a monthly benefit to those who are under 65 and can’t work due to injury or illness.
On the other hand, long-term care insurance helps with covering health-related costs. It pays you a regular recurring benefit, and it covers the cost of care you might need if your physical state becomes worse. In these cases, it includes nursing care or the expenses of staying in a facility.
It is needless to say how vital it is to be well-prepared for unexpected situations, such as illness or injury. Besides taking care of your health, you need to protect your income in the right way. In case of such an unfortunate occasion, follow these steps and get the most out of it.
