Private Short Term Disability Insurance

Date:

Share post:

The Difference Between Short

Disability insurance explained: How it works and the types of coverage available

There are three significant differences between short-term and long-term disability insurance:

  • The illnesses and injuries they cover
  • The length of time you can receive benefits
  • How long you have to wait to start receiving compensation following a disabling event

Heres a chart comparing the coverages :

COVERAGE COMPARISON

1, 7, 14, 30 days

30, 60, 90, 180, 365 days

Most financial advisors recommend that you dont forgo buying long-term disability insurance because you have an STD policy. Short-term coverage isnt adequate if you suffer a serious illness or injury. Once your STD coverage runs out, you could find yourself without any income after just a few months.

Advisors recommend concentrating on buying a long-term disability policy and supplementing it with an STD policy through your employer. Combining the coverages gives you the best possible protection against just about any illness or injury that would impact your ability to earn an income.

The Peace Of Mind Factor

A financial advisor or accountant can help you crunch the numbers when deciding whether to buy short-term disability insurance. But, the one thing they cant quantify for you is the peace of mind having the extra protection an STD policy can provide you. Knowing that your bills will be paid even if your paycheck stops coming is something that wont appear on a spreadsheet, but it just might ease some of your stress concerning your familys financial security.

Categories:

What Qualifies For Short

The qualifications for short-term disability insurance vary across companies. Benka says that short-term disability insurance policies are not your regular health care plans. For example, they are not always required to comply with ACA guidelines or include the minimal essential coverages.

Short-term disability plans can help support you with up to 66% of the salary youd usually be earning from your job. Some people choose to purchase a basic short-term disability insurance plan just in case they experience an unexpected accident or hardship that would prevent them from working in the future.

Some common events people use short-term disability insurance for include:

Make sure to closely read your policy to know what coverage you can expect.

Read Also: Working Part Time On Disability

Best For Shortest Elimination Period: Haven

Haven Life

  • Maximum issue age is 55

  • Maximum benefit period of 12 months

  • Not available in all states

Haven offers the shortest elimination period of the companies we reviewed that offer STD insurance to individuals. You can choose an elimination period of 14 days, 30 days, or 60 days and a benefit period of three, six, or 12 months. Policies are guaranteed renewable until age 65, and policies are generally affordable.

Plus, you can get a quote and apply directly from Havens website for an instant coverage decision. We also appreciate the information, ease of use, and transparency the Haven website provides. Though Haven is a young company, policies are backed by MassMutual, which has an A++ financial strength rating from AM Best, which is the highest possible.

There are some limitations to Havens policy, however. The maximum benefit period is one year and the maximum monthly benefit is $5,000 or 60% of your income, so higher income individuals may be better served by Mutual of Omaha. Whats more, youll need to go with another company if youre over 55 or live in CA, DE, FL, MT, ND, NY, SD, or WY.

Best Overall: Mutual Of Omaha

Is short

Mutual of Omaha

  • No-exam policies available: Yes, for applicants ages 18-45 applying for up to $6,000 in monthly benefits
  • Maximum coverage amount: $20,000 per month
  • Benefit periods range from six months to 10 years

  • Maximum monthly benefit of $20,000

  • Generous built-in policy benefits

  • No-exam underwriting available for some applicants

  • Pregnancy benefit

  • Coverage for mental or nervous disorders is limited without purchasing an additional rider

  • Partial disability benefits cost extra

  • Must contact an agent to apply

Taking the top spot for best overall short-term disability insurance coverage is Mutual of Omaha. This insurer provides up to 10 years of benefits , with some policies offering coverage as soon as 30 days after your eligible disability. Monthly benefits are available up to $20,000, and policies can be issued through age 61.

Mutual of Omaha has been around since 1909 and has an A+ financial strength rating from AM Best. It offers insurance coverage across the country, though not all policies are available in all states.

Short-term disability coverage through Mutual of Omaha is some of the most comprehensive and benefit-rich around. Policies come full of built-in benefits, such as a survivor benefit, waiver of premium benefit, guaranteed renewability, rehabilitation coverage, and up to six weeks of leave for maternity. Elimination periods are available in lengths of 30, 60, and 90 days. Longer elimination periods of 180, 365, and 730 days are also available.

You May Like: Accommodations For Students With Learning Disabilities

What Are The Elimination Periods For Long

The most common elimination period for long-term disability is 90 days, but the exact terms of the elimination period will be specified in the policy. If short-term disability coverage is available, the effective waiting period before receiving benefits will be relatively short. When a short-term policy is not available, however, employees may have to wait several months with no income before qualifying for long-term benefits. Due to the longer elimination periods, many employees opt for a combination of short-term and long-term disability coverage.

What Is Private Disability Insurance

Private disability insurance is a policy you individually own, as opposed to employer based coverage. Most employer based disability insurance is limited in scope and time. Additionally, group based disability insurance through an employer may not be portable, i.e. you cant take it with you.

Instead, private disability insurance is your own personal coverage that you can tailor to your specific needs and goals. You can take it with you if you leave your current employer and you can choose the benefits and features that makes sense for you.

As you will see from the remainder of our article on private disability insurance, there are many factors that go into designing the right policy. Due to all these variables it is difficult to offer private disability insurance quotes other than by providing a ballpark figure. Typically, you can expect to pay anywhere from 1-4% of your monthly income on your disability insurance premium.

For example, if you currently income is $5,000 a month, then your disability insurance premium would range from $50-$200 a month. We can help tailor your policy to provide the maximum income replacement benefits or focus on the cheapest disability income coverage. It all comes down to your specific needs, goals and objectives.

Read Also: Social Security Disability Extra Benefits

Short Term Disability Vs Workers’ Compensation

It’s important to remember that short term disability insurance is different from workers’ compensation insurance, which provides coverage for injuries that occur on the job. Nearly 90 percent of disabilities are not work-related. Therefore, they are not covered by workersâ compensation.

If an injury or illness that limits your ability to work was caused by something unrelated to your job, workers’ compensation will not cover your lost income. Likewise, if you are injured or get sick from performing your job, short term disability insurance likely will not provide benefits during your absence from work.

Learn More:Workers’ Comp vs. Disability

Is Short Term Disability Insurance Taxable

What is Short-Term Disability Insurance?

The premiums you pay for short term disability insurance are not tax-deductible. However, any policy benefits you receive will be tax-free income. This is true whether youâre buying a group plan or your own individual policy.

If your employer pays the premiums without including the cost in your gross income, the policyâs benefits will be taxable income.

Consult a tax advisor with questions about the tax treatment of disability insurance premiums and benefits.

Don’t Miss: Can You Get Disability For High Blood Pressure And Diabetes

Short Term Disability Example #2

$97 per month for somebody between the ages of 36 and 45. The hypothetical policy has a 30-day waiting period, a 12-month benefit period, and a $3,000 monthly benefit . It would be:

  • $161 per month for the same policy with a $5,000 monthly benefit .
  • $145 per month for the same policy, only with a 14-day waiting period.
  • $68 per month for the same policy, only with a 6-month benefit period.

Health Resources For People With Disabilities

Federal, state, and local government agencies and programs can help with your health needs if you have a disability.

Visit USA.govs Government Benefits page to learn more about government programs and services that can help you and your family.

Also Check: Housing For People With Disability

The Best Private Disability Insurance

When designing your private disability insurance there are certain key features that you should consider, such as own occupation definition of total and partial disability, guaranteed renewability, non-cancelable, a cost of living adjustment rider. In addition, if you have student loans you may also want to consider the student loan protection rider.

Own Occupation

Although we go into own occupation in greater depth in our article covering own occupation disability insurance, it is important to understand what it is and how it relates to private disability insurance. An own occupation definition of total disability requires that solely due to injury or illness, you are not able to perform the material and substantial duties of your regular occupation. The definition is important because it differentiates between your regular occupation and any gainful employment.

You see, with a true own occupation definition, if you return to work at a different job than your regular occupation, you may still qualify for your disability income benefit, even though you are making money at your new occupation.

Guaranteed Renewability

Non-Cancelable

Cost of Living Adjustment Rider

Student Loan Protection Rider

Short Term Disability Vs Ssdi

Private Short Term Disability Insurance / How To Get Affordable Short ...

Another common belief is that Social Security Disability Insurance can cover temporary disabling events. While this is true in some cases, SSDI benefits are the most difficult to qualify for.

Social Security generally will not consider you disabled if you work and earn more than $1,220 in a month. If you are not working, Social Security will consider whether you can work. If you can, you will not qualify for SSDI benefits Рeven if it̢s not the type of job you did before your injury or illness.

According to the Social Security Administration, only 34 percent of SSDI claimants had their applications approved from 2006 to 2015. Even if you qualify for SSDI, benefits will likely replace only a small fraction of your income. The average monthly disability benefit in 2017 was $1,172.

Also Check: How Does Disability Lawyer Get Paid

What Qualifies For Long

The qualifications for long-term disability are usually more stringent than those for short-term disability. With short-term disability, benefits can be awarded if the employee is unable to do their job. With long-term disability, benefits will typically only be awarded if the employee is unable to do any job. What constitutes a qualifying event will be specified in the policy, so it is important to understand when benefits may apply before accepting a long-term disability policy.

Qualifying events may include chronic pain, cancer treatments, or debilitating illness or injury lasting more than 26 weeks. If an employee could qualify for another form of income replacement, such as Social Security Disability Insurance, the long-term disability policy will no longer provide benefits.

Policy Options & Benefit Limits

Coverage options and benefits are the key details youll want to pay attention to when comparing policies. First and foremost, look for the carriers definition of what constitutes an eligible disability. Most importantly, this includes own vs. any occupation coverage, mental illness coverage, partial disability coverage, and pregnancy coverage to name a few. Which of these options is important to you will be highly dependent on your occupation and personal risks.

Next, youll want to make sure the insurer offers benefit limits and benefit periods that fit your needs. For most individuals, finding an insurance company that will adequately cover their income shouldnt be a problem however, for certain high-earners, finding sufficient coverage in the form of a high-limit disability policy can be challenging. Also, while some insurance companys have long-term policies that cap out at five or 10 years, others will offer policies that remain in effect until retirement.

Outside of qualifying disabilities and benefit limits, youll want to make sure the policy has riders suited to your needs. Common riders, also known as endorsements, include cost of living adjustments, student loan protection, and retirement protection.

Also Check: Short Term Disability Insurance Individual

Best For Ease Of Qualifications: Aflac

  • Can only enroll through your employer

  • Different states have different limitations and exclusions

  • Monthly benefit is lower than what some other companies offer

Its easy to qualify for short-term disability insurance through Aflac because customers can sign up for some products without underwriting. That means Aflac guarantees coverage to clients for certain plans, even if those clients choose to opt out of answering medical questions or taking a medical exam.

When you sign up for short-term disability insurance, however, you might be asked to provide medical records or your medical history to insurance agents. Depending on this medical screening, you may be denied coverage, be forced to accept longer elimination periods, or be charged higher premiums for your insurance. These medical questions can make it difficult to qualify for a plan you want at a price you can afford.

To get a quote for your short-term disability plan, youll need to contact your employer who will let you know if they have Aflac plans and which options you can select for coverage. When you opt for this insurance through your employer, youll likely be able to have your bills automatically deducted from your paycheck.

Who Needs Disability Coverage

Short Term Disability Insurance For Pregnancy

Though you may assume disability insurance is meant for those who perform physical labor, disability protection keeps you covered under a variety of circumstances that often have nothing to do with your occupation. From pregnancy to mental illness, disability insurance mitigates the financial fallout from a number of conditions, which can be most debilitating when they happen unexpectedly.

Self-Employed Workers

Like any other employee, self-employed workers are at risk of injury and illness, no matter what their occupation. Both short- and long-term disability insurance plans are a good option for self-employed individuals, provided they can verify their pre-disability income. Partially covering lost income, disability insurance works the same for self-employed individuals as it does for anyone else.

Self-employed workers running a small business should highly consider a disability overhead expense policy along with regular disability insurance. A disability overhead expense plan protects your business in case you become disabled and cant perform regular tasks. This is especially important if youre the owner and the sole employee of your business. Disability overhead expense insurance provides benefits that you can then use to cover business expenses. Coupled with personal disability insurance, it can help keep your business on its feet while you recover.

Construction & Other High-Risk Occupations

Physicians & Other High-Paid Professionals

Read Also: Free Moving Services For Disabled

Breeze Partners With Pia To Provide A Turnkey Disability Insurance Solution

Forty percent of American workers have access to employer-provided short-term disability insurance . This insurance generally pays benefits to disabled workers during the five-month waiting period between the onset of disability and the start of Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. By providing income during the waiting period, STDI can encourage more disabled workers to apply for SSDI, which will lead to more SSDI awards. However, employers who offer STDI have a stronger financial incentive to provide accommodations to workers with disabilities to help them stay on the job instead of taking STDI benefits, which could reduce SSDI claims and rewards.

Examining the effect of STDI access on SSDI applications and rewards is difficult because workers with and without STDI access may differ in ways that affect their likelihood of using SSDI. In The Long-Term Externalities of Short-Term Disability Insurance , researcher Michael Stepner provides evidence from Canada on the effect of employer-provided ISTI on disability insurance of long duration public.

The first finding is that when a company stops providing STDI to its employees, the likelihood of the companyâs employees having STDI decreases by 61 percentage points. The effect is not 100 percent because some employees were not covered by the STDI plan, while others continue to have STDI coverage through another employer.

Finding The Best Disability Insurance

As discussed above, disability insurance is designed to protect what is arguably your greatest financial assetyour income potential. And despite the high prevalence of disabilities in the U.S., most Americans are not adequately covered in this area. One of the reasons for this is that people wrongly assume that whatever coverage they receive through their employer is adequate. While group disability coverage through work is an excellent starting point that employees should take advantage of, most people would benefit from additional coverage in the form of a private, individual policy. In the sections below, well detail what to look for when choosing an individual policy and how to pick the best company to purchase your policy from.

Recommended Reading: Power Of Attorney For Disabled Adults

Other Types Of Individual Disability Insurance

  • U.S. government disability benefitsGovernment-provided disability is available to Americans as part of the federal governments Social Security Administration benefits, known as Social Security Disability Insurance .2 You can qualify for this assistance if you are judged to be disabled by U.S. federal standards. A person is disabled under the Social Security Act if they can’t work due to a severe medical condition that has lasted, or is expected to last, at least one year or result in death. While some programs give money to people with partial disability or short-term disability, Social Security does not.While theres a maximum limit per person of $2,788 per month, the average person receives just $1,234 per month .7

States that offer short-term disability insuranceCurrently the states of California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico require employers to offer a form of short-term disability, but each has its own requirements and limits. For information, visit.

Related articles

Can’t Work Due To Disability

Can You Get Disability For Migraine ...

Back Pay For Va Disability

Who Can File A Va Disability Claim ...

Filing For Disability In Nc

The Disability Application Process VA...