Short Term Disability Insurance

In general, it's best to have enough disability coverage to replace 60% of your after-tax income. However, this number can vary depending on a number of factors, such as recurrent debt payments and monthly living expenses.

Unum will make the initial decision on most Short Term Disability Insurance claims within five business days after receipt of a complete claim that includes:

• a completed Employee Statement form
• a completed Employer's Statement form
• a completed Attending Physician's Statement form, and
• a signed medical authorization form. (optional)

Each claim is unique, and Unum may request additional supporting medical records to make a decision on a claim. Learn more about filing a claim here. You may also access claim information on your Apple or Android device using the Unum Customer App.

First, we will review medical information to determine if you meet the definition of disability as it is defined in your policy. Once we establish that you meet the definition of disability to be eligible for benefits, you:

• must continue to meet the definition of disability during the elimination period (the elimination period is the number of days that must pass before you are eligible to receive benefits.)
• may also be required to have a certain percentage of earnings lost due to disability

We may ask you to provide updated medical information to verify your disability and continued eligibility for benefits beyond the initial approval of your claim.

The length of time you can receive benefits depends on your policy's Maximum Benefit Period, which is determined by your employer. Once the elimination period (the number of days that must elapse before you're eligible for benefit payments) is satisfied and you continue to meet the definition of disability, your benefits can extend through the Maximum Benefit Period.

Short Term Disability Insurance benefit payments are generally made on a weekly basis.

The amount of your benefit is dependent on your pre-disability earnings and the benefit percentage allowed in the policy. If the policy includes an incremental benefit, the benefit amount is the amount that you purchased.

Payments will be mailed to you as a check. However, you can choose to have the benefit payments electronically deposited in your bank account by filling out an electronic transfer form in your Unum account.

For a delivery with no complications, most pregnancy claims are approved under Short Term Disability for a period of six weeks. Your employer may choose to provide an alternative eight-week benefit for Cesarean deliveries.

The six-week and eight-week periods include the elimination period. For example, if the elimination period is seven days, then a normal delivery is paid five weeks of benefits.

Disabilities due to complications of pregnancy will be covered in the same way as any other covered sickness.

In some cases, yes. See your HR representative for details.

When you are ready to return to work, please contact your claims specialist, who will work with you on your return-to-work plan.

Most plans include a recurrent disability provision. If an employee becomes disabled again due to the same condition within a specified number of days, the recurrent disability provision allows continued disability payments under the original claim.

The number of days for the recurrent disability provision is stated in the policy.

If an employee becomes disabled after the number of days in the recurrent disability provision, or due to a new medical condition, a new claim would need to be filed.

Depending on the definition of disability as defined in the policy, an employee may be able to receive benefits and work part time.

Many policies will allow employees to work part time while on claim. Typically, an employee will need to have a certain percentage of their earnings lost due to disability for a claim to remain active.

Please review the definition of disability, outlined in the certificate of coverage.

The cancellation of the policy or termination from employment does not affect a payable claim. If an employee is on claim and the policy is cancelled or the employee is terminated from employment, a claim will be paid to the same duration it would have been had either event not occurred.²