Growing Family Benefits
  • Don't get pregnant without us!
  • Enjoy security for your family
  • Ask for employee paid options at work
Short Term Disability Insurance

Short Term Disability Insurance: Ideal for Growing Families

Family walking through park togetherShort term disability insurance is an invaluable benefit for growing families. Couples in the family formation life-stage may need to finance a bigger home, a roomier car, baby furniture, and more. Many rely on two incomes to make ends meet.

Some couples struggle getting pregnant, and borrow money to pay for infertility treatments not covered by their health insurance. The resulting pregnancies are often high-risk, meaning mom misses unplanned time from work prior to delivery. Leave after childbirth is often unpaid, compounding the challenge. Postpartum disorders or a seriously ill infant may delay mom's return to work, adding greater financial distress.

Short term disability insurance provides an answer.

Important Short Term Disability Insurance Topics

Short Term Disability for PregnancyShort term disability for maternity leaveShort term disability insurance replaces up to sixty percent of your salary in case pregnancy complications cause a disuption in income prior to delivery. Normal childbirth is a covered disability. Payments are six weeks with a vaginal birth, and eight weeks with a c-section delivery: less your elimination period. Postpartum disorders may delay your return to work, and may be covered as well.
Individual Programs Sold DirectIndividual programs sold directIndividual policies are the holy grail for many growing families. Many employers do not offer coverage for their employees, so women seek individual coverage they can buy direct. Nothing exists. But you can buy an individual policy at work and pay for it yourself. You own the policy and keep it wherever you go.
Coverage for the Self EmployedHow self employed workers can get short term disability insuranceSelf employed workers find it difficult to find health insurance of any kind. Many women with growing families find self employment a great way to gain job flexibility, but then finding a way to replace income during maternity leave becomes very hard. Women who work as contractors or 1099 employees have an option.
Supplemental Policies Fill GapsSupplemental disability fills gaps in state and employer plansSupplemental plans fills gaps left in other policies. Your existing coverage may have long waiting periods, short benefit periods, or may not replace enough of your income. Many group plans are not portable. If you leave work you lose your coverage. If you have an existing medical condition when this happens, finding an alternative policy may be very hard.
State Disability InsuranceState disability insurance plansState Temporary Disability Insurance is a common myth. Many people assume they have some form of income replacement in case they are sick, injured, or go out on maternity leave. Only five states have mandated temporary disability. Each has different levels of income replacement, benefit periods, and maximum weekly payment amounts.
Policy Definitions and FeaturesPolicy definitions and featuresBenefits, features, and policy definitions are broken down into three categories of features: how quickly benefits begin after becoming disabled, how long benefits last while you are unable to work, and how much money will you receive. Each feature impacts the policy premium cost. A licensed insurance agent will help you to find a configuration that fits your budget.

Short Term Disability Insurance: Answers for Families

Short term disability insurance takes away worry for many growing families. After piling up debt for housing, transportation, or trying to get pregnant comes a new expense: left over medical bills associated with pregnancy and childbirth. A loss of income is the last thing your family needs. Any family struggling to make ends meet when healthy will quickly crumble when expenses rise in tandem with lost income. Thankfully, there is a solution.

Mom should consider purchasing short term disability for maternity leave about the time you decide to start a family. Normal childbirth is a covered medical event, and the benefits paid often exceed the premium cost. She will need to get her policy at work, as these policies only only sold through groups as a voluntary or employer funded benefit.

Dad may also consider what would happen if he were unable to work due to an accident or an illness. If your family relies on both incomes to make ends meet, and mom is out on maternity leave, your financial cushion disappears rapidly if both salaries stop. He may be able to find private coverage sold directly to individuals. He is not planning to use the policy, so the requirements are more lax. 

How Short Term Disability Insurance Works

Short term disability insurance replaces a portion of your income during the time you are unable to perform the primary duties of your full time occupation. The benefit ranges up to two-thirds of your gross salary, or $5,000 whichever is less. Payments begin after satisfying the policy elimination period, which can be as short as seven days for sicknesses.

Your policy will continue paying benefits as long as your doctor certifies that you are unable to work. But the payments are temporary, they do not last forever: 3 month to 24 months maximum. The duration benefit period is a choice you make when applying for coverage.

When applying for coverage you will have to answer a series of questions about your job, your income, and your health. Pre-existing conditions will typically not be covered for the first 12 months, and may prevent you from qualifying medically. Make sure to begin your policy before you become pregnant, or experience a medical event. 

If you are unable to work due to a covered accident or sickness you will need to file a claim in order to begin receiving benefit payments. Contact your insurance carrier to download a claim form. Take the form to your doctor to verify that you are disabled, and your employer to certify that you are no longer getting paid. Pregnancy is a covered sickness.

Copyright © A.S.K. Benefit Solutions East Brunswick, NJ