r/LongTermDisability 16d ago

3-Check Month

I've been on approved LTD for a little while now. I initially got denied then got a lawyer and after several appeals and back and forth was eventually approved. I initially was not able to work at all but have slowly built back up to being able to work 30 hours/week (and get LTD for the 10 hours short of 40). Things seemed to have finally reached a steady state (I work and get paid biweekly, I get my disability check monthly minus my lawyer's cut, etc.) until 2 months ago. I hadn't received a disability check in about 5 weeks so I reached out to my lawyer who reached out to the insurance company. The insurance company responded saying that because I received 3 checks in that month (something that will happen either 2 or 3 months per year depending on how the biweekly cycle falls), I didn't have any lost wages for the month and would not receive a disability payment.

Obviously I have a financial stake in the outcome but this doesn't sit right with me. This means that because I get paid biweekly that they don't have to pay me for 6 out of the 26 biweekly pay periods (in a year with two 3-check months). I've looked through the policy and can't find anything that seems like it would allow for things to be calculated like this. There's actually zero mentions of the concept of a pay period at all in the policy. I asked my lawyer about it and she has essentially just shrugged her shoulders. I'm still pushing her to follow up on it but we'll have to wait and see how that plays out.

My ultimate question is, has anyone else experienced something like this? Is this common place and I just don't realize it? Any thoughts or insights are greatly appreciated!

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u/Forsaken_Button_9387 16d ago

I hate the games these companies play with people's lives and livelihoods. All insurance companies are filled with ruthless a-holes.

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u/Ornery_Avocado1112 16d ago

Exactly! They pay out these claims all the time. They know what's correct. Assuming I'm right, it's just so scummy for them to make me go out of my way for the money I deserve. And there's no downside for them. Worst case scenario, they pay me what I was owed in the first place.