How to Fax Short-Term Disability Claim Forms
Updated October 2026
You are out of work for a medical reason and need your short-term disability claim filed fast. If your claim goes to your employer's insurance company or to New Jersey's TDI program, you can fax the forms for $1.00.
Some state programs do not take fax at all. California SDI is online or mail only, and Rhode Island is online or phone. This guide shows which route applies to you and where to find the right fax number.
Quick answer: For a short-term disability plan run by an insurer, fax the claim form to the number on the insurer's claim packet or Attending Physician Statement, or ask HR. New Jersey TDI takes the DS-1 by fax at 609-984-4138. California SDI cannot be faxed: file online or by mail. A claim form plus physician statement is usually under 10 pages, so it costs $1.00.
In this guide
Which Kind of Short-Term Disability Do You Have?
There are two kinds, and they go to different places.
- Employer plan through an insurer. Your employer buys the coverage and an insurance company handles claims. The fax number is on the insurer's claim packet or Attending Physician Statement (APS). HR can tell you which insurer it is.
- State program. California, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Hawaii have state disability programs, each with its own rules on fax.
If you are taking job-protected leave at the same time, the FMLA form is separate paperwork for your employer; see our FMLA certification guide. If you were hurt at work, that is usually workers' comp instead; see our workers' comp guide.
Employer Plans: Where to Fax and Who Sends What
Fax numbers vary by insurer and even by employer plan, so use the one on your packet. As one example, MetLife's how-to-file sheet lists fax 1-800-230-9531 for short-term disability forms, including the Attending Physician Statement, or mail to MetLife Disability, PO Box 14590, Lexington KY 40512-4590, or upload online. That sheet is dated 2022, so confirm the number on your own claim packet before sending.
Many insurers open the claim by phone and then ask for forms. Your part is usually the employee statement. The doctor's office usually faxes the APS straight to the insurer, so ask them to do that and confirm the date they sent it. If you are collecting the doctor's form yourself, our doctor's note guide has tips.
Deadlines: under federal rules for employer plans, the insurer has 45 days to decide a disability claim, extendable twice by 30 days. If it is denied, you get at least 180 days to appeal, and the appeal decision is due in 45 days, plus up to 45 more. Our health insurance appeal guide covers how to build an appeal packet.
State Programs: Who Takes Fax and Who Does Not
| State | Fax? | How to file |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey TDI | Yes | Online, or paper DS-1 by fax to 609-984-4138 or by mail. File within 30 days of the first day of disability. |
| California SDI | No | SDI Online (myEDD) or mail the DE 2501. File no earlier than 9 days and no later than 49 days after the disability begins. |
| New York DBL | Depends on carrier | DB-450 to your employer or its insurance carrier, within 30 days. Some must mail it to the WCB. |
| Rhode Island TDI | No, for new claims | Online or by phone at (401) 462-8420, within 90 days. |
| Hawaii TDI | Not listed by the State | Form TDI-45 from your employer, mailed to the employer's TDI insurer, within 90 days. |
New Jersey: doctors can use the online M-01 portal, or fax Part C of the DS-1 to the same number, 609-984-4138. If TDI asks for the medical section, it is due within 14 days of the request. Mail goes to Division of Temporary Disability Insurance, P.O. Box 387, Trenton, NJ 08625-0387.
California: do not fax EDD. File online, or mail the paper DE 2501 to State of California, EDD, PO Box 989777, West Sacramento, CA 95798-9777. Your doctor's certification is also due within 49 days.
New York: find your employer's carrier with the WCB Employer Coverage Search and ask the carrier whether it takes the DB-450 by fax. If you were unemployed more than 4 weeks before the disability, the form must be mailed to WCB Disability Benefits Bureau, PO Box 9029, Endicott, NY 13761-9029.
Rhode Island: TDI's fax, 401-462-8466, is for appeals only, not new claims. TDI mails you a medical form to take to your doctor.
What to Put on the Cover Page and Each Page
The cover page should say "Short-term disability claim," your full name, your employer, the claim number if you already have one, your phone number and the page count. For New Jersey, write "DS-1" on it.
Put your name and claim number at the top of every page. Sign and date every section that asks for it before you scan. A cover page, your claim form and a physician statement is usually under 10 pages, so it costs $1.00. If you add medical records, 11 to 25 pages is $1.99, and 26 to 50 pages is $2.99. Our medical documents guide covers scanning records cleanly.
How to Send It for $1.00
- Scan or photograph the signed forms into one PDF, cover page first. Our iPhone guide helps if you are in bed with only a phone.
- Upload it on FaxForADollar.com.
- Type the 10-digit fax number, area code first. The +1 is already added, so do not type a leading 1.
- Pay the price shown. No account needed.
It is usually delivered within a few minutes. Nothing is printed on your document. The confirmation email shows the destination number, page count and time (Eastern Time), your record of exactly when you sent the claim. If the fax fails, you are refunded automatically. FaxForADollar is not HIPAA compliant; you are sending your own forms.
If the insurer wants to fax you a form or a decision, GetAFax.com gives you a US fax number for 24 hours for $5, up to 30 pages, delivered to your email. If your disability turns into a job loss, see our COBRA election guide and unemployment office guide.
Why send it here
One dollar for up to 10 pages to any US or Canada number, shown before you pay, nothing added at checkout.
Nothing is printed on your document. It arrives exactly as you uploaded it.
If it cannot be delivered, the money goes back to your card without you asking.
No account, no subscription, nothing that renews. Send once and you are done.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to fax a short-term disability claim form?
Is there a monthly fee to fax my disability paperwork to the insurance company?
I just had surgery and HR says the disability insurer needs my claim form, can I fax it from my phone?
Can I fax my DS-1 to New Jersey temporary disability?
Can I fax my California SDI claim to EDD?
Does my doctor fax the Attending Physician Statement or do I?
Can I fax a New York DB-450 disability form?
What is the fax number for New Jersey TDI?
What is the MetLife short-term disability fax number?
Where do I find the fax number for my company's short-term disability insurance?
Is 401-462-8466 the fax number to file a Rhode Island TDI claim?
Do I need to dial a 1 before the NJ TDI fax number?
Can the disability insurance company fax me back?
How do I keep a record of when I faxed my short-term disability claim?
What if my disability claim fax fails?
How long do I have to file a New Jersey TDI claim?
When can I file for California SDI?
How long does a short-term disability insurer have to decide my claim?
My short-term disability claim was denied, how long do I have to appeal?
How long do I have to file a Hawaii TDI claim?
Ready to send?
$1.00 for up to 10 pages, no account, delivery confirmation by email, full refund if it fails.
Send a fax now