People are not often aware of the details of their insurance policies until they need to access benefits. If you are injured then one of the first steps you must take is to notify your insurance providers about the details of your accident and injury. Each insurer should be able to describe the application process. Before you take that step, it may be helpful to talk to a lawyer who can explain how to coordinate your different policies because there is a particular order in which each policy will respond.
For instance, you may have a short-term disability policy through your employment but you may be required to access Employment Insurance benefits before your application will be considered. If you were injured in a car accident then you may be entitled to an income replacement benefit through your automobile insurance policy. If you are eligible for payment of that benefit you still may not receive it if there are other benefits such as short-term or long-term disability benefits available to you. The same is true for medical, rehabilitation and attendant care benefits available through your auto policy. Those can only be accessed once the annual amount of any extended health coverage you have is exhausted. Extended health policies are generally those available through your employment, your spouse’s employment or a policy that you purchased privately. Another common example is when a long-term disability insurer asks a claimant to apply for Canada Pension Plan Disability benefits.
If you are injured in an accident, then it is always a good idea to reach out to a lawyer for a free consultation. The lawyer will ask you questions about the types of policies you have and will provide you with some guidance about the order in which you must make applications for benefits and the types of information that you must provide.
Published on November 18, 2024
