Own occupation disability means your medical condition prevents you from performing the essential duties of your occupation. Any occupation disability means it prevents you from performing any suitable occupation, based on your education, training and experience.
The main difference is the work being assessed: your occupation or other suitable work. Your insurance policy sets the exact requirements.
⚠️ Approaching Two Years of LTD? Many workplace long-term disability policies change from own occupation to any occupation after 24 months of benefits. That does not automatically mean your payments should stop.
On This Page:
- Key Differences
- What Is Own Occupation?
- What Is Any Occupation?
- A Simple Example
- What Happens After Two Years?
- Denied or Cut Off?
Own Occupation vs. Any Occupation: Key Differences
| What Is Assessed? | Own Occupation | Any Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Work you can perform | The occupation you performed before becoming disabled | Your occupation and other suitable work |
| Ability to do different work | You may still meet the disability test | You may not meet the test if you can perform suitable alternative work |
| Your qualifications | Help establish the duties of your occupation | Help determine which other occupations are suitable |
| When the test applies | Often the initial LTD benefit period | Often after the own-occupation period ends |
Your policy sets the timing and may include additional requirements, such as how much an alternative occupation must pay.
What Does Own Occupation Mean?
The own-occupation test focuses on whether you can perform the important duties of your occupation. Being able to shop, cook or complete occasional tasks does not, by itself, establish that you can do your work.
Your occupation is not always your exact job with one employer. The policy may consider how that occupation is performed in other workplaces, not just the position you held.
Read more about own occupation disability insurance.
What Does Any Occupation Mean?
The any-occupation test considers whether you can perform suitable work beyond your previous occupation. It does not mean literally any job, regardless of your qualifications or health. Your medical limitations and ability to work consistently remain important.
Some policies consider occupations you could become qualified for through reasonable training. Others specify an earnings threshold for gainful employment. There is no single income percentage that applies to every policy.
Read more about the any occupation disability test.
Example: The Same Condition, Two Different Tests
Imagine a delivery driver whose back condition prevents long periods of driving and lifting packages.
- Under own occupation: They may qualify because they can’t perform the important duties of their delivery occupation.
- Under any occupation: The insurer might suggest dispatching or administrative work. But those roles are not automatically suitable. The driver’s qualifications, sitting tolerance, concentration and ability to maintain a work schedule still need to be considered.
The difference is the work being assessed, not necessarily a change in the person’s health.
What Happens After Two Years of LTD?
Many workplace policies switch to the any-occupation test after 24 months of benefits. The timing varies, and some policies retain own-occupation coverage. Check your policy’s change-of-definition date rather than assuming the change happens two years after your last day worked.
Benefits can continue if you meet the new definition and the policy’s other requirements. However, the insurer may stop payments even without medical improvement if it concludes that you can perform suitable alternative work. That conclusion can be challenged.
Our change-of-definition LTD guide explains the review process and how to prepare.
What if Your LTD Benefits Are Denied or Cut Off?
An insurer saying you can work does not make its decision correct. The dispute may involve how it defined your occupation, interpreted your medical evidence or selected alternative jobs.
See what to do when long-term disability benefits are denied.
Speak with a disability lawyer on our team before submitting an internal appeal. A lawyer can assess your options and confirm the deadline for legal action. Don’t assume an LTD appeal pauses that deadline.
Get Help With Your Disability Claim
Samfiru Tumarkin LLP helps people challenge denied and terminated LTD claims across Canada, excluding Quebec. We can review your policy, the insurer’s reasons and your medical evidence, explain your next steps – and get you the compensation you are owed.
Denied doesn’t mean defeated.