Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers | July 21, 2025 | Long-Term Disability
If you are injured and unable to work, disability insurance can help replace some of your income to cover your expenses. In some cases, you might only be out of work for a few weeks or months. In other situations, your condition could last for years or even be permanent.
Short-term and long-term disability insurance can both provide financial benefits. However, there are some key differences between the two. The main difference is the duration of the benefits. Another is the amount of your income they will replace.
Keep reading below to learn all the details about both short-term and long-term disability insurance.
What Is Disability Insurance?
Disability insurance is a type of private insurance coverage. It provides financial benefits if you suffer a condition that leaves you unable to work. Disability insurance is provided and administered by private insurance companies. This means that the specific details of the coverage may vary from one policy to the next.
What Conditions Are Considered a Disability?
Each policy will set the definition of a “disability.” That definition will be used to determine whether your condition qualifies for coverage. Some common examples of conditions that will be covered include:
- Physical injuries: These may include broken bones, torn muscles, or other injuries. Car accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, or other types of accidents may cause them.
- Illnesses: Typically, illnesses that qualify for disability insurance payments include severe illnesses that require extensive treatment or recovery, such as cancer or a heart attack.
- Mental health conditions: Serious mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, or PTSD, may qualify for financial payments under your policy.
- Chronic conditions: Conditions that worsen over time may eventually prevent symptoms that prevent you from working, such as multiple sclerosis or lupus.
Disability insurance helps ensure that you can continue to pay your bills and support your family until you are able to return to work.
Short-Term vs. Long-Term Disability Insurance
These types of disability insurance help replace part of your income while you are out of work due to a covered condition.
Short-Term Disability Insurance
Short-term disability insurance is typically used when your condition is not expected to last beyond a few months. In most cases, short-term disability insurance is intended to last no more than 3 to 6 months.
For example, suppose you suffer a broken leg in a car accident and are unable to perform your job. However, the recovery period for your injury is expected to last 3 months. After this time, you are able to return to your normal job. This would be a situation likely covered by short-term disability insurance.
Long-Term Disability Insurance
On the other hand, long-term disability insurance is used for conditions expected to last 6 months or more. For example, suppose you suffer a brain injury and are expected to miss work for 12 months or more. This would likely be a situation covered by long-term disability insurance. In some cases, your disability may even be permanent.
Short-term disability insurance typically replaces more of your income. These benefits may cover as much as 80% of your normal income. However, long-term disability benefits may be 60% of less of your normal wages.
What Is an Elimination Period?
Most disability insurance policies have an elimination period. This is the period of time between the onset of your disability and the time at which benefits will begin. Short-term disability benefits may have an elimination period as short as 7 days. If you suffer a disability today, your benefits may start 7 days from now.
Long-term disability benefits usually have a much more extended elimination period. These insurance policies may have elimination periods anywhere from 30 to 180 days. Your policy will specify the elimination period of your coverage. You can always check with your insurance provider if you have questions.
What Are Common Reasons Claims Are Denied?
Remember that your insurance company has the final decision. They will ultimately decide whether your condition qualifies for benefit payments.
The insurance company may try to deny your claim, and the most common reasons for denial are:
- Condition does not meet the definition of a disability
- Not enough medical evidence to support your claim
- Missing the filing deadline or the deadline to provide sufficient evidence
If your disability insurance claim in Burlington has been denied, you do have options. You should always seek help from an experienced personal injury lawyer. They can assist you with putting together all the documentation to appeal your denial.
Contact the Burlington Disability Lawyers at Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
If your disability is preventing you from working and your claim has been delayed, reduced, or denied, you don’t have to go through it alone. Insurance companies don’t always make it easy to get the benefits you deserve—but we can help.
At Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers, we have extensive experience dealing with denied disability claims. Our Burlington disability lawyers know how to gather the right evidence, meet critical deadlines, and challenge unfair insurance decisions. Reach out today for a free consultation.
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Hamilton, Brantford, Burlington, or St. Catharines, contact the experienced personal injury lawyers at Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation.
We proudly serve clients throughout Southern Ontario and the surrounding communities.
Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers – Hamilton, ON
20 Hughson St S #510
Hamilton, ON L8N 2A1
(905) 522-9799
Our firm is located near you. We have an office in Hamilton
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Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers – Brantford, ON
325 West St #102a
Brantford, ON N3R 3V6
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Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers – Burlington, ON
2349 Fairview St
Burlington, ON L7R 2E3
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Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers – St. Catharines, ON
55 King St Suite 207
St. Catharines, ON L2R 3H5
(905) 522-9799
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About The Author
Attorney Ryan Findlay is the founder of Findlay Personal Injury Lawyers. After earning his law degree from Bond University in Australia, Ryan returned to his hometown of Hamilton, Ontario, where he now serves clients across the region. He is licensed to practice law in Ontario and has over a decade of experience handling personal injury claims. Ryan’s practice focuses on helping victims injured in motor vehicle accidents, slip and falls, and other negligence-related incidents. Known for his compassionate approach and direct involvement in each case, Ryan is dedicated to recovering fair outcomes for his clients.
Location: Hamilton, ON
