Social Security disability is a program that helps Houston residents and other American workers when they are unable to earn a living due to a disability. Some Houston residents also have short-term or long-term disability insurance with private insurance carriers. Are the requirements for private disability insurance the same as for Social Security Disability? This blog post will provide a brief answer to this question.
The short answer to the question is that the requirements to receive Social Security disability benefits are usually stricter than the requirements to receive private disability insurance benefits. In order to receive Social Security disability benefits, a claimant must prove, among other things, that they live with a severe condition that is expected to last for at least a year or end in death. This is stricter than the requirements of many private disability insurance plans.
This means that when applying for Social Security disability benefits, many claimants focus on the medical severity of their condition. One Social Security Administration official notes that Social Security needs work information in addition to medical severity information in order to reach a correct decision for a Social Security disability claimant.
What kind of work information might be needed? Information needed might include main responsibilities of the job; dates worked and number of days worked per week; amount of pay received; tools, equipment and machinery used; physical activities required to do the job; environmental conditions of the job; the amount of knowledge needed to do the job; the amount of independent judgment required to do the job; the amount of supervision that was provided; and more.
While some people may be able to fall back on a private disability insurance policy if they become disabled, those without such policies may seek Social Security disability benefits. The requirements for qualifying for Social Security disability benefits may not be the same as those for private insurers. Individuals should carefully examine their situation, to determine whether to pursue Social Security disability benefits.
Source: TribStar.com, “Social Security: One fact you should know about disability,” Brian Hewitt, Nov. 26, 2017