Disability 1 in 4 people will become disabled during their working career. 90% of disabilities are due to illness. Only 48% of Americans have enough funds to cover 3 months of living expenses. 61 million adults in the US live with a disability. Disability insurance provides income replacement if you are unable to perform the duties of your occupation.

Short Term

Short term disability is an injury or illness that lasts 26 weeks or less. It means that you cannot perform your OWN occupation and applies to pregnancy and birth. It does not apply to workplace injuries. If your medical condition keeps you from returning to work after the short term disability ends, then you can transition to long term disability. Short term disability benefits may end if you lose your job while disabled. These have lower monthly premiums and provide less of a payout with a shorter waiting period.

Long Term disability is an injury or illness that lasts over 26 weeks. It is defined as not being able to perform your OWN occupation or ANY occupation. These benefits are meant to cover extended periods of time when seriously injured workers cannot ever return to their old job. Long term disability benefits will typically be reduced by your workers compensation benefits but it usually makes sense to pursue all available benefits. These have higher monthly premiums due to a higher payout and require a longer waiting period.