Do mental health illnesses qualify for Long Term Disability benefits?
If you have a mental health condition that prevents you from working, you should talk to a mental health professional about how your condition affects your ability to work. Many Long Term Disability policies cover mental illness, including disorders, abnormalities, disturbances, dysfunctions, and syndromes that are:
- Emotional
- Behavioral
- Psychological
- Personality
- Cognitive
- Mood
- Stress-related
Mental Illnesses May Qualify for Disability Benefits
If you have been diagnosed with a mental illness which is not work-related, you may want to consider applying for Short and Long Term Disability benefits. Mental illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and PTSD may qualify for Long Term Disability benefits. Be aware that many Long Term Disability plans limit the number of months that benefits can be paid for mental conditions.
Typically, most Long Term Disability plans offer coverage for a mental illness as long as that mental illness prevents you from returning to your job. Most policies offer coverage for individuals up to 24 months, while some other plans may offer more or less coverage. However, if you have a mental illness along with a physical condition that prevents you from working, it is harder for the insurance company to enforce the 24 month mental health policy limitation.
To qualify for benefits, most Long Term Disability plans require you to be under the care of a medical doctor, such as a treating psychiatrist, rather than a psychologist, nurse, counselor, or therapist. To further qualify for benefits, your mental health conditions must be well documented. This means that certain testing and mental health exams must be performed, and the results must demonstrate that you have severe restrictions and limitations that prevent you from working.
When submitting a claim to your insurance company for a mental illness, you want to be sure that you provide them with information in a timely manner and that your medical providers are supportive of your claim. If the insurance company grants your claim, you will often have to periodically provide updated information in order to continue to receive benefits.
If the insurance company denies your claim, you have the right to appeal that denial and seek legal help from a Long Term Disability lawyer. Most Long Term Disability denials for a mental illness are attributed to a lack of documented restrictions and limitation. If you have been denied Long Term Disability benefits by your insurance company, contact us right away. We can answer any questions you may have and guide you through the process of getting your Long Term Disability benefits.
