Disability Income Insurance Plans Solutions
Most people insure their material possessions—their homes and cars, for example. But many of these same people don't insure what is probably their most valuable asset — their ability to work and earn income. If you become sick or are injured and can't work, will you be able to pay your bills and maintain your standard of living? If you depend on your income to pay the bills, you need to seriously consider buying disability income insurance. Disability income insurance can help you pay your bills by replacing a portion of your income. It can help you maintain your current lifestyle and help protect you and your family from going into serious debt.
Your chances of being disabled at some time during your working career are probably higher than you think. According to the Social Security Administration's Disability Benefits brochure, "Studies show that a 20-year-old worker has a 3-in-10 chance of becoming disabled before reaching retirement age" (SSA Publication No. 05-10029: www.ssa.gov/dibplan/index.htm). Of course, the chances that any one individual will be disabled before retirement depends on many factors, including age, general health, and occupation.
Individual Disability Income Insurance Plans
Individual disability income insurance pays you benefits if you can't work because you're sick or injured. Some individual policies pay partial benefits if you can only work part-time due to sickness or injury. Individual policies specify how much you will be paid, how soon after you are disabled benefits will begin, and when benefits will end. Policies generally provide replacement of 50 to 70 percent of income. The length of time for which you may receive benefits can depend on whether accident or illness caused the disability. Monthly benefits are payable for a fixed period set forth in the policy, e.g. 2 years, 5 years, to age 65, or for the rest of your life, while disability continues. Benefits begin following a waiting period, which is the period between the time you become disabled and the time your benefit payments begin. Waiting periods can range from one week to a year or even two years. In general, the longer the waiting period the lower the cost of the policy.
If you purchase an individual disability income insurance policy for yourself, and pay premiums with after-tax dollars, the benefits you receive are generally tax-free.
Two features that may be part of disability income policies are important for you to understand: noncancelable protection and guaranteed renewable protection. An insurer cannot cancel or refuse to renew either type of policy, as long as premiums (i.e., price of insurance protection for a specified period) are paid on time. These features differ, though, in important ways.
- Noncancelable. The policy's premium can never be raised above the amount shown in the policy, and benefits may not be reduced—as long as premiums are paid on time.
- Guaranteed renewable. You have the right to renew the policy with the same benefits, but the insurer can increase your premiums—as long as they are increased for all other policyholders in the same class (i.e., having the same characteristics).
Initial premiums for guaranteed renewable policies may be lower than for noncancelable policies, but the guaranteed renewable premiums can go up over time. Less expensive policies that may not offer a noncancelable or guaranteed renewable option are sometimes available.
Riders on Individual Disability Insurance Policies
Most insurers offer several optional benefits (called riders) to enhance disability income coverage. Common riders include:
Cost of Living Adjustments. COLA provides for an annual increase in benefits (generally after you have been disabled for a year), usually based on a Consumer Price Index or a predetermined percentage. This helps your benefits keep pace with inflation, and is particularly important if you are disabled for a long time.
Future Purchase Option (Guaranteed Insurability Option). This rider allows you to purchase additional disability income insurance as your income increases, without providing proof of medical insurability. Even if you develop a condition that would normally prevent you from obtaining additional coverage after you purchase your original policy, you could still increase your benefits.
Residual Benefit. This pays you a portion of your monthly disability benefit if you have a drop in income due to a disability (e.g., if you are working part time). In most cases you need to satisfy a minimum percentage loss in earnings (e.g., a 20 percent loss) to qualify.
Social Security Rider. If you are disabled, these riders pay you additional benefits if you are not able to receive Social Security disability benefits because of the Social Security Administration's definition of disability. Usually, an individual disability policy with this rider will pay after the waiting period for the policy and during the five-month period (sometimes up to a year) while you are waiting for Social Security to kick in. If Social Security denies your claim, this rider will continue to pay benefits for the duration of the benefit period. Before purchasing a rider to your policy, ask yourself if you would be able to pay for the benefits provided by this rider out of your own pocket.
Employer-provided Disability Income Insurance Benefits
Many employers offer disability income insurance as part of their employee benefits program. If your employer pays the premium, you will pay tax on any disability benefits you receive. If you purchase disability income insurance yourself, and pay for it out of your own pocket with after-tax dollars, the benefits you receive are generally tax free. This distinction is important to consider. If you have employer-provided disability insurance, you may want to supplement it with an individual policy. In some states (NY, NJ, RI, CA, PR), employers may be required to provide disability income insurance.
Short-Term Disability
Short-term disability benefits are often included as part of an employee benefits package. Short-term disability plans replace income for the early period of a disability. In general, the plans provide benefits that range from as little as two weeks up to two years. Plans often have a waiting period, sometimes called an elimination period. The waiting period is the period of time, after you become disabled until your benefits begin.
Short-term disability waiting periods are usually 0 to 14 days. For example, if you have short-term disability coverage with a 14-day waiting period, and a disability keeps you from working for three weeks, you will receive benefits for the third week of your disability, but not for weeks one and two. Those two weeks are the waiting period, during which benefits are not paid.
Long-Term Disability Insurance
As with short-term disability plans, your employer may provide long-term disability coverage. Benefits help replace income for an extended period, often five years or until the disabled person turns 65. Plans with longer benefit periods are more expensive. These plans can have different waiting periods, typically 60, 90, 180, or 365 days.
