Disability Insurance Eligibility Requirements

You may be eligible for DI benefits if you:

• Can’t do your regular work for at least eight days.
• Have lost wages because of your disability.
• Are working or looking for work at the time your disability begins.
• Earned at least $300 with State Disability Insurance (SDI) deducted from your paycheck.

Note: State Disability Insurance (SDI) deductions show as CASDI on your paystub. Learn more about your base period with Calculating Benefit Payment Amounts.

You must be a patient of a Licensed Health Professional in the first eight days of your disability. You must remain under care and treatment to continue receiving benefits.

 Licensed Health Professional who can certify claims are:

• Licensed medical or osteopathic physician/practitioners
• Authorized medical officer of a U.S. Government facility
• Chiropractor
• Podiatrist
• Optometrist
• Dentist
• Psychologist
• Nurse practitioner or physician assistant
• Licensed midwife, nurse-midwife, or nurse practitioner for pregnancy, childbirth, or postpartum conditions consistent with the scope of their professional licensing.
• Accredited religious practitioner

If you have questions about your claim start date, you can call us at 1-800-480-3287 before you file your claim.

Complete and submit your Claim for Disability Insurance (DI) Benefits (DE 2501):

• No earlier than nine days after your disability begins.
• No later than 49 days after your disability begins.

Filing your claim on the first day of your disability could cause:

• Delays
• Loss of benefits
• Disqualification

If you have a good reason for filing late, provide that explanation when you file your claim. An explanation will give the claims analyst all the facts when they review your claim.

Your licensed health professional must complete the medical certification for your disability claim.

Licensed health professionals could include:

• A nurse practitioner may certify to a disability within their scope of practice.
• A licensed midwife, nurse-midwife, or nurse practitioner may certify for disabilities related to:

• Normal pregnancy
• Normal childbirth
• Postpartum conditions

If it is consistent with the scope of their professional licensing.

• If you are under the care of an accredited religious practitioner :
  1. Download and print the Claim for Disability Insurance Benefits-Religious Practitioner’s Certificate(DE 2502) (PDF).
  2. Have them complete and sign the form.
  3. Submit it with your claim instead of the medical certification.

Do you think your employer has misclassified you as an independent contractor? If yes, you should still apply for disability and let us decide your eligibility. For more information visit Disability Insurance Elective Coverage.