What are the advantages of purchasing an association-endorsed individual disability policy as opposed to any other plan?
In addition to receiving a 15% RID member discount, these individual policies are portable. So if at some future time you change occupations or employers, you own the policy and can continue it into the future. With a typical employer-provided group insurance policy, benefits cease upon leaving employment or can be cancelled by the company. Also, you will find that the individual policies are guaranteed renewable and/or non-cancellable, provide more benefit options, and have stronger definitions of disability, such as “own occupation”.
How much Disability Income Insurance coverage can I buy?
Base Monthly Benefit is determined by your income. You can generally apply for up to 60-66% of your current monthly income. This is due to the fact that the disability benefit you would receive while disabled is generally not taxable if you personally pay the premiums. You may apply for a lower monthly benefit amount if you like, based on your personal monthly bills and expenses.
How soon would I receive the income benefit?
You can select an elimination (waiting) period of 30, 60, 90, 180, or even 365 days. This means that you must be disabled for that time period before you would qualify for the monthly benefit. The longer the elimination period, the lower the premium. You can determine the elimination period by examining how much liquid savings you would have available to live on during a period of disability.
How long will the income be paid if I become disabled?
You can buy coverage that will pay you a monthly amount for a specified number of years or to a specified age. You can select a benefit period of five or ten years, or to age 65, 67, or 70. If you have a five-year plan and are disabled for more than a five-year period, the benefit will stop. After you go back to work for six months, a new five-year period will be available should you become disabled again. The best coverage is for the longest benefit period, but having a shorter benefit period will reduce your premium.
Will members automatically be eligible for the benefits?
While RID members in good standing are eligible, these disability plans are individually underwritten. This means that members must apply and be approved by the insurance company to receive the benefit. Plans that are individually underwritten will consider risk factors such as occupational duties, health history, personal habits and other activities such as avocations and hobbies.
How do I find out the amount of disability income insurance I can qualify for and what the cost might be?
Just contact Association Benefit Services and a representative will guide you through the process from start to finish. You can get in touch by doing any of the following:
- Fill out our Get DI Quote form
- Call Association Benefit Services toll free at 1-844-340-6578
- Email us at info@associationbenefitservices.com
ABS trained professionals will review your situation and options and will help to design a program that will meet your needs and budget.