Originally Posted by WelcomeToBen

Thanks for the clarification. Sounds like it's just as horrible as I originally thought. Unfortunately, I think most of our pilots are unaware of just how awful our LTD policy is until they actually have to use it.

Originally Posted by MATEN308

No problem. The pilot group would probably be better served by looking to Harvey Watt and paying our own way on LTD and getting a wage bump. Some of the tax liabilities will be avoided, and we would have a bit more control of the terms. Only problem as pilots we are cheap and will say nope to having pay our own way. .

Originally Posted by MATEN308

No problem. The pilot group would probably be better served by looking to Harvey Watt and paying our own way on LTD and getting a wage bump. Some of the tax liabilities will be avoided, and we would have a bit more control of the terms. Only problem as pilots we are cheap and will say nope to having pay our own way. Also to anyone out when you return you will pay in arrears your half of the insurance premiums you were unable to pay during that 9 months.

Oh one thing I may be wrong on is the $5000 and $10000 cap. In my case my wage was at 5k a month approximately before taxes so 3k was my payout. Maybe someone who was making more can elaborate on their experience if they like wasting their time reading this stuff! Haha. That is about all I have from my experience with our LTD. Hope this helped.

Originally Posted by Qotsaautopilot

I disagree because I've shopped. The best policy I could find that defined disability based on your first class medical and went to age 65 didn't even start paying until year five of the disability. They are banking on you getting your medical back in the first five years. As a hypothetical spirit pilot that lost his medical that would leave a two year gap with no paycheck (years 3 and 4). The premiums were also outrageous.

The reason it needs to be in the contract is because it would be a group policy. That's the only way to get anything affordable. It would probably just like our medical plan in that it's self insured. This is why the good LTD plans are in every airlines' contracts, it's next to impossible to find a decent plan (pays with no/short waiting period, defines disability as not holding a first class, and pays to age 65) on your own.

Originally Posted by Qotsaautopilot

I've been saying this forever. Is anyone listening?

Originally Posted by Qotsaautopilot

This is not the interpretation I got straight from the R&I committee.

LTD pays for 24 months (after a 90 day waiting period. Hope you have 216 hours in your sick bank) and the only way you can keep getting the benefit payment after 24 months is if you can be defined by Social Security Administration as disabled. There are plenty of situations where you lose your medical but the SSA won't define you as disabled. No medical and bye bye LTD at 24months.

MAX pay is $5000 for FOs and $10000 for CAs if they participate in the buy up. If on the rare chance you can get defined by the SSA as disabled at the 24 month mark to keep getting paid they will reduce your benefit by the amount you get from social security.

Plain and simple: the plan needs to have a higher benefit amount. Qualifying needs to be based on not holding a first class medical. The only way for it to stop paying you is you get your first class back or you turn 65 years old.

Any contract that does not have this I will vote no to. It does not matter what the rest of the contract says if you don't have a medical and cannot work. Young or old you can lose your medical at your next exam without warning. Are we willing to vote for a contract that doesn't insure a multimillion dollar career? I'm not!

Originally Posted by MATEN308

This is about right. In my case though I didn't see the first payment till about the 5 1/2 month mark. At 90 days you are eligible for LTD, but the gathering of info from doctors will push your first payment out some time. They back pay you from the eligibility date. Your first 2 payments have SS tax and federal taken out. After that you are given the option for full payment and be responsible for your own tax payments. Pay is 60% of your monthly. My case as an FO put my pay without tax removed at about $3000.00 a month. Since the company pays our policies it is considered taxable income. The $5000 and $10000 numbers are misleading due to you will receive 60% of that for your pay, hence my payment of $3000.00. Basically plan on a new career with this policy.
Forgot to add the company pays your insurance premium for 9 months, after that you are given the option of cobra or find your own policy. Cobra for me only with our mid-tier plan came in at about $700 a month for health only so keep that in mind also!

Originally Posted by Qotsaautopilot

I've been saying this forever. Is anyone listening?

Originally Posted by MATEN308

I was referring to the group looking as a whole not as an individual. I'm with you that individual policies are not as beneficial on the open market and are pricey. To get the group on board here I think would be a stretch so hopefully people take this serious in the next contract. Hell we could all benefit in our twilight years when we lose our medical's for the dreaded snoring/sleep apnea! Probably the best thing the faa did for a pilot if you don't want to drive to 65 and make money while snoring!