Hartford Faces Disability Class Action on Social Security Policy

A disabled father is suing Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Co. for allegedly reducing his benefits because his disabled adult son receives Social Security.

The proposed class action filed Wednesday in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois highlights a provision frequently buried in disability insurance plans that reduce beneficiaries payments if they also receive Social Security. But former LSC Communications LLC employee Eric Smith’s case goes further, accusing Hartford of attempting to offset his disability payments with his son’s Social Security.

Smith became disabled in 2001 and was granted benefits from both Hartford and the Social ...