Desjardins long-term disability (LTD) claims

About Desjardins Insurance

Desjardins Insurance (Desjardins) is an insurance provider operating across Canada. Founded in 1944 as “Société d’assurance des caisses populaires,” it is one of the country’s largest insurers, providing auto insurance, disability insurance when can’t work for short or long periods of time, life insurance, home insurance, and critical illness insurance.

In 2015, Desjardins bought the Canadian division of U.S.-based insurer State Farm, and the transition was completed at the end of 2019. The company employs over 2,000 people in Canada across multiple locations, and holds around $400 billion in assets.

Desjardins Long-term Disability

Desjardins, along with a number of other insurers in Canada, makes long-term disability (LTD) benefits available through its individual (think self-employed professionals or small-business operators) and group insurance policies.

You can apply for LTD benefits with Desjardins if you have a plan with the insurer, are ill or suffer an injury after an accident, are unable to work, and have support from your treating doctor.

Desjardins Short-term Disability

In addition to LTD benefits, Desjardins also provides short-term disability (STD) coverage through group insurance policies. These benefits are paid out to individuals who are unable to work for a short period of time due to illness or injury.

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How to apply for Desjardins long-term disability

You can submit a claim for LTD by placing a phone call directly to Desjardins. In order to start the claims process, you will need to gather:

• An Employer Statement, filled out by your plan administrator, which is typically your employer
• An Employee Statement, filled out by you, the employee
• The Initial Attending Physician’s Statement, which is completed by your doctor

What if I am already on STD benefits?

If you are already receiving STD payments through a claim with Desjardins, you don’t need to submit a new claim for LTD.

You must wait for a particular period of time before you can switch to LTD. This is called the “elimination period.” If you are still disabled and unable to work after the elimination period, you should be approved for LTD.

How long does it take for my claim to be approved?

LTD claims with Desjardins can take as many as 10 days to be properly processed.

How to check the status of your disability claim

You can get an update on your claim by contacting a member of the Desjardins team. If you run into difficulty trying to access this information or have any other customer service issues with the insurance company, you can use Desjardins’ complaints process.

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Desjardins long-term disability claim denied

Desjardins, like other insurance companies, may deny your long-term disability claim and refuse to provide you with benefits. Common reasons for a denial may include:

• You are not “totally disabled“
• The insurer doesn’t agree with your doctor’s opinion that you are unable to work
• You don’t have enough medical evidence to support your claim
• You can hold down work in another occupation

Instead of supporting you during your time of need as they should, Desjardins may decide to turn their back on you. Insurance companies look for various ways to deny a legitimate LTD claim. They do it to increase their profits – the more claims the deny, the less money they have to pay out, and the more they can keep for themselves.

If your LTD claim with Desjardins is denied, do not lost hope. As soon as you receive a rejection from the insurer, contact Samfiru Tumarkin LLP immediately for a free consultation with a disability lawyer. We can examine all aspects of your unique situation, review the reasons for denial, outline the questions you should ask your insurer, and discuss the best path forward as our team works to get you the compensation you are rightfully owed.

SEE MORE
• Desjardins LTD Denials in B.C. (Guide)
• Desjardins LTD Denials in Ontario (Guide)

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Desjardins long-term disability claim cut off

Even if your LTD claim is initially approved, there is a chance that Desjardins may cut off your disability benefits down the road. This is especially true if you’ve been getting benefits for about two years.

This typically happens for one of three reasons:

• You have reached the age limit on their policy, which is often 65
• You no longer meet their criteria for receiving LTD benefits
• You are not following the LTD policy’s terms and rules

Your policy will come to an end when you reach the maximum age limit. A disability lawyer is unable to reactivate your benefits in that case. However, if you were cut off for the two remaining reasons, you should not take Desjardins’ decision as the final say on the matter.

When individuals contact us for help after their benefits are cut off, our team conducts a thorough review of the insurance company’s decision. We often find that the insurer has taken the wrong position. They may feel that you are able to return to work or take on another occupation, based on their hired medical experts or surveillance. Maybe you didn’t follow a specific treatment or take a certain medication.

If your doctor says you can’t work, or recommends a change to your treatment plan, Desjardins must abide by their recommendations. If they refuse to do so, don’t panic. Before you appeal the cut off or walk away from your claim – and the money you need to pay the bills or your mortgage – talk to the disability lawyers at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

We’ve helped tens of thousands of Canadians pursue their rights when they are cut off LTD or experience other workplace-related dilemmas. We understand the pain and frustration you’re feeling – nobody should be ignored or abandoned by their insurance provider.

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Appealing an LTD denial by Desjardins

If Desjardins denies your initial claim for long-term disability benefits, or cuts them off after they are approved, you have the right to appeal their decision.

How does the appeal process work?

If your LTD benefits are denied or cut off, you can ask your insurance adjuster or claims advisor at Desjardins to review your file. This review is conducted internally by the insurance company. Your adjuster will take another look at the information related to your claim, along with any other new facts you provide to support your case.

If Desjardins decides to stand by their original decision to deny or cut off your LTD claim, you can file additional appeals with the insurer. These appeals will likely involve new people taking a look at your documentation.

LEARN MORE: Appealing a long-term disability claim denial

Should I appeal my LTD claim denial?

No, you shouldn’t use an appeal as your only option when your LTD claim is denied or cut off. While it is wise to take advantage of all options available to you, pinning your hopes on Desjardins’ appeal process is not a good idea.

In our years of experience, appeals rarely work. You are asking the insurance company who rejected your claim to change their mind. It is in their financial best interest to turn down your request for benefits and keep your money to improve their profits. That is why insurers, like Desjardins, often reject appeals time and again, even if you provide updated medical documentation or clarify certain facts about your health.

SEE ALSO:
• Severance packages for Desjardins employees

The appeal process can take some time to complete. This plays to an insurance company’s advantage. The more time you waste on appealing their decision, the less time you have to take a more effective approach and the faster you run out the clock on your rights.

A better alternative

There is a much more powerful and effective alternative to an appeal when Desjardins denies your LTD benefits. You can access your rights by filing a legal claim with a long-term disability lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

When you enlist our help, we remove the stress and burden from your shoulders. We take over direct correspondence with Desjardins so you can focus more on your health and getting better. Our firm is one of the most respected disability law firms in Canada, with years of experience successfully securing millions in compensation for our tens of thousands of clients. Insurers know our track record, and will choose to pay you what you are owed instead of taking the issue to court, which costs them more money in the long run.

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Long-term Disability Lawyers for Desjardins Insurance Claims

Avoid the frustration of dealing with Desjardins on your own if they have denied or cut off your LTD benefits. While your health and wellbeing may not necessarily be in their best interest, it is our top priority. Before you walk away from your rights, call us for a free consultation to find out how our involvement can make a difference. We help individuals all across Canada (excluding Quebec) at all stages of their Desjardins LTD claim, including applying for benefits, looking at the appeal process and applying legal pressure to secure the money you need when you can’t work.

We’ve helped countless Canadians, like Sandra Bullock and Julie Austin, get the compensation they deserve after being turned away by their insurer. Call Canada’s most positively reviewed law firm at 1-855-821-5900, email Help@DisabilityRights.ca, or contact us online for a FREE consultation.