Manulife Denied Disability in Ontario
Have you had your Manulife short-term disability claim denied? Or perhaps your long-term insurance claim? We have had several clients subscribed to a LTD insurance policy with Manulife and then reported getting their long-term disability claim denied or cut-off by the insurer, much to their surprise. Some stated the reasons for refusals were insufficient medical evidence, or a claim they could hold another type of work because total disability tests had changed. You might be wondering what to do if your Manulife long-term or short-term disability claim in Ontario has been denied. The first thing to understand is that you have the right to appeal the decision.
We understand the frustration and stress such a situation can create for you, and often get asked for help with Manulife’s appeal process.
Unfortunately, too few people know about leveraging an appeal process, and will not contest the initial decision after Manulife has denied their claim for disability benefits. Insurers often deny claims, for both long-term and short-term benefits, with the hope people will not appeal, or don’t know how to build a strong case to prove their disability benefit claim.
Here’s how Himpro can help you when you have had your Manulife short term or long term disability claim denied. We’ll examine what you need to know when insurers such as Manulife Financial deny your claim and what you can do about it using the Manulife appeal process.
Manulife Long-Term Disability Benefits: What Happens After 2 Years?
If you hold a private disability insurance, you are covered by its policy and should receive short-term disability benefits over the first 2 years of being unable to perform most of the duties of your “own occupation“, i.e. the occupation you held prior to becoming disabled – typically the work that you have experience and/or were trained to do.
At the 24-month mark, a Manulife LTD claim gets more complicated: your policy will require you to be “totally disabled“, meaning unfit to perform “any occupation“, which Manulife will often contest and hence deny your LTD claim by cutting-off your long-term disability benefits. Building a winning case requires gathering evidence that your disability qualifies as a Total Disability.
Can You Win Manulife's Internal Appeals Process When Your Claim is Denied?
If you want to challenge the decision of a Manulife short-term or long-term disability claim being denied, Manulife prefers you follow an internal appeals process; First through one of their customer service managers, and if you are still unsatisfied with the outcome, through Manulife’s internal ombudsman, who gives substantive reviews to ensure the company’s rules and processes were followed when assessing your claim to your policy’s long-term disability benefits.
Checking-off all the requirements of “total disability” in the eyes of Manulife is typically a difficult task, and it will be up to you to have persuasive evidence for either the ombudsman or the court. An experienced disability lawyer knows how to build a strong case for your Manulife’s appeal process, i.e. what evidence to gather and which experts to leverage to reclaim your benefits.
Common Reasons For A Manulife Denied LTD Claim
Regardless of the reason that Manulife denied your long-term or short-term disability claim, you can still get the decision reversed using Manulife’s appeal process if you build a winning case and a court decides in your favor. You will most likely need the help of a seasoned Toronto-area disability lawyer who has previously challenged Manulife’s denials to prove your case and navigate the legal system efficiently.
About Manulife Financial: originally called the Manufacturers Life Insurance Company, is a leading Canadian financial services and insurance company. Manulife offers short-term and long-term disability insurance policies, such as the ProGuard, Venture, Synergy or Personal Accident insurance plans. While many people have subscribed to their policies through group insurance offered by their employer, some plans are offered directly to business owners or can be subscribed to by individuals.
How To Appeal a Denied Claim by Manulife for LT Disability Insurance: 5 Tips
A denied LTD insurance claim by Manulife is not the end of the game. Long-term disability claims are routinely denied by insurance companies. In most instances, you should use the appeal process to fight your case. However, it’s important to do it right to preserve your credibility and build a winning case. A Toronto-area long-term disability lawyer from Himelfarb Proszanski can help, here’s how:
Timing your Manulife long-term disability appeal is crucial for success: there is a 2-year window to file a claim in court, which starts when the applicant receives a “clear and unequivocal denial” of the claim from Manulife. There is also an internal appeal timeline to obey, which can vary depending on your Manulife disability insurance plan.
It’s important to gather as much evidence and information as to why your claim has been denied when working through the appeal process. You can also ask Manulife to see your insurance claim file and any other documentation your insurance company may have about your claim.
Trying to defend your rights to receive disability benefits and engaging in a legal case can be intimidating and stressful, on top of the disability issue itself. Our team fully understands this and will support you from the start. From our first contact, our immediate goal is to relieve the stress you and your family are experiencing due to a denial by the insurance company. We also understand you want us to be responsive to your enquiries and be kept up to date along the process. For us, you are NOT a number, and we will treat you with full respect for your person and situation, while providing the best legal representation possible.
If English is not your first language, we provide professional translators to assist you in this process, which will limit the stress due to language barriers.
After Manulife denies your long-term disability benefits, you have 2 options to ask the insurer to reconsider their decision: an internal appeal process within Manulife, and an external appeal process done outside the insurance company, through tribunals or courts. It’s critically important to choose the right process, which depends on your specific situation. An LTD lawyer who has challenged Manulife’s denial decisions successfully can help you make that choice.
There are many hurdles when you try to challenge an insurance company’s denial of your LTD benefits. Without the help of an experienced disability lawyer these hurdles become major obstacles between you and your benefits. HIMPRO’s team has recovered long-term disability benefits for many clients, after they’ve been denied by Manulife. We can help you achieve the same.
