Why DI?
As a professional services provider, you may be self-employed and have no safety net on which to fall back if you become sick or injured and cannot perform your duties as an interpreter for the deaf. Your income could be substantially reduced or stop completely. RID understands this problem and has made this special program available for their members. Now, RID members can qualify for a quality disability income policy from a highly respected industry leader, Ameritas Life Insurance Corp., and receive a 15% premium discount.
A dedicated team of customer service professionals at Association Benefit Services is available to handle all of your questions and guide you through the process of selecting the policy and options that are right for you. On subsequent pages is some of the information you will want to review to educate yourself on some of the terms and options available. In addition, feel free to contact ABS directly to answer any questions you may have and to obtain a quote for coverage.
Policy Basics
Members will have the opportunity to purchase an individually-owned disability income policy with the option of having guaranteed renewable or non-cancelable coverage.
Features* included in your policy at no extra cost:
Non-disabling Injury Benefit: If you suffer an injury requiring medical treatment prescribed by a physician or the repair to natural teeth prescribed by a dentist, Ameritas will pay the expense of such treatment, not to exceed the lesser of 50% of the base benefit or $3,000. (Non-disabling Injury Benefit is not available in Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland or Massachusetts.)
Survivor Benefit: Should you die after satisfying the elimination period and while monthly disability benefits are being paid under the policy, Ameritas will pay an additional three months of Base Monthly Benefit to your designated beneficiary, if any, otherwise to your estate.
Presumptive Total Disability: You will be considered totally disabled if you sustain the complete loss of hearing in both ears, sight in both eyes, speech, or the use of any two limbs. The elimination (waiting) period will be waived, and benefits will be payable for as long as the presumptive disability continues, even if you are working in an occupation. The loss does not need to be permanent or irrecoverable.
Surgical Transplant Benefit: While this policy is in force, if a total disability results from transplanting a part of your body to the body of another person, you will be considered totally disabled due to sickness.
Cosmetic Surgery Benefit: If a total disability results from cosmetic surgery to correct a disfigurement or to improve your appearance, you will be considered totally disabled due to sickness, provided the cosmetic surgery occurs more than six months after the issue date of the policy.
Partial Disability Benefit: Partial disability benefits are included in the Guaranteed Renewable base policy. Partial disability benefits will be payable when, within 180 days of a period of total disability for which the insured received a base monthly benefit under this policy, due to the same sickness or injury, you:
- are able to do one or more but not all of the main duties of your occupation; or
- can perform all of the main duties of your occupation for only 50% or less of the time normally required.
The monthly benefit payable for a period of partial disability is one-half the base monthly benefit and is payable for a maximum of 12 months. (Partial Disability Benefit is not available in California.)
Successive Periods of Disability: For the Non-cancelable policy, if total disability and/or residual disability (if applicable) stops and then starts again within 365 days from the same or a related cause, the two periods of disability will count as one. It will not be necessary to satisfy the elimination period again and the benefit period will not restart. For the Guaranteed Renewable policy, if total disability and/or residual disability (if applicable) stops and then starts again within 180 days from the same or a related cause, the two periods of disability will count as one. It will not be necessary to satisfy the elimination period again and the benefit period will not restart.
Concurrent Disability: If you suffer a disability from more than one cause at the same time, they will be treated as a single disability.
Good Health Benefit: For every consecutive policy year you complete without receiving any monthly disability benefits under the policy, Ameritas will reduce the elimination period by two days. In no case will the elimination period be reduced to less than 30 days.
Rehabilitation: You can participate in an occupational rehabilitation program without being considered “recovered” from your disability. Moreover, if the program is approved, Ameritas will pay for the reasonable expense of the program, subject to mutual agreement in writing.
Waiver of Premium: After 90 days and once a claim is approved, Ameritas will begin waiving premiums for as long as you are disabled – even beyond the benefit period. Ameritas will refund the premiums paid during the elimination period.
COBRA Premium Benefit: If you become unemployed due to a disability and, as a result, you are paying COBRA medical coverage premiums, you will be reimbursed for those premiums up to $1,000 a month, beginning with the first premium due after you satisfy the elimination period of this policy but not to exceed 18 months. Reimbursement is also available if continuing your employer-group medical plan under the provisions of a state continuation plan. Ameritas will not pay more than 100% of the COBRA premium expense incurred monthly, under all policies.
*Subject to State availability and variations
Benefits you can add to enhance your policy:
Social Insurance Substitute Rider (SIS): Following the SIS elimination period, Ameritas will pay the SIS benefit amount for each month you are totally disabled due to injury or sickness. This amount will be reduced dollar for dollar by any social insurance benefits being received by you. Social insurance benefits are those payable under Social Security, Worker’s Compensation, occupational disease or employer liability laws, and similar Federal, state, or local laws or acts.
Basic/Enhanced Residual Disability Rider: Ameritas will pay you a residual benefit while you are residually disabled if you suffer a loss of at least 15% of your net earned income and you are able to perform one or more, but not all, of the material and substantial duties of your occupation or you are unable to engage in your occupation for more than 80% of the time as was usual prior to the start of your disability.
Recovery Benefit (included in Enhanced Disability Rider only): In the month immediately following a period for which disability benefits have been paid, upon recovery and return to your occupation on a full-time basis, a residual benefit will be paid if you maintain a loss of at least 15% of your net earned income and that loss is a direct result of your previous disability.
Cost of Living Adjustment Rider: As long as you remain disabled, the base monthly benefit will be increased by the lesser of 6% compounded annually or the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), on each anniversary of the date of disability (a 3% simple increase is also available). Benefits will not be increased by this rider after age 65 but will remain at the same level applicable at age 65 until benefits cease. With the 6% compound rider only, you have a qualified right to purchase the increase amount under this rider upon your recovery and return to your occupation on a full-time basis.
Future Increase Option Rider: This rider permits you to purchase additional coverage, once a year on the policy anniversary, with only financial documentation. Clients through the age of 40 may exercise the full amount of this rider. Clients 41 through 55 years of age may exercise up to one-half of the original base monthly benefit. The total of all increases may never exceed the amount purchased under this rider.
Catastrophic Disability Rider: Following the elimination period for this rider, Ameritas will pay the catastrophic benefit amount for each month that you are catastrophically disabled due to injury or sickness. Catastrophically disabled means you are unable to perform two or more activities of daily living without stand-by assistance, or you require substantial supervision due to severe cognitive impairment. Activities of daily living are: dressing, toileting, transferring, continence, and bathing. Benefits continue as long as you remain catastrophically disabled or to the end of the Catastrophic Maximum Benefit Period, if sooner.