Will short-term disability benefits start right away?

When you get hurt or develop a medical condition, you may need to take an extended leave of absence from work. Your entire family may struggle because of the sudden drop in household income. Having the right insurance coverage helps protect you and your loved ones from financial hardship.

When workers get hurt at their place of employment, they may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. Others will be dependent on private or employer-sponsored disability benefits because their condition does not directly relate to their job.

If you need to make a short-term disability insurance claim, will the benefits start immediately when you can’t go to work?

Every disability policy is different

Although there are rules that govern disability policies, and there is no absolute rule regarding short-term disability insurance benefits. Companies have an obligation to operate in good faith when handling a claim. Meeting that standard depends on their compliance with their policy contract.

Although there isn’t a hard-and-fast rule about when short-term disability benefits state, your policy paperwork probably includes this important detail. Often, short-term disability benefits only start to apply when a person has missed a fixed number of days at work. The days before that point will often only be eligible for coverage if the disability lasts for a specific amount of time.

You could have a week or even slightly more of unpaid wages not covered by short-term disability benefits depending on your medical condition and the policy involved. You may also need to make a long-term disability claim if your symptoms persist for a significant amount of time. Understanding how disability benefits work can help you make a successful short-term disability claim.