ShelterPoint Insurance Company Review

What to know about the company’s history, products, and more
Ann Herro, Insurance Expert Written by Ann Herro
Ann Herro, Insurance Expert
Written by Ann Herro

Ann Herro has been writing about insurance and employee benefits for over 15 years. She has covered topics as easy as insuring a car, and as difficult as transparency in healthcare costs.

Updated

ShelterPoint Insurance Company at a Glance

  • Founded in 1972, ShelterPoint is New York’s largest carrier of statutory short-term disability insurance
  • ShelterPoint is an approved private plan carrier for New Jersey’s state disability program  
  • The company provides Paid Family and Medical Leave coverage in New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut
  • Rated A- (Excellent) by AM Best

ShelterPoint pros: ShelterPoint is the leading provider of statutory short-term disability benefits in New York. The company has expertise in providing certain statutory benefits. 24/7 online claim reporting and access to claim information. Rated A- (Excellent) by AM Best.

ShelterPoint cons: Limited product offerings. ShelterPoint does not provide extended customer service hours. The company is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau.

Using our insurance company directory can help you find the best insurance companies that specialize in your specific coverage needs. The company directory can also help you get connected to an agent near you.

What Type of Insurance Does ShelterPoint Offer?

ShelterPoint offers statutory benefits in several states. Statutory benefits are state-mandated insurance benefits that employers must provide to their employees.

Paid family & medical leave

  • Massachusetts
  • Connecticut
  • New York

Statutory disability insurance

  • New Jersey Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI)
  • New York Disability Benefits Law (DBL)

The company also offers a few types of non-statutory employee benefits including 24-hour accident insurance, short-term disability insurance, dental PPO insurance, vision insurance, and medical gap insurance.

What to Know about ShelterPoint

ShelterPoint was founded in 1972 as “The First Rehabilitation Insurance Company of America" (First Rehab), and sold its first statutory NY short-term disability policy in 1974.

In 2014, the company changed its name to ShelterPoint Insurance Company. Today, it is the New York’s largest carrier of statutory short-term disability insurance, and is an approved private plan carrier for New Jersey’s statutory disability program.

The company also provides Paid Family & Medical Leave coverage in New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.

The company serves more than 184,000 employers in New York with over 1.9 million employees.

ShelterPoint is rated A- (Excellent) by AM Best.

What Discounts Does ShelterPoint Offer?

ShelterPoint does not make available information about its specific discounts or reward programs.

ShelterPoint Customer Service

Here’s what you need to know about ShelterPoint’s customer service offerings.

  • General customer service by phone and email
  • Social media contact via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram
  • Customer service phone contact hours are not specified


Hours 


Monday-Friday Not specified
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ShelterPoint FAQ

What is ShelterPoint’s average claim response time frame?

For disability benefits, the following is ShelterPoint’s approximate claim response timeframe.

“If your claim is approved, you will receive mail from us including a check for your first benefit payment after about a calendar week after we receive your properly and fully completed claim.

DBL regulations require (if your claim is properly completed with all required statements) that your first payment should arrive within 4 business days after either the 14th day of disability or the receipt of the claim, whichever is later.

Thereafter, benefits are payable every 2 weeks, for as long as you are still unable to return to work due to the same condition (for a maximum of 26 weeks). Depending on the condition, we may need to check in periodically to confirm if you are still not able to return to work or if your planned return-to-work date has changed.”

You can manage your claims 24/7 online or via ShelterPoint’s app. From there you can do the following.

  • Find out if you are eligible for benefit payments
  • View your current claim status and see if you need to take any action to assure continued processing of your claim
  • Upload additional forms and documents
  • See when your next check will be sent

What is ShelterPoint’s customer service availability?

ShelterPoint offers customer service by phone, with no published business hours. Customers can also reach the insurance company by email, fax, and via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Claims can be reported and accessed 24/7 online or using the company’s mobile app.

What is ShelterPoint’s claims process?

Claims can be submitted to ShelterPoint online, or by email, fax, or mail. The company offers a useful checklist to go through before you upload files for online claim submission. Once your claim has been submitted, you can manage your claim 24/7 online or using the company’s mobile app.

Once you receive your claim number, you’ll have round-the-clock access to the following.

  • Find out if you are eligible for benefit payments
  • View your current claim status and see if you need to take any action to assure continued processing of your claim
  • Upload additional forms and documents
  • See when your next check will be sent

For claims that cannot be filed online, ShelterPoint offers complete claims toolkits, checklists with step-by-step instructions, and downloadable claim forms.

Does ShelterPoint create a user-friendly experience for customers?

ShelterPoint’s official website is very basic and technical. The information for producers, employers, and members is for the most part, the same. The company provides very detailed information and instructions for filing claims, which is very helpful for customers.

There is a lot of focus on filing claims, which is good, but there is a lack of information about how to perform other basic tasks or about the company’s non-statutory products.

Does ShelterPoint have good statutory statutory benefits?

A handful of states have had mandated short-term disability and/or paid family and medical leave programs in place.

While state-mandated family leave and disability laws generally reflect the same concepts and require the same types of coverage, these statutory benefits vary by state. Each state will have its own rules for benefit amounts, duration of benefits, qualifying events, and so on.

ShelterPoint is an expert in providing benefits that meet each state’s requirements. This is essential for employer’s who need to make sure they are complying with the laws in their state by purchasing appropriate coverage.

Is ShelterPoint a good insurance company?

ShelterPoint is an expert at providing statutory benefits in several states on the East Coast. Because of its expertise and its strong financial rating, ShelterPoint can be considered to be a good insurance company for those looking to comply with applicable state laws.

ShelterPoint Customer Reviews

Better Business Bureau
“I give this Insurance company a 1 star. No one seems to know what the next person is doing. I have a claim started on December 26th and back to work on January 18th. I was out with COVID and had complications so I had a doctor’s excuse until the 18th. My quarantine ended on January 10th, and that’s as far as I’ve gotten paid. They had my doctor’s note misfiled and I have been told to call back each time and told a different thing. Now it’s one month later and I still haven’t received that weeks pay. Help.”
Better Business Bureau
5 Stars
“They are good businesses people. Direct and on point, positive in all categories, and take claims fast and right away.”
Better Business Bureau
“I had to go on disability because of major spine surgery. When first applied told in writing it will take 7 business day to receive check. It took 3 weeks. Signed papers for disability stating will receive payments every week but payments are being mailed every 2 to 3 weeks.”


TrustedChoice.com's Final Review

We award ShelterPoint final rating of 2.5 out of 5 stars. Its high ratings from AM Best speak to its financial strength, one of the most important factors in choosing any insurance company.

The carrier offers statutory benefits for employers in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. The company is definitely an expert in this area and provides a great service for its employer customers, ensuring that they comply with state laws and are able to offer quality, reliable benefits for their employees.

The company promises to respond to and pay claims quickly, and it offers a variety of ways to report injuries, including a 24/7 online claims portal. It also has a robust social media presence.

While these accomplishments are highly impressive, the few customer satisfaction reviews that we found were mostly negative.

ShelterPoint works with independent insurance agents, which means that a company representative or your agent can help you decide if the company is right for you.

You can also use our insurance company directory to find the best insurance companies to meet your needs. The directory can help you locate companies that specialize in your specific coverage needs and help you connect to an agent near you.

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