What Is Disability Insurance?

Disability insurance replaces lost income should an illness or injury prevent you from working.

What a 2-year disability can do to your finances if you don't have disability insurance

It can be easy to think that you can make up for the impact of a relatively short disability. But even two years out of work can make a huge difference in a long-term financial plan. 

Take the example of Brea, a 25-year-old single woman who earns $54,000 a year. With student loans and other debts, Brea’s net worth (assets minus debts) is negative $7,500 today. But if she saves, pays down debt and continues to follow her financial plan, she’s projected to have $2.6 million by the time she retires. In four years, she would have a net worth of nearly $59,000.

But let’s say she becomes disabled for a little more than two years, starting now. Here’s what happens:

Brea’s net worth grows to only negative $2,905 in four years. That’s a difference of nearly $62,000. While it seems like she’d have plenty of time to recover before retirement, she will lose out on the compound interest she would have earned on her net worth. That amounts to nearly $335,000 less when she gets to retirement. Brea loses out because during her disability, she stops saving.

Why do I need disability insurance?

There are two types of disability income insurance, short-term and long-term. Let’s take a look at their differences.

If a disability affects your ability to earn money, you’ll want disability benefits that replace the lost income. How much disability insurance coverage do you need? The answer is likely to be “as much as possible.”

Generally speaking, short-term disability coverage through work replaces up to 80 percent of your income. That’s typically the best you’ll get when it comes to a short-term policy. Such benefits, however, are only payable for a limited period of time.

With long-term disability insurance you can usually cover most of your current annual income. But you may only be able to get this level of coverage by getting more than one policy, especially if what you’re offered through work covers only 50 to 60 percent.

What qualifies as a disability?

Disability insurance covers a broad range of common illnesses and injuries. In fact, at Northwestern Mutual, three out of four disability insurance claims by people who are 18 to 34 years old are due to illness, not injury.

And unlike worker’s compensation, which covers only injuries that happen on the job, disability insurance will cover your inability to perform your occupation as a result of things like heart conditions, injuries that happen outside work and some mental illnesses.

Disability insurance covers income lost because you can't work due to a disability. Some important terms to check when comparing disability benefits from different policies:

If you get a benefits package through work, there’s a chance that your employer offers you a group disability insurance plan. But is that coverage enough? Probably not. That’s because disability insurance coverage from your job usually replaces only 50 or 60 percent of your income. And if you ever need to use it, your group disability benefit will be taxable — meaning you get even less. Plus, if you ever leave your job, it’s likely you won’t be able to keep your coverage.

That’s why many people get a supplemental disability insurance policy through a private insurer on top of the coverage they have through work. Between the two, you can cover more of your income, and supplemental policies have these added benefits.

Growing your family is an exciting time — one that requires a lot of planning. Federal law requires that most employers give you 12 weeks of unpaid leave and a guarantee of employment upon return — but there’s no law that requires paid leave.

Some companies offer short-term disability insurance to cover maternity leave. It’s unlikely that a private short-term disability insurance policy would pay for maternity leave. Check with your employer to see what’s available to you. 

It’s important to point out that short-term disability insurance may not cover your entire maternity leave. That’s because most policies will cover only the period you are considered disabled following the birth of your child. The typical time frame you are considered disabled following delivery of the baby, without complications, is six weeks, eight weeks if a C-section was performed.
 

If your employer offers disability insurance coverage, you will automatically qualify. Many employers offer group disability insurance, which covers their entire workforce. And as a result, factors like pre-existing health conditions or age shouldn’t stop you from getting this coverage.

If you are considering purchasing individual disability insurance coverage through a private insurer, factors like your health and profession are taken into consideration when the policy provider determines your eligibility. Depending on the level of coverage, you will likely have to take a health screening.

If you’re a part-time employee or a stay-at-home parent, it’s possible you may also qualify for a disability insurance policy.

To be used with form MN 992-STD, MN 992-LTD, MN 1096 SGSTD, MN 1096 SGLTD, ICC16.TT.DI.IIB.(0916), ICC16.TT.DI.FIB.(0916), ICC16.TT.DI.CAT.(0916), ICC16.TT.NCDI.(0916), ICC16.TT.GRDI.(0916), ICC16.TT.DI.PDB.(0916), ICC16.TT.DI.PDBO.(0916) or state equivalent. Not all contracts and optional benefits are available in all states. Disability insurance policies contain some features and benefits that may not be available in all states. The ability to perform the substantial and material duties of your occupation is only one of the factors that determine eligibility for disability benefits. These policies also contain exclusions, limitations and reduction-of-benefits provisions. Eligibility for disability income insurance, additional policy benefits, and qualification for benefits, is determined on a case-by-case basis. For costs and complete details of coverage, contact your Northwestern Mutual Financial Representative. Product availability is subject to state approval. Disability insurance policies contain exclusions and limitations that could affect individual coverage. For costs and more complete details, consult a Northwestern Mutual financial representative.        

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI (NM) (life insurance, disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits)

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