If you are a worker who has purchased one of Aetna’s disability insurance policies, it may offer you a safety net if you are left disabled and unable to return to your job on a short-term or long-term basis. Some people who have disability insurance policies through Aetna are denied when they file claims for benefits. If you are denied, the experience of The Law Office of Andrew Reichardt, may be able to help you with appealing the decision and securing benefits.
BACKGROUND ON AETNA
An American insurance and managed health care company, Aetna is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut. It has 49,500 employees and is a member of the Fortune 100. A direct descendant of its predecessor company, Aetna Fire Insurance company, Aetna was founded in 1853 as the Aetna Life Insurance Company. It later expanded its offerings beyond life insurance to include medical, dental, pharmaceutical, long-term care and disability insurance plans.
DISABILITY INSURANCE FROM AETNA
Aetna offers two main types of disability insurance to workers, including short-term disability insurance and long-term disability insurance. Workers can choose to purchase one or the other, or they can choose to purchase both types. Aetna’s short-term disability insurance is available through employers, so workers must talk to their employers to purchase this type of insurance. Short-term disability insurance pays weekly benefits for a short time while workers are unable to return to work. The payments do not start until after an elimination period has ended. Your short-term disability benefits will cover a percentage of your income while you are unable to work up to the time that is specified in your policy.
Aetna’s long-term disability insurance also has an elimination period that must elapse before you can file for benefits. This type of insurance pays benefits to you for a much longer period than short-term disability insurance will, but the length of the period will depend on the policy options that you have selected. Long-term disability benefits through Aetna are paid monthly and are a portion of your former income or salary.
Some workers choose to purchase both short-term and long-term disability policies with Aetna. If you have both types of insurance, you must exhaust your short-term disability benefits before your long-term disability benefits will kick in. Having both types of insurance may provide you with a more robust coverage. The short-term benefits generally will last during the elimination period of the long-term coverage, meaning that you might have to go for less time without an income or benefits.
APPEALING A DENIAL FROM AETNA
If Aetna denies your claim for benefits, you have the right to appeal. The company has its own internal process for appeals. You will need to exhaust that process before suing the company in court. The company will send you a notice that it has decided to deny your appeal. The letter will outline the company’s reasoning and give you information about how to file your appeal. There will be a deadline for your appeal that will be listed in the letter. Do not miss this deadline. If you do, you will be barred from claiming benefits from Aetna for your disability in the future. Request a copy of your claim file, and bring your file and your denial notice to the experienced disability team at The Law Office of Andrew Reichardt. We can help you to build the evidence that could win your appeal. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.