Commercial Disability Insurance

• 1). Purchase a disability insurance plan before becoming disabled. You must have the policy in place prior to sustaining the disability. Your life or health insurance provider is likely to offer a range of disability insurance products. Read all policy documentation thoroughly and speak with a representative about benefit amounts, claim requirements, and premiums before committing to a new policy.
  
  
• 2). Contact your financial institution and request to begin the claim process. If you're current on your premiums and you unexpectedly become disabled, a representative from your insurance company will be able to guide you through the process of locating, completing, and submitting all the necessary paperwork.
  
  
• 3). Complete all forms thoroughly. Your insurance company may offer the option to complete claim forms online. If not, a representative can mail or fax you a copy of the forms to be completed. It's important to provide all of the requested information, not leaving any form fields blank. In addition to these forms, you will be asked to submit a signed acknowledgment of disability from a qualified medical practitioner verifying your disability and all necessary dates and documentation.
  
  
• 4). Complete an in-depth interview in person or over the phone. According to Finweb.com, after reviewing the paperwork, a representative from your insurance company will conduct a personal interview with you to more fully assess your particular situation.
  
  
• 5). Accept your benefits or follow additional instructions. Your insurance company will judge your individual case and send you a letter confirming or denying your disability benefits. If your claim was denied for lack of proof or documentation, submit all additional requested documents as quickly as possible.
  
  

Social Security Disability Insurance

• 1). Visit SocialSecurity.gov/disability to access the Social Security disability starter kit. From this page you can retrieve all necessary forms and requirements to begin the claim process. The process of filing a claim is very similar to that of filing a commercial insurance claim. Social Security disability benefits are available to all persons who meet specified criteria, including the severity of your injury and whether or not you can return to work for one full year.
  
  
• 2). Complete a disability report and an application for Social Security disability benefits (see reference 1). Other forms can be found via the link mentioned in Step 1.
  
  
• 3). Accept your benefits or appeal your denial. According to SSA.gov, the approval process can take up to five months. You'll receive a letter stating the amount of your benefits or the reason for your denial. The Social Security Administration will allow you to appeal any rejected claim online or over the phone (see resource 3).