Ameritas offers two types of individual disability income insurance products designed for different budgets and needs. The DInamic Fundamental product provides simple and affordable coverage with a simplified underwriting process. This may be a good option for individuals that need basic coverage but don’t want to deal with complicated application processes or large premiums.
The DInamic Foundation series provides built-in features and benefits along with a range of optional choices that let applicants customize their coverage. Built-in features include non-disabling injury that reimburses medical expenses, presumptive total disability that waives the elimination period for certain losses, good health coverage that shortens the elimination period and COBRA premium benefits. Optional riders include a cost-of-living adjustment, a future increase option and a catastrophic disability rider. A student load rider is also available.
Ameritas has an A (Excellent) A.M. Best rating.
Assurity offers disability income insurance that provides affordable monthly protection and flexible coverage. The elimination period can be as short as 30 days, and the benefit period can be anywhere from one year on the shortend to until retirement age on the long end.
Assurity says that many people should consider securing a benefit that covers 60% to 70% of their gross monthly income, but individuals who can’t afford that much coverage can opt for a smaller benefit month that covers the biggest monthly expenses, such as the mortgage.
Assurity’s home modification benefit is available to policyholders who have been receiving total disability monthly benefits for six consecutive months and covers actual costs to modify the policyholder’s existing residence to accommodate their disability. The six-month lump sum survivor benefit is payable to a beneficiary if the policyholder dies while receiving total disability month benefits and has been receiving total disability monthly benefits for at least 12 consecutive months.
Assurity is a Certified B Corporation with an A.M. Best rating of A- (Excellent).
Illinois Mutual offers disability income insurance to help cover basic expenses during a period of disability. TheDI Needs Calculator helps people decide how big their benefit needs to be. There are also options regarding the elimination period and benefits period. A return of premium rider is also available at additional cost, and it providesa 100% return of premium paid, minus benefits received.
Illinois Mutual offers some attractive total disability benefits. If total disability occurs within 30 days of an injury, the retroactive injury benefit rider pays from the date of total disability and continues through the elimination period. The home modification rider provides a benefit to cover modification of the policyholder’s existing residence to accommodate a total disability if the policyholder has been receiving total disability monthly benefits for six consecutive months.
W-2 employees who work in eligible paraprofessional or skilled trade occupations may also be eligible for a one-class occupation upgrade. This upgrade can lower the cost of coverage.
Illinois Mutual has an A.M. Best rating of A- (Excellent) as of October 7, 2021.
Lloyd’s of London is an insurance and reinsurance marketplace. It is not a traditional insurance company. Rather, it provides a market where people can buy and sell insurance. Members specialize in different types of risk, including disability insurance policies.
Mass Mutual offers disability income insurance that can help policyholders protect 45% to 65% of their regularincome. Applicants can customize their coverage with various riders. They can also protect their income both by avoiding dipping into retirement savings during a period of disability and by purchasing a policy that helps them continue to save for retirement during a disability.
Mass Mutual has an A.M. Best rating of A++ (Superior).
MetLife no longer sells individual disability insurance through agents. However, the company does provide disability insurance products for businesses, including short-term disability insurance and long-term disability insurance. These products can be an important part of an employee benefits package.
Mutual of Omaha offers disability insurance with waiting periods of 30 to 730 days and benefit periods that can last from as little as six months or until age 70. The Mutual Income Solutions disability insurance product has a minimum monthly benefit of $300 and a maximum monthly benefit of $20,000.
Built-in policy benefits include survivor benefits, recurrent disability waiver of elimination period, rehabilitation benefits, transplant donor benefits, waiver of premium, military suspension and presumptive total disability.Coverage can be non-cancelable or guaranteed renewable, and monthly benefits increase via either the automatic increase benefit or the future insurability option. Optional benefits include extended regular occupation, trueregular occupation, residual disability, return of premium, cash value benefit, mental or nervous and substanceabuse extension, catastrophic disability benefit, cost-of-living adjustment and Social Insurance supplement.
For people who are worried about medical bills, Mutual of Omaha offers some attractive benefits. The hospital confinement rider pays up to $500 for each day the policyholder is confined to the hospital, up to 45 days, and the accident expense rider reimburses for medical-related expenses up to $1,000, $2,000, $3,000 or $5,000 per accident, for services and supplies received within 26 weeks of the covered injury.
Mutual of Omaha has an A.M. Best rating of A+ (superior).
Principal offers disability income insurance and DI Retirement Savings to help individuals continue to savefor retirement even if they’re unable to work due to disability. Principal’s disability insurance solutions can be customized to meet an individual’s needs and budget, and the disability insurance calculator can help applicants determine how much coverage they need.
Two riders can provide additional benefits. The capital sum benefit provides a benefit if an injury or sickness results in the total loss of use of a hand, foot or eye without chance of recovery and is payable one time in the policyholder’s lifetime. The supplemental health benefit pays a benefit for a coronary artery bypass graft surgery, cancer or stroke and is also payable one time in the policyholder’s lifetime.
Principal Life Insurance Company and Principal National Life Insurance Company both have A.M. Best ratings of A+ (superior).
The Standard offers individual disability insurance as well as business protection and employer-sponsoreddisability insurance.
The Platinum Advantage disability insurance product provides a family care benefit that provides benefits tohelp the insured take time away from work to care for a spouse, parent or child with a serious health condition.Other features include guaranteed renewable, rehabilitation benefit, automatic increase benefit rider, benefitincrease rider and a survivor benefit. Optional benefits include a residual disability rider and a student loan rider.
The Standard has an A.M. Best rating of A (excellent).
What Is the Best Disability Insurance Company?
When reviewing disability insurance options, it’s important to look for a policy that can be customized to fit your needs.The best disability insurance policy for one worker won’t necessarily be the best fit for another worker.
Some basic things to consider include the benefit amount, the benefit period, the elimination period and the definitionof disability. Beyond that, it’s also important to look at the various riders and choose the ones that best fit your needs.Price is also a factor, and you may receive better rates from one carrier or another, so it’s important to compare quotes.
Frequently Asked Question About Disability Insurance Companies
What Are the Best Disability Insurance Companies?
When reviewing disability insurance companies, it’s important to look for a policy that can be customized to fit your needs. The best disability insurance company for one worker won’t necessarily be the best disability insurance company for another worker. That’s why it’s important to secure quotes from multiple disability insurance companies.
Some basic things to consider include the benefit amount, the benefit period, the elimination period and the definition of disability. Beyond that, it’s also important to look at the various riders and choose the ones that best fit your needs. Price is also a factor, and you may receive better rates from one carrier or another, so it’s important to compare quotes.
Who Should Buy Long-Term Disability Insurance?
Disability insurance coverage is designed to protect a person’s paycheck against the financial impact of a disability. As such, anyone who depends on their paycheck may benefit from disability insurance. Even young workers can benefit from coverage because disability can impact people of any age.
Disability income insurance can protect traditional employees as well as small business owners and freelancers. Some employees have some long-term disability insurance benefits from through their job, but they may still want to purchase an individual disability insurance policy on their own to increase the amount of coverage and obtain portable coverage with the desired terms and riders.
How Much Disability Insurance Does a Person Need?
Disability insurance benefits are a percentage of the policyholder’s pre-disability income, often subject to a monthly cap that can reduce benefits for high earners. When deciding how much income protection to purchase, a person should consider two main factors.
The first factor is how much a person can afford. Disability insurance typically costs 1% to 3% of a person’s income. Policyholders may be able to access lower premiums by accepting less coverage and longer elimination periods.
The second factor is how much a person will need in the case of a disability. Disability payments can help cover medical bills that health insurance does not cover, and the monthly benefit can make up for lost income to help cover the mortgage or rent, utilities, groceries and other daily living expenses. Unless they have significant savings that they don’t mind using before retirement, many people find they want as much coverage as they can afford. Additional coverage can be obtained by stacking disability insurance policies or adding riders that provide additional benefits. For example, someone with a lot of student loan debt may want a rider that helps with student loan payments, and someone with long-term disability coverage form work may want to secure an individual disability insurance policy.
How Do Disability Insurance Companies Differ from Social Security Disability Insurance?
Social Security Disability Insurance is a federal insurance program funded by payroll taxes and administered by the Social Security Administration. Disability insurance companies are private businesses that offer disability insurance. Although Social Security disability benefits offer an important safety net for many individuals, the stringent requirements mean that most disability claims are rejected, and the monthly disability benefits amounts are modest. By purchasing an individual disability insurance policy, you can obtain the amount of coverage you need to make ends meet and the terms that meet your needs, including a definition of disability that makes sense for your occupation, such as an own-occupation definition for doctors.
What is the right way for an agent to provide a client a disability insurance quote?
Good question! Many agents don’t understand how to obtain the best disability insurance quotes for their clients. This article provides important information to help you provide your client with the best disability insurance quote.