Disability Insurance
Help with disability claims
An illness or injury can be worrisome, especially when it prevents you from working.
Disability insurance offers income protection when you are unable to work so that you can continue to respect your financial obligations.
Your disability claim in 4 steps
Start of disability
When a doctor places you on a leave of absence from work, contact your employer as soon as possible. Your employer will be able to tell you what disability insurance coverage you have and how to submit a claim.
Your employer will also provide you with all the documents required to submit a claim.
Sending documents
To make your claim easier to process, you or your employer must send in all the documents required together by:
Quebec office
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 418-651-5569
Mail:
SSQ, Life Insurance Company Inc.
Disability Management
2525 Laurier Boulevard
PO Box 10500, Stn Sainte-Foy
Quebec City, QC G1V 4H6
Toronto office
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 1-866-411-9248
Mail:
SSQ, Life Insurance Company Inc.
Disability Management
110 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 500
Toronto, ON M2N 6Y8
Claims analysis
Your claim will be processed as soon as all the required documents are received.
To determine eligibility for disability benefits, the case manager considers the following information :
- Your insurance policy
- Your medical condition including current treatments, limitations and restrictions, etc..
- Your job description
- The coordination of benefits stipulated in the contract in the event where benefits are paid by a government agency (e.g., Canada Pension Plan, Retraite Québec, etc.)
In order to make an informed decision, the case manager may also contact you by phone to obtain additional information. In some cases, additional documents may be required.
Decision notice
Once all the documents are received and analyzed, a decision is rendered and you will be informed in writing. When your claim is accepted, benefits will be deposited in your bank account.
Frequently Asked Questions
The simplest way is to log in to your Customer Centre.
To make sure your claim is processed as efficiently as possible, be sure to send in all the duly completed forms below together:
- Application for Disability Insurance Benefits – Statement of insured
This section is for you to provide your contact details, your sources of income and the information required for the bank deposit. - Application for Disability Insurance Benefits – Statement of plan administrator
This section is for your employer to provide details about your job, salary and tasks. - Statement of attending physician
There are three ways to send in documents:
Quebec office
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 418-651-5569
Mail:
SSQ, Life Insurance Company Inc.
Disability Management
2525 Laurier Boulevard
PO Box 10500, Stn Sainte-Foy
Quebec City, QC G1V 4H6
Toronto office
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 1-866-411-9248
Mail:
SSQ, Life Insurance Company Inc.
Disability Management
110 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 500
Toronto, ON M2N 6Y8
| Short Term Disability Insurance | As soon as possible after your disability | |
|---|---|---|
| Long Term Disability Insurance | Whose benefits start within the first six months of disability | 30 days prior to the start of benefits as stipulated in your contract |
| Whose benefits start more than six months after disability | 90 days prior to the start of benefits as stipulated in your contract |
To make sure your claim is processed as quickly as possible, send all duly completed documents together.
Your claim will be sent to a case manager who will analyze the documents provided and determine, based on your policy, whether or not you are eligible for disability insurance benefits.
We will inform you in writing of our decision.
When accepted, benefits will be deposited directly into your bank account.
In addition to the information you provided for your disability claim, we consider the information provided in the Statement of attending physician. The case manager may also contact you to obtain more information. The purpose of this call is to understand your situation to assure a better follow up of your claim and make sure you get the support you need for a successful recovery.
Contracts include a waiver of premiums clause. However, the period before the waiver applies varies from one contract to another. Please consult your insurance booklet, which is available in the Customer Centre, for more information on this clause.
A doctor’s diagnosis is not the only criterion that determines disability. Your medical condition must also meet the definition of disability in your contract.
This definition has two components: In general, the first component applies to your regular employment and the second to all other gainful employment. For more information, consult your insurance booklet in the Customer Centre.
If your claim is denied and you disagree with the decision, you have 90 days upon receipt of the decision to request a review.
You must submit a request for review in writing along with all new medical information, if any, that supports your request. Remember that the fees for medical exams and new documents (e.g., lab analysis, medical report) are at your expense.
To receive benefits, you must first apply for direct deposit by providing a void cheque. This ensures quick benefit payment once the claim is approved.
- Short-term disability insurance: Benefits are paid every Tuesday
- Long-term disability insurance: Benefits are paid on the 3rd business day before the end of the month
However, you must sign up for direct deposit by appending a void cheque to your disability claim. This method enables us to pay your benefits quicker after your claim is approved.
Depending on your financial institution, it can take 24 to 48 hours for a benefit to be deposited in your bank account.
To know whether your benefits are taxable or not, refer to your group insurance booklet available in the Customer Centre.
If you do not find the information there, please refer to your employer.
When submitting a claim, you are responsible for sending in all required documents, duly completed.
Once on disability, you must provide, upon request, with all additional medical documentation or pertinent information requested of you to maintain your disability leave.
Any change in your health condition must be reported to our disability insurance team at one of the numbers below:
- Quebec City Office: 1-888-651-2307
- Toronto Office: 1-866-885-6772
During your disability leave, a case manager may contact you to find about your health, functional capacities and progress.
Understanding your situation enables us to continue paying your disability benefits.
This also enables us to refer you to specialized healthcare services or professionals that can help you recover.
The waiting period is the amount of time that must elapse from the date on which your disability leave starts until the date on which you begin to receive disability insurance benefits.
The waiting period applicable to your contract is stipulated in your group insurance booklet in your Customer Centre. You can also ask your plan administrator.
The definition of disability is specific to each plan. Refer to the booklet in the Customer Centre for more information.
In short term disability insurance, the waiting period can range from a few days to a few weeks. Disability benefits serve as income replacement over the weeks or years of disability as stipulated in the contract.
Long term disability insurance benefits are normally provided over months or years. These benefits serve as income replacement for years, even up to age 65, as per the contract.
For information on the coverage in your plan, please refer to the booklet in the Customer Centre.
If you have questions about SSQ Insurance disability benefits, please contact the disability insurance team at
- Quebec City Office: 1-888-651-2307
- Toronto Office: 1-866-885-6772
However, if your questions concern disability benefits payable by your employer, please contact your plan administrator.
Contact us
- Quebec City Office 1 888 651-2307
- Toronto Office 1 866 885-6772
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