Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance
for Faculty, Staff & Librarians
UNDERSTAND
Basic LTD Insurance
Long-term disability (LTD) insurance replaces a portion of your income
if you are unable to work due to illness or injury. The basic UW-paid coverage
has a 90-day waiting period and pays a maximum benefit of $240 per month. Eligible
employees are automatically enrolled in the basic coverage at no cost
(the UW pays their premiums).
Temporary Employees
Please see information about when temporary employees become eligible for insurance coverage.
Amount of Coverage Available
The optional, employee-paid coverage, when combined with the basic plan, offers a tax-free benefit of 60% of the first $10,000 (per month) of your pre-disability earnings.
Optional LTD Insurance
Optional Plan benefits include a retirement supplement feature, so the premium rate you pay is determined by both the waiting period you select and the retirement plan in which you participate.
View this page to review a chart of some
of the key features on our LTD contract.
View this page to calculate your Optional Plan LTD premium.
Contract Definition of Disability
- First 24 months: You are unable, as a result of sickness, injury, or complications of pregnancy, to perform with reasonable continuity the material duties of your own occupation.
- After 24 months: You are unable, as a result of sickness, injury, or complications of pregnancy, to perform with reasonable continuity the material duties of any gainful occupation for which you are reasonably equipped through education, training or experience.
ACT
Enroll in Optional Long Term Disability
- Identify the plans
that are available for your employment type.
- Use the LTD enrollment form.
- Determine premiums and select a waiting period that meets your needs..
- If necessary, complete the medical questionnaire on the form. (Newly hired or newly benefits-eligible employees requesting the optional coverage within their first 31 days of eligibility may enroll with no proof of insurability. You may also apply any time after your first 31 days, but evidence of insurability is required. If the insurance company requests a physical, it is at your expense.)
- Return the form to Benefits & Work/Life.
The coverage will be effective either the first day of the following month, or after review and approval by the insurance company, if required.
File a Claim
- Claims are filed by contacting Benefits & Work/Life when it becomes apparent that you cannot return to work for an extended period of time, and prior to having exhausted all paid leave.
- Staff and Professional Staff: Contact your supervisor and your Human Resources consultant regarding use of paid leave or to request a leave of absence and the UW Disability Accommodation process.
- Faculty and Librarians: Contact Academic Human Resources regarding faculty sick leave policies and leave of absence.
- Contact the Workers' Compensation Unit of Risk Management if the injury or illness is work-related.
EXPLORE
Insurance Status During Leave
You may continue to receive the UW's contribution to your employee insurance package if you are on an approved leave, and;
- you are in pay status for a minimum of eight hours per month (contact your HR Consultant about use of paid leave);
or,
- you are eligible for Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) coverage (If you are eligible for FMLA, the UW will continue its contribution to your insurance package for a period of time, even if you are not in pay status. Contact the appropriate HR Operations Unit (staff and professional staff) or Academic Human Resources (faculty and librarians) for FMLA eligibility information).
Note that you must pay the employee medical and life insurance premiums, if any.
If you are not eligible for continued UW-paid coverage, and want to keep your insurance, review information on self-pay to continue your benefits.
