What Is Sun Life?

Sun Life has its headquarters in  Waterloo, Ontario, and is one of Canada’s largest and oldest insurance agencies. Sun Life provides group disability benefits as well as individual disability benefits.

Sun Life also provides administrative support to some non-profit insurance plans. Your employer may have drafted their own insurance plan but outsourced its administration to Sun Life. It is important to understand the terms of your plan or policy before you begin the disability benefits claim process. Check to see if you have a group or individual plan, or if Sun Life is acting as the administrator for your employer’s disability insurance plan.

How Do I Know If I Have Been Disabled?

If you are unable to work as a result of your disability, you are likely entitled to long term disability benefits.  The precise definition of "disabled" will be laid out in your policy and it is important to read these terms closely.

How Can I Submit A Disability ClaimWith Sun Life?

It is important to understand what type of plan or policy you have with Sun Life before beginning the disability benefits claim process. Read the terms of the plan or policy carefully to determine if you have a group or individual plan or if Sun Life is serving as the administrator for a non-profit insurance plan you might belong to. The term “Plan Sponsor”refers to the organization that purchased your insurance plan, typically your employer.  

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Sun Life provides several ways you can apply for disability benefits. Disability claims can be submitted online using Sun Life’s website, and documents can be uploaded as image files. Manulife also offers a mobile application called my Sun Life Mobile which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play. You can also submit your disability benefits claim through the mail, though you may need to contact Sun Life or your plan administrator for assistance with this.

Regardless of how you submit your disability claim to Sun Life, there are three critical things that you will need to submit. Double check that all forms are filled out correctly before submitting.  

Plan Member's Statement

As the “Plan Member,” you are required to fill out this portion of the application and you will be asked for the following information:  

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· Contact information

· Description of your illness or injury

· Any treatment you have received for your illness or injury

· General medical history

· Why your condition is preventing you from working

· Other sources of disability benefits (CPP-D orWCB, for example)  

· Discussions around returning to work

· Education

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You will also be asked to authorize Sun Life to access your medical records for the purpose of evaluating your claim and provide banking information including a void cheque if you would like direct deposit.‍

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Plan Sponsor's Statement

The “Plan Sponsor” is typically your employer and they are responsible for filling out this form with the following information:

· Employment information

· Earnings and benefits

· Information regarding disability and rehabilitation

· Recent job history

· Types of equipment used at work and how frequently they are used

· Any additional information that your employer thinks is necessary

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Even though your employer fills out this form, you will still need to read it over and certify that the description is a true and accurate account of your regular work duties. Be sure to read this section over closely and raise any concerns you have with your employer.

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Attending Physician's Statement

This form is to be filled out by your treating physician. Your signature will be required on this form to authorize the release of this medical information. The physician will be askedt o provide information about the following:  

· Frequency of appointments

· A history of current symptoms including severity and frequency

· Any limitations to job responsibilities because of the condition

· Any factors affecting recovery

· Treatment plans and whether you are following them

· Prognosis for recovery and return to work

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Building a winning disability claim with Sun Life requires a supportive physician statement. Your physician should be able to speak to how your disability is affecting your work. If your physician is unwilling or unable to fill out the attending physician statement, you may need to find a physician who will be supportive of your disability claim. Depending on the nature of your disability, it may be worthwhile to seek out treatment from a specialist to strengthen your disability benefits claim.  

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What Obligations Do I Have Once I Have Submitted A Disability Claim to Sun Life?

Sun Life is a sophisticated insurance company and is very good at denying disability benefits claims. They are always looking for ways to deny or terminate longterm disability benefits and one common reason Sun Life will deny your claim is if you fail to update them about changes in your medical conditions. For example, the terms of your plan or policy may require you to notify Sun Life of any improvement in your medical condition, any return to work, and any entry into a training or rehabilitation program. You are also required to notify Sun Life of any changes to your banking information.

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Sun Life will assign you a disability case manager who may reach out to you or your physician for more details regarding your claim. Though these calls may be stressful, it is important to be honest with your disability case manager so they do not have a reason to deny your disability benefits claim.

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Read the terms of your policy carefully or have an experienced disability lawyer atFreedom Disability Lawyers help you review your claim.

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When And How Do I Get Paid If My Sun Life Disability Claim Is Successful?

Long term disability claims are subject to an “elimination period,” which is the time between when you became disabled and when your long term disability benefit payments start. This allows Sun Life time to evaluate your claim.  

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If your claim is approved, you will be paid via direct deposit on a monthly basis. The disability benefits you receive will be a percentage of your monthly income. It is important that you provide Sun Life with updated banking information so you do not miss these payments.

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What Do I Do If My Sun Life Disability Claim Is Denied?

Having your disability claim denied is difficult, but it is not the end of the road. Sun Life will present you with the reasons why they denied your claim and you have the chance to appeal it.

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If your long term disability claim has been denied by Sun Life, it may be worth contacting the experienced disability lawyers at Freedom Disability Lawyers for a FREE CASE REVIEW.

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Get Support With Your Sun Life Disability Claim

Sun Life has certainly made it easier than ever to submit a disability benefits claim, but that does not mean all submitted claims will be successful. Sun Life has decades of experience denying disability benefits claims. Knowing what a winning disability benefits claim looks like to Sun Life is necessary to give yourself the best chance at success.

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Freedom Disability Lawyers only practice in the area of disability we are dedicated to our clients. you can learn more about how we handle disability claims here.

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If you are in need of legal advice of representation for your disability benefits claim, we serve clients in Ontario and Atlantic Canada. Contact us today and tell us more about your claim - we are here to help!

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