Short and Long-Term Disability
When the unexpected happens, you need the financial security that a disability plan can give you and your family.
A short or long-term disability plan offers you just that. Disability insurance plans help you when you can't work for weeks or months due to an illness, injury, or pregnancy-related condition. Think of it as income protection, protecting your livelihood during difficult times.
- Affordable costs
- Income replacement
- Guarantee issue when signing up during initial eligibility
- 12-month pre-existing exclusion
- Direct deposit option available
- Covers illness, injury, or pregnancy-related conditions
Download printable summaries of the disability plan options
Note: Not all plans are available to all employees. Your selection will depend on your company's unique benefits package.
Short-Term Disability (STD) Summaries
Learn more about our disability plans with this short video.
Answers to your questions
Questions? We have answers! Here are your most frequent disability coverage questions.
Q: What is STD?
A: Short-term disability (STD) insurance protects your assets by providing a weekly payment while you are experiencing a short-term illness or recovering from an accident. Our STD plans will pay you a percentage of your regular weekly salary while disabled, up to a dollar amount specified by your plan per week.
STD benefits begin on the designated day of a qualifying disability and may continue up to the plan's established consecutive weeks, or until you return to work.
If your short-term disability lasts longer than the time allowed in the plan, payments end and LTD benefits, if elected and depending on your condition, may continue to replace a portion of your pay.
Q: What is LTD?
A: Long-term disability (LTD) protects your assets by providing a monthly income while you are experiencing a long-term disability. Nextep's LTD policies will pay you a percentage of your monthly regular salary while you are disabled. The maximum benefit is a specified dollar amount per month.
LTD benefits begin after the plan's indicated days of continuous disability and may continue until the plan's established time period, or when your disability ends. If disability occurs at or after age 61, benefits may be paid for a reduced period for certain plans.
STD and LTD both do not cover disability on any day that you are confined in a correctional institution for conviction of a criminal act or other public offense.
Q: What is covered?
A: Disability plans cover:
- Recovery from childbirth (STD)
- Certain mental health occurences
- Sickness, infection, disease, or other abnormal medical condition that causes you to lose work for more than the designated number of consecutive, continuous days.
Q: What is NOT covered?
A: Disability plans do NOT cover:
- Results from criminal acts and driving intoxicated
- Injuries from rebellions, riots, civil commotions, or war
- Intentionally self-inflicted injuries
- On-the-job injuries (some exceptions apply)
Q: How do I file an STD claim?
A: You should file an STD claim as soon as you think your disability will last as long as the elimination period. You don't have to wait until the elimination period has passed to file a claim.
Sign into MyBenefits and make sure you have the following info ready:
- Your contact information
- Disability details
- Physician contact information
A MetLife claims specialist will be in touch within 1-2 business days to confirm the next steps.
You may also contact MetLife at 1-800-GET-MET8 for help processing your claim.
Q: How do I file an LTD claim?
A: LTD claims require a bit more collaboration since this benefit is designed to replace a portion of your income for a potentially long time.
To begin your LTD claim, sign into MyBenefits and make sure you have the following info ready:
- Your contact information
- Disability details
- Physician contact information
A MetLife claims specialist will be in touch within 1-2 business days to confirm the next steps.
Call MetLife at 1-800-GET-MET8. Their specialists will walk you through each step.
Elevate by Nextep app = easy street!
The Elevate by Nextep app makes it easy to manage your benefits! Get access anytime, anywhere, on any device.
- Visit benefit carriers with one simple sign-in
- View paycheck deductions
- Complete open enrollment
- Change your retirement withholding and check your balance
- View and present insurance cards at the doctor's office
- Review dependent and deductible info
Download it today to manage benefits on the go, right from your phone!
Questions?
We have answers!
Here's how to get quick, personalized help from Nextep's experts:
- From your Elevate by Nextep account, visit the Help tab.
- Call 888-811-5150.
- Or, click the button below to submit your question to our help desk!
