Long Term Disability Alberta: Benefits, Rates Applying & More

This is your 2023 Long Term Disability Alberta Guide. It is drawn from my extensive experience as a disability lawyer who has successfully assisted numerous individuals in securing long-term disability payments from insurance companies and government programs.

Given that you’re reading this article, it’s evident you’re on the right path. Self-education is crucial for improving your chances of success in any disability claim.

If you have questions about this guide or any disability claim issue, please feel free to contact our support team at (888) 480-9050.

Keep on learning, and I wish you all the best with your journey.

— David Brannen, disability lawyer and founder of Resolute Legal

Long term disability Alberta guide

In this article, I’ll start by reviewing how long-term disability works. Then, I’ll compare the different programs and benefits. Once you’ve read this article, you should know all about the benefits you can get.

The following are some of the long-term disability benefits in Alberta:

• Long-Term Disability Insurance in Alberta
• CPP Disability in Alberta
• Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH)
• Workers Compensation in Alberta (WCB)
• Disability Tax Credit

I’ll get into more detail about all of these below.

But before we dive in, I think it’s important to start by explaining what long-term disability refers to in Alberta.

What is long-term disability in Alberta?

Long-term disability has a couple of meanings. Typically, it refers to an illness or injury that prevents you from working for a long time. You must be off work for 17 weeks or more to be considered “long-term.” Short-term disability, on the other hand, is usually 17 weeks or less.

Long-term disability can also refer to different disability benefits programs. These programs all have different eligibility criteria. However, they all require serious permanent disability that keeps you off work.

What qualifies for long-term disability in Alberta?

Any medical condition can qualify for long-term disability in Alberta as long as it meets the program’s definition of disability. Benefit providers don’t approve claims based on your condition. Instead, they provide benefits to those who prove that they meet the program’s definition of disability and any other necessary requirements.

For instance, in order to qualify for CPP Disability benefits, you would need to prove that your condition is “severe and prolonged” and regularly prevents you from doing any type of substantially gainful work. It doesn’t matter what your diagnosis is as long as it meets the requirements in the aforementioned definition.

So, what is considered a disability in Alberta? The following is a list of disabilities that may qualify for long term disability in Alberta:

Note: this is NOT a comprehensive list of all conditions that may qualify for long-term disability benefits in Alberta. Other conditions not listed here may also qualify for benefits.

List of Alberta disability benefits

There are several types of long-term disability benefits in Alberta. Let’s review them below:

Long-term disability insurance

Long-term disability (LTD) insurance is a common benefit in Alberta. Typically, LTD pays monthly benefits to claimants who are unable to work due to disability. Payments usually cover anywhere from 60-75% of your pre-disability income and, in most cases, last until age 65.

Do you qualify for it? To be eligible, you must be covered under an insurance policy. Usually, you’ll have coverage through a group insurance policy through your work. But you might have a private long-term disability policy from an insurance broker.

If you have group benefits, check to see if they include long-term disability benefits. If you are self-employed, you may have a long-term disability policy from a broker.

CPP Disability

CPP disability is one of the long-term disability benefits available to people in Alberta. The federal government runs this program.

Do you qualify for it? To qualify for CPP disability, you must have a severe and prolonged disability. In other words, it must prevent you from doing substantially gainful work. “Substantially gainful work” means work that pays at least $17,000 per year. Also, to be eligible for CPP disability, you must have paid into the Canada Pension Plan. So, if you worked, you would have paid in through your payroll taxes. If you qualify, CPP disability pays a maximum of $1,538.67 per month (in 2022). Payments can go until age 65.

Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH)

The Government of Alberta administers AISH. It is a program that is designed to support Albertans who are unable to work due to a permanent disability.

Do you qualify for it? To be eligible, you must be at least 18 years old. But you can’t be old enough to receive an Old Age Security pension. You must also live in Alberta and be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. You must be unable to work because of a permanent and disabling medical condition. Finally, there are financial need criteria. In other words, your income and assets must be below a certain limit. You’ll also be required to apply for other benefits, like CPP-D, EI, or WCB.

To learn more about the Alberta disability support program, visit AISH.

Workers Compensation Board in Alberta (WCB)

Another common long-term disability benefit is the WCB. It is Alberta’s workers’ compensation program. This program pays disability benefits to people who suffer a work-related injury or illness.

Do you qualify for it? Most employers in Alberta are required by law to be covered by WCB. So, if you get injured at work, you are likely covered.

WCB pays wage replacement and medical benefits. The income loss payments can go to age 65, but medical coverage can go for life.

Permanent Impairment Benefit Alberta (PIB)

The Alberta workers’ compensation program calls its PIB a Permanent Clinical Impairment (PCI). This benefit is designed for individuals who have suffered a work-related injury or illness that has had a permanent impact on their function.

More specifically, a PCI covers the following:

• Loss of the use of a body part, system or function, or
• A measurable change or disfigurement to any body part, system or function

WCB will only evaluate whether you have a PCI once you have reached the point of maximum medical recovery. To learn more, check out WCB’s Worker Fact Sheet.

Disability Tax Credit

The Disability Tax Credit is a type of long-term disability in Alberta. Revenue Canada runs the disability program. But unlike the other programs, it does not give a monthly payment. Instead, it gives a refund on federal income taxes paid. So, to get benefits, you need to be paying taxes. Or, you need to be dependent on someone who does. In that case, however, the other person receives the benefit — not you.

Do you qualify for it? To be eligible for the program, a medical practitioner must certify that you have a severe and prolonged impairment resulting in a marked restriction in one of the categories, significant limitations in two or more categories, or receive therapy to support a vital function. You must also be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident. To learn more, visit the Government of Canada’s website.

If you have a child with a long-term disability, then you can qualify for the child disability benefit. With this benefit, you receive a monthly payment. However, to qualify, you must be eligible for the Canada Child Benefit. In addition, your child must meet the criteria for the disability tax credit.

Alberta disability grants

The following is an overview of the disability grants available in Alberta.

Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD)

FSCD is a program that works in partnership with eligible families of children with disabilities. It is designed to help parents navigate the challenges involved with having a child with a disability.

For example, the program helps parents with the following issues:

• Getting support and services to raise your child
• Encouraging your child to take part in activities at home and in the community
• Maintaining guardianship, responsibility for decision-making and usual expenses to raise a child until they are 18 years old
• With some of the extraordinary costs related to your child’s disability

For your family to be eligible for the Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) program:

• Your child with a disability must be under 18 years
• Your child must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• The person applying for the program must be the child’s guardian
• The child must reside in Alberta

Alberta Aids to Daily Living (AADL)

The AADL is a program for Albertans with long-term, chronic or terminal medical conditions. It provides funding for medical equipment and supplies that allow approved applicants to live as independently as possible. To learn more about the program and whether you may qualify, check out the AADL’s official page.

Alberta disability rates 2023

How much is disability in Alberta? What is my Alberta disability amount? These are questions we get all the time. For most programs, we can’t give you a definitive amount as it will depend on your individual situation and the type of program you are dealing with. However, the following chart is an overview of what you may expect from each benefit program.

Type of Benefit	Amount Paid (2024)	How Long Paid
Group LTD Insurance	60 to 70% of your wages	To age 65
Priviate Insurance	Fixed monthly amount stated in Policy. Amount varies. (e.g., 5,000 per month)	To age 65 or more
CPP Disability	$1,127.30 (Average Oct., 2023) and $1,606.78 (January 2024 Maximum)	To age 65
WCB	90% of your net income, payable up to the maximum amount ($104,600 in 2024).	To age 65
AISH	$1,863 per month for the standard living allowance (basic benefits)	To age 65

Long-term disability insurance rates

In Alberta, group long-term disability insurance typically covers 60-70% of your pre-disability income. On the other hand, private insurance usually covers a fixed amount, for example, $3,000 per month. Talk to your plans administrator or read your group benefits booklet/ individual policy to find out how much your benefits pay.

CPP disability Alberta rates

In 2024, the basic CPP disability payment amount is $583.32, serving as the starting point for potential program benefits. Nevertheless, the sum you contributed to the CPP during your employment will determine the extent of your payments. As a result, the typical monthly disbursement for individuals averaged $1,127.30 (as of October 2023), while the highest monthly payment achievable in 2024 amounts to $1,606.78.

AISH rates

In 2024, the AISH maximum standard living allowance is $1,863. Living allowances can be reduced or increased depending on your circumstances. For instance, those who live with a partner who receives non-exempt income may have their living allowance reduced. Clients who live in a Government of Alberta group home will also have their allowances reduced.

In addition to the living allowance, AISH applicants may also be eligible to receive health and personal benefits as well as the child benefit, which is an additional amount per month for each dependent child.

Child Benefit Rates:

• $212.00 per month for the first dependent child and
• $106.00 per month for each additional dependent child.

Please note: Resolute Legal does not provide legal consultation or representation for AISH claimants. So, if you have any questions about your benefits or the amount you may receive, contact your closest AISH office.

WCB long term disability rates

WCB Alberta pays wage replacement benefits to workers who lost employment income due to workplace injury or illness. In order to figure out how much compensation to give each worker, WCB sets a compensation rate based on the amount of money a person was making at the time of their injury or illness. The program may also consider other sources of income that were impacted by the injury or illness. After they decipher your gross employment earnings, WCB calculates your taxable net income by subtracting your income tax, CPP and employment insurance. WCB then calculates 90% of your taxable income to set your compensation rates.

For example, if you made $32,200 a year, you would likely receive around $464.16 per week, which is 90% of the net. On the other hand, if you made $100,000, you would likely receive $1,263.64 per week.

Keep in mind, however, that in 2023, the maximum compensable earnings WCB Alberta will cover is $104,600. This means if 90% of your net income is over that amount, WCB won’t increase your payments.

For more information on WCB payouts for injuries in Alberta, check out WCB’s page on Wage Replacement benefits.

WCB PMI payout in Alberta

You may also be eligible to receive a WCB PMI payout in Alberta, formally known as a PCI benefit (Permanent Clinical Impairment). In order to receive this benefit, you will either have to attend an in-person PCI evaluation or have a documentary review of your file conducted. After that, a PCI calculation will be completed. PCI calculations are extremely complicated, so it is difficult to provide context on how they work. However, once it is completed and a medical consultant has determined a final percentage number of whole-body impairment. The percentage is then used to calculate the corresponding financial award, called a non-economic loss payment (NELP).

A NELP award is a one-time payment that is designed to recognize that your injury has had a permanent effect on your life outside of your employment. The NELP payment does include benefits for loss of ability to work or loss of earnings. It also doesn’t include support and accommodation for injuries and medical treatments.

How to apply for disability in Alberta

In this section, we give you a step-by-step process on how to apply for long term disability in Alberta.

1. Figure out what plan covers you

The first thing you need to do is find out if you are eligible for any of the plans or programs. There are several long-term disability benefits and programs available in Alberta. So, it is important to determine what program covers you. 

You can start this process by considering where your injury happened. For example, if you got injured at work, you should apply for Worker’s Compensation. Seek legal advice if you are unsure if your injury was work-related. 

If you did not suffer a workplace injury or illness, you should check to see if you have group benefits through your employer. If so, you should find out if you have long-term disability coverage under the plan. 

Another possibility is you may have an individual disability insurance policy. You would have bought this directly from an insurance company. If you think this may be the case, contact your insurance broker or find a copy of your policy. 

However, if none of these options apply to you, check to see if you qualify for CPP disability. Try to remember if you paid into CPP. This would include receiving a paycheque with payroll deductions. If you paid into CPP at least four of the last six years leading up to when you stopped working, you would have coverage.

2. Get support from your doctor

If you want to win disability benefits, you need support from your doctor. We strongly advise against applying for disability benefits without your doctor’s approval. Book an appointment and talk to your doctor about your options.

3. Get the correct Alberta disability form

This step involves locating all the Alberta disability benefits application forms for your specific plan or program. You can ask the insurance company or your employer for these forms. For most programs and plans, you can also find them online. 

4. Complete the application forms

For most programs, there are three Alberta disability application forms: one you fill out, one your doctor fills out, and one your employer fills out.

You are responsible for completing the notice of claim form. This is a critical form, so take your time filling it out. Keep in mind your responses should be complete and accurate. Send the notice of claim form to your benefits provider once you complete it.

You also need to get a medical report from your doctor. All benefit plans require this. We recommend booking an appointment with your doctor, where you solely review this form. Your doctor will then fill out the form and give it back to you to send in yourself. Or they can send it directly to your provider.

With workers’ compensation and long-term disability insurance, you need an additional form from your employer. Your employer is responsible for submitting an employer’s report. However, you do not need to provide this form to your employer. It is a standard form, so they should have copies.

5. Write a cover letter and submit your application

Like applying for a job, submitting a cover letter with your long-term disability application can be beneficial. This letter should be short and to the point. So, don’t overload it with unnecessary information. It should explain what documents are attached and highlight important details.

6. Attend an interview with your claim representative

Once your application is submitted, the insurance provider will assign a claim representative to your case. This representative is responsible for deciding whether your claim is approved or denied. Usually, the claim representative will ask to interview you over the phone. In the interview, they will want to clarify aspects of your claim, and they may ask for additional medical information. 

We recommend that you prepare for this call in advance. So you can explain your circumstances accurately. Remember, this person decides whether your claim is approved or denied — so take this call seriously. 

7. Wait for the decision

Once your interview is over, you may need to send additional medical information to your claim representative — should they ask. Make sure to cooperate with them and get them everything they need. After you have submitted all the required information, the waiting game begins.

We know waiting for the decision is often the hardest part of this process. However, try to keep a positive mindset. Even if your claim gets denied, you can always appeal the decision.

To learn more about what to do after a denial, check out our article about what to do if you have had long term disability denied.

Having trouble with an Alberta long term disability claim?

Many people can obtain long-term disability benefits without hiring a lawyer. However, in some cases, seeking legal support is necessary. 

If you are looking to hire a lawyer or advocate, you should do your research. It is best to hire a long-term disability lawyer or someone who is experienced with the process. 

At Resolute Legal, we have successfully represented many people from Alberta in long-term disability claims. Our disability claim lawyers have represented people at all claims stages, including applying for benefits, internal appeals, legal appeals, and lawsuits. If you’re dealing with an appeal, our Alberta disability lawyers can review your situation and offer suggestions to improve your chances of success. This is part of our free claim review. 

Call us toll-free today at (888) 480-9050 or book a free consultation.

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