How to Qualify for Social Security Disability Income Insurance (SSDI)

Social Security disability income insurance coverage relies on language that may or may not be totally similar to that used by many private insurance companies. The following are the three primary qualification requirements to receive SSDI benefits.

• You should have a work history in jobs that are covered by Social Security taxes. If you have spent most of your career as an independent contractor or unincorporated small business owner, you may or may not have enough “work credits” to qualify for SSDI disability benefits.
• Your medical condition must meet the Social Security definition of disability. Social Security has a list of allowable medical conditions that they specify to define disability. If you have suffered an injury or illness that prevents you from working, read the list of “qualified” medical conditions to learn if you may be covered.
• Your have been or will be unable to work at your job for at least one year or more. This qualification requirement reinforces the fact that SSDI is not practical as a short-term disability income insurance option. This coverage was created to provide long-term federal disability insurance income protection and this requirement can be restrictive for some temporary qualified disability problems.

By some standards, SSDI has rather strict qualification standards. You should understand that this program was not created to provide primary disability income insurance protection, but was designed, like the Social Security retirement program, to either supplement other coverage or, at a minimum, provide funds to cover basic needs. Refer to your insurance policy contract for specific information regarding your coverage and for actual terms, conditions and exclusions. The above statements are general in nature and may or may not reflect the actual terms of your insurance policy.