Group Long Term Disability is an affordable, valuable benefit to have and way better than having no coverage at all. But group disability coverage doesn’t solve the income replacement issue completely and can be risky if it is your only safety net if you were unable to work due to an illness or injury.
Here are a couple of reasons that you might consider having a personal disability coverage:
Your current position becomes a contract position or you become self-employed in the future – as a contract worker you are typically considered self employed and very seldom eligible for group disability coverage or government programs that were previously available to you.
Your income includes regular bonuses – bonus income is typically not eligible for coverage under long term disability plans.
You are a high income earner - High income earners are typically significantly under-insured as most group LTD plans have built in maximums.
You experience a disability that is not total - group Long Term Disability typically does not include benefits for partial disability. That means if you can work some of the time, the group policy would not pay.
You become disabled for longer than two years - Most group LTD plans include a two-year regular occupation definition of disability, switching to any occupation thereafter. That means that insurers will want you to transition to a role that you are able to do based on your education, training, and experience. Some group plans may not offer benefits to age 65.
Solutions to fill this gap include top up coverage or a policy designed to offset your group coverage.
Unfortunately, people do get sick and accidents do happen, and when they happen, they strike like a bolt from the blue, unwanted, unexpected, and unwelcome. Unfortunately, many are unprepared for the financial hit that a disability can bring.
Contact us today to discuss potential gaps in your existing coverage.