Partial disability

If the insured person continues to work part-time during a disability or gradually returns to work following a total disability, we pay a partial monthly amount to help them financially.

Definition

This is for an insured person who held a full-time occupation immediately before the onset of partial disability or before becoming totally disabled. They're considered partially disabled if, as a result of an illness or accident, they:

• Are not totally disabled
• Are receiving continuing medical care
• Are unable to perform at least 1 of the main duties of their current occupation
• Are unable to work at least 50% of the time normally spent at their current occupation

Conditions for eligibility

• Individuals working from home with a restriction are ineligible.
• An insured person must work at least 30 hours per week for 35 weeks per year when they purchase the policy.

Monthly amount

• It's 50% of the monthly amount that would've been received for a total disability. No proof of lost income is required to receive a partial monthly amount.
• No monthly amount is paid if the insured person was not working full-time immediately prior to the disability.
  
  Full-time employment – Regular performance of gainful employment:
  • At least 30 hours per week for at least 35 weeks per year
  • Or 24 to 29 hours per week for at least 40 weeks per year
  • Or at least 21 hours per week on a continuous basis

The monthly amount is never paid on the first day in the event of hospitalization or day surgery, regardless of the occupation class or waiting period.

Benefit period

The partial monthly amount is paid for the shortest of the following periods:

• 3A, 4A: 12 months; B, A, 2A: 6 months
• If the partial disability is combined with a total disability, the benefit period selected for the total disability is reduced by the benefit period already elapsed that's related to the same disability.

When partial and total monthly amounts are paid for the same disability, the benefit period cannot be longer than the benefit period for the total disability.

Factors to consider when applying the waiting period

• When total disability precedes partial disability:
  
  The waiting period and benefit period already elapsed can be used to reduce the waiting period before the payment of the partial monthly amount for a partial disability following a total disability.
  
  
• When partial disability precedes total disability:
  
  The waiting period already elapsed for the partial disability can be used to reduce the waiting period for the total disability. For example, in the event of a total disability following a partial disability that resulted in a partial monthly amount, the waiting period does not start over.