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How Do Quebec Disability Benefits Work?

James updated on 25 October 2022

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The Québec Disability Support Program is a Social Assistance Program available for Québec residents who have become incapacitated as a result of an illness or an accident and are no longer able to work.

Do you know how much can you get from this benefit and who qualifies for it?

Keep reading this guide to learn how disability benefits in Québec can benefit you and your family, whether you qualify, and how much you could receive.

What is disability insurance?

If an unexpected illness or accident renders you unable to work, disability insurance is a program that can help you and your family. If due to an illness or injury, disability insurance typically provides between 60% and 85% of your typical income for a predetermined length of time, up to a maximum amount.

Disability insurance is frequently provided by employers, but you can also get your own policy through a life and health insurance agent. You can buy disability insurance, which will pay for a sizable percentage of your business expenses if you are unable to work, whether or not you are self-employed.

It's crucial to emphasize how the word "permanent" refers to the type of disability. It does not suggest that you will always be granted benefits.

What is Québec's Social Solidarity Program?

The Social Solidarity Program, or le Programme de solidarité sociale in French, is a plan designed for single individuals or families with adults who have very low employment capacity.

If you are in this position or know someone in a similar situation, this initiative can help you with social inclusion and participation while offering financial support.

The financial support is supposed to cover a portion of the person with disabilities' salary since they are no longer able to practice their professions for some time. However, the amount given varies depending on the number of family members and other factors, like:

Type of housing
Income
Assets

How much are disability benefits in Québec?

"How much will I be able to receive?" is typically the first thought that crosses one's mind. It is a pertinent question given that this disability payment is meant to replace your income until you can return to work.

The Québec Pension Plan (QPP) pays a maximum monthly amount of $1,362.27.

Don’t forget that your dependent children may also be eligible for a children's benefit if you are receiving a disability benefit or post-retirement disability benefit. Each dependent child qualifies as a QPP disability recipient for an additional $79.46 per month

Would you be able to cover your current expenses with these amounts? If you are unsure, you might want to look into purchasing coverage with a short-term disability insurance provider:

Get a free disability insurance quote

Compare insurance quotes now

What is child disability benefit in Québec?

The child disability benefit is part of the Québec disability support program and it was created to give families financial support for the custody, raising, and education of children with handicaps. The child's capacity to carry out his or her daily activities must be considerably restricted by the impairment or mental function disability over a time frame of at least one year.

According to their age, a child must develop certain life habits to take care of themselves and interact with others. When evaluating applications, the following personal traits are taken into account:

Interpersonal relations
Development and learning
Personal care
Nutrition
Communication
Moving about
Responsibilities

You are probably wondering how much that help would be. So, regardless of family income or the nature of the impairment, $200 is paid each month for each qualified child. The amount is not taxable and is annually increased in January.

How much does disability insurance cost in Québec?

Depending on several variables, the cost of your disability insurance will normally be between 1 and 9 percent of your earnings. When figuring out how much to charge you for disability insurance, life insurers will take the following factors into account:

Your required level of protection
How much time must pass before receiving funds.
The time frame for payments (how long you want to receive payouts)
Your occupation, age, and general health
Where you live has less of an impact on the cost you pay for insurance than it does for auto and home coverage.

On the chart below we explain in more detail why some of those factors are taken into consideration:

Factor	Explanantion
Age	You will pay less for disability insurance and many other health-related products if you are younger. Younger people pay less for disability insurance as they constitute less risk.
Gender	According to recent studies, women are more likely than men to submit disability claims. As a result, women might pay more for disability insurance even though they might pay less for life and vehicle insurance.
Occupation	The cost of your Québec disability benefits program is more affected by your profession than by your income. As a result, your insurance will cost more the riskier your profession is.
Health	Insurance companies, like any other life or health insurance business, look at your medical history to see if you qualify for disability coverage and, if so, how much it will cost.
Smoking status	Smoking (or tobacco use) is the leading cause of disability and premature death in Canada, accounting for 45 000 fatalities annually. Therefore, giving up smoking has several advantages, such as lower disability insurance premiums and/or better insurance reimbursements.

Quebec disability costs

Run a quick simulation with our disability insurance comparison tool to see what options are available to you.

What qualifies you for disability in Québec?

You may be eligible for monthly Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) disability benefits if you:

Be recognized with a severe and permanent disability by a team of Québec medical professionals
Have paid enough into QPP while working

Keep in mind that qualifying for the Québec Pension Plan disability benefit has various eligibility conditions, therefore you may not immediately be eligible for a disability pension just because an insurance company, other organization, or government agency determines that you are unable to work. You should contact Retraite Québec directly to inquire.

How to apply for short-term disability in Québec?

The application process for the short-term disability Québec program is not made to be complicated and it can be done by following these 4 simple steps:

Download the Québec Pension Plan Disability Benefits Application.
Fill out the form by following the instructions precisely. Don't forget to include your Social Insurance Number.
The form can then be printed or sent through email. Application for Disability Benefits Under the Québec Pension Plan and Consent Regarding the Release of Medical and Psychosocial Information should be mailed to Retraite Québec, Case Postale 5200, Québec G1K 7S9
Please fill out Section 1 of the Medical Report Form and send it to your attending physician. Your attending physician will write the report and send it to Retraite Québec.

All documents to be downloaded can be found on the Québec social assistance disability website.

How long is short-term disability in Québec?

While you're ill or injured, it is always good news to know that you have someone to call for help, and short-term disability insurance normally pays benefits for up to 6 months.

Your claim must be submitted through your disability plan if your company has a short-term disability policy. For further information on your plan, including any applicable sick leave or vacation regulations, get in touch with your employer's human resources department.

If you don't have short-term disability insurance and your employer doesn't offer it, you may be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits.

How long is long-term disability in Québec?

Since the short-term disability in Québec has its maximum time set as 6 months of benefits, a common question is: How long are long-term disability benefits in Québec and who is eligible for them? Accordingly, benefits from long-term disability insurance often start after the following benefits expire:

The insurance for temporary disability is known as short-term disability benefits;
The benefits from your employer for sick time;
Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits.

Most long-term disability policies will replace 60% to 70% of your regular income.

Every disability plan is unique. If you are unable to return to the job you held before, some may offer disability compensation for up to two years. Only if you cannot work at any employment after two years may you continue to get benefits.

Check out all your options now:

Get a free disability insurance quote

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How does the Québec disability tax credit benefit work?

The disability tax credit (DTC) offers tax relief to people who, as determined by a licensed medical professional, are significantly limited in their ability to perform a basic activity of daily living or require extensive therapy to maintain a vital function as a result of the effects of a severe and protracted impairment. Even with therapy or the use of the proper tools and medication, people remain severely limited.

They are blind or incapable of carrying out a simple daily task, or
All or substantially all of the time, if they take an excessively long time to do the task.

Walking, feeding and dressing oneself, perceiving, thinking, and remembering, as well as speaking and hearing, are all considered fundamental daily tasks.