Jefferson Pilot operates in all 50 states, Washington DC, and the Virgin Islands. The Jefferson-Pilot Life Insurance Company was created as the merger of two companies, Jefferson Standard and Pilot Life, in 1987. In 2006, Jefferson-Pilot was purchased by the Lincoln Financial Group. Thus, Lincoln Financial now administers and pays disability benefits on all Jefferson Pilot policies.
Although Jefferson Pilot was acquired by Lincoln Financial, all JP policies remain valid and in force as long as the policyholder continues to pay his or her premiums. For more information about our firm’s handling of Jefferson Pilot disability claims please visit our webpage concerning Lincoln Financial Group.
Throughout the years, Jefferson Pilot issued lots of long term disability policies to doctors, dentists, financial professionals, and other business executives. Individual disability insurance policies are issued through Jefferson Pilot’s subsidiary companies. Group long term disability insurance policies are sold to employers through Jefferson Pilot’s benefit partners. Jefferson Pilot does attempt to tailor its disability insurance products to the specialized needs of each of its clients.
Why You Need Long Term Disability Insurance
A severely disabling medical condition can impair an individual’s ability to earn a living. A disability can be physical in nature, such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, cancer, lupus, COPD, multiple sclerosis, or a back pain disorder. However, a disability can also be mental in nature, such as having severe depression and/or anxiety. A disability can be the result of a significant sickness or accidental injury.
Long term disability benefits are intended to continue to provide income while an individual is unable to work to prevent or alleviate the financial hardship of the disability. At the Ortiz Law Firm, we help individuals navigate the complex requirements set forth by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) or other applicable state laws to obtain disability benefits.
Jefferson Pilot Long Term Disability Benefits
Compared to most of the other long term disability insurance companies, Jefferson Pilot seems one of the more reasonable insurers in its evaluation of disability claims. Many appeals result in the reinstatement of benefits without the need to file a lawsuit.
However, Jefferson Standard and Pilot Life do not always keep their promises. Jefferson Pilot does still wrongfully deny and/or cut-off disability benefit claims. We at the Ortiz Law Firm represent policyholders whose claim has been denied, terminated or otherwise postponed or disputed.
With long term disability claims, there is no limit to the number of reasons an insurance company will give to deny or terminate a claim. However, the most common reasons cited for denying or terminating benefits are:
- That the claimant does not have a “total disability”, as that term is defined in the policy;
- Because the insured’s “disability” is based upon a pre-existing condition, which is excluded for coverage under the policy;
- That the insured claimant was not eligible for insurance coverage at the time the disability occurred;
- Because the disabling injury is “work-related” or resulted from a “Workers’ Compensation” injury;
- That a person’s disability is eligible for only a limited time of coverage (typically 12 or 24 months) because it is a “mental/nervous” disorder or condition; and/or
- Because the claimant’s condition is “self-reported” or only based upon subjective symptoms as opposed to objectively verifiable medical evidence.
Nick A. Ortiz has extensive experience with LTD claims and frequently handles cases involving all of the above reasons for an insurance company to deny a claim as well as many others.
Appealing a Jefferson Pilot Denial
If your claim for disability benefits has been denied or coverage has been terminated in a denial letter, you will need to adhere to the strict 180-day appeals process. There are specific deadlines and requirements that must be satisfied in order to protect your legal rights. Therefore, time is always critical in a long term disability claim and it is critical to have an experienced LTD attorney on your side to improve the likelihood of winning an appeal or lawsuit. Learn more about long term disability appeals by clicking here.
State Law vs. ERISA Claims
If you purchased a policy on your own outside of a group plan, your claim may not be governed by ERISA. ERISA regulations do not govern private individual disability insurance policies or employee benefits for local, county, state, or federal government employees.
Individual disability insurance claims and government employee claims are subject to state law and not federal law. The protections afforded by most state laws are numerous. In non-ERISA cases, you may not even need to file an appeal directly with the insurance company before filing a lawsuit against the insurance company to protect your rights. There are situations where it may be advantageous to go right to court as opposed to filing an appeal with the insurance company.
Through his experience and understanding of applicable insurance and administrative laws, Attorney Nick A. Ortiz is prepared to help individuals whose claims are not governed by ERISA with their appeals and/or litigation.
Jefferson Pilot Disability Attorney
If you are a Jefferson Pilot disability policyholder and your Jefferson Pilot disability claim has been delayed, denied, disputed or terminated you should explore your legal rights with an experienced disability attorney. Florida attorney Nick A. Ortiz considers it a privilege to represent individuals to help them recover the benefits they deserve.
Mr. Ortiz is the founder of the Ortiz Law Firm. He has extensive knowledge and experience guiding clients through each step of the process of obtaining long term disability benefits. He has handled claims at all levels, from filing the initial claim through the Federal court level and every appeal step in between.
While our office is located in Pensacola, we have the experience, commitment, and resources to help clients throughout the entire United States. If you have been denied your long term disability benefits by Jefferson Pilot, the legal team at Ortiz Law Firm can help you cut through the red tape and fight for your disability benefits no matter where you live in the United States. Give us a call today to discuss your claim at (888) 321-8131.