You never expect to be in a position where you can’t work, but something as simple as a back injury or maternity leave could mean time off of work without pay. Fortunately, depending on your plan, you could receive benefits up to 50-70% of your salary through Disability Insurance.
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Helping to protect your financesand way of life
When you get sick or injured, you want to focus on getting well – not on worrying about how to pay the bills or afford next week’s groceries. See how Short Term Disability Insurance may replace a portion of your income. You may be able to purchase Long Term Disability insurance to help support you through a more serious injury or illness.
How Disability Insurance works
Group Short Term Disability Insurance
After surgery, childbirth or other covered situations, Short Term Disability Insurance can be a helping hand while you’re out of work. Your plan could pay a portion of your income for several weeks during this time.
Group Long Term Disability Insurance
If you’re out of work for a longer period of time due to a serious illness or accident, Long Term Disability Insurance can help you maintain financial independence. The length of your coverage depends on your plan.
Individual Disability Insurance
If you earn a higher salary, or rely on bonuses or commissions, Individual Disability Insurance (IDI)can help supplement Long Term Disability Insurance and provide higher levels of income protection coverage should you experience a covered disability and are out of work.
How Disability Insurance compares
| Group Short Term | Group Long Term | Individual | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length of possible coverage payments | 9–52 weeks | Benefits payable until retirement age | Benefits payable until retirement age |
| Amount that your benefit can pay | Up to 60% of your monthly income | Up to 60% of your monthly income | A higher percentage of your pre-disability earnings |
| Portability: allows you to keep coverage if you leave your company or are no longer eligible for coverage | Sometimes portable, depending on plan | Sometimes portable, depending on plan | Individually owned and can be ported |
| Commonly used by people who experience |
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Commonly asked questions about Disability Insurancecoverage
Find out all you need to know about both Group Short Term and Long Term Disability
In general, it's best to have enough disability coverage to replace 60% of your after-tax income. However, this number can vary depending on a variety of factors, such as recurrent debt payments and monthly living expenses.
Unum is committed to making the initial decision on most Short Term Disability Insurance claims within five business days after receipt of a complete claim that includes a:
- completed Employee Statement form
- completed Employer's Statement form
- completed Attending Physician's Statement form
- signed medical authorization form. (optional)
Each claim is unique, and Unum may request additional supporting medical records to make a decision on a claim.
You may also access claim information on your Apple® or Android device using the Unum Customer App.
First, we review medical information to determine if you meet the definition of disability as it is defined in your policy. Once we establish that you meet the definition of disability to be eligible for benefits, you:
- must continue to meet the definition of disability during the elimination period (the elimination period is the number of days that must pass before you are eligible to receive benefits.)
- may also be required to have a certain percentage of earnings lost due to disability
We may ask you to provide updated medical information to verify your disability and continued eligibility for benefits beyond the initial approval of your claim.
The length of time you can receive either Short Term or Long Term Disability benefits depends on your policy's Maximum Benefit Period, which is determined by your employer. Once the elimination period (the number of days that must elapse before you're eligible for benefit payments) is satisfied and you continue to meet the definition of disability, your benefits can extend through the Maximum Benefit Period.
Short Term Disability Insurance benefit payments are generally made on a weekly basis.
Long Term Disability benefit payments are payable monthly.
The money is payable directly to you and can be used however you wish.
The amount of your benefit is dependent on your pre-disability earnings and the benefit percentage allowed in the policy. If the policy includes an incremental benefit, the benefit amount is the amount that you purchased.
You can have the benefit payments electronically deposited in your bank account by filling out an electronic transfer form in your Unum account. This is the fastest and easiest way to receive your benefit.
If you wish, however, payments can be mailed to you as a check.
For a delivery with no complications, most pregnancy claims are approved under Short Term Disability for a period of six weeks. Your employer may choose to provide an alternative eight-week benefit for Cesarean deliveries.
The six-week and eight-week periods include the elimination period. For example, if the elimination period is seven days, then a normal delivery is paid five weeks of benefits.
Disabilities due to complications of pregnancy will be covered in the same way as any other covered sickness.
For Short Term Disability Insurance, in some cases, yes.
For Long Term Disability Insurance, in some cases, yes.
See your HR representative for details.
For both Short Term and Long Term Disability, you may be asked some health questions, which will be used to determine whether you are eligible for coverage.
For more information, please go to: unum.com/employees/file-a-claim.
The disability benefit may be reduced if you are receiving income from other insurance policies, retirement or government programs.
Find out about IDI and whether it’s right for you
Individual Disability Insurance (IDI) canhelp supplement Long Term Disability (LTD). IDI provides an additional monthly benefit in the event of a covered disability, protecting more of your income. In addition, IDI can help cover income that traditional LTD plans may not, including commissions, bonuses and other incentive pay.
IDI is typically offered by the employer to a group of employees, on a voluntary or employer-paid basis.
Individual Disability Insurance is designed to support the needs of executives and professionals with high salaries or uninsured earnings. However, anyone with a gap in coverage due to Long Term Disability benefit maximums or uninsured earnings may be eligible for IDI coverage.
There are significant advantages to having an integrated Unum Long Term Disability (LTD) and Individual Disability Insurance (IDI) solution. However, your employer can offer Unum IDI, regardless of the current LTD carrier.
Individual Disability Insurance can protect a higher percentage of your pre-disability earnings. Your Unum representative will customize a solution to meet your specific income protection needs.
The length of time you can receive benefits depends on your policy. Some policies maypay benefits until you turn 70. Others have maximum benefit periods as short as two years. You must remain disabled under the terms of your policy to keep receiving benefits during these time periods; however, you may be eligible for a portion of your benefits as you return to work.
Yes, Unum Individual Disability Insurance is 100% portable. You own the policy, so you have the option to continue coverage after leaving the company.
Have questions?
Find out more about individual or group disability insurance.
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Underwritten by Unum Life Insurance Company of America, Portland, ME.
In New York, underwritten by First Unum Life Insurance Company, Garden City, NY.
For state-specific Short Term Disability insurance, also known as state paid leave: Underwritten by Unum Insurance Company, Portland, ME.
Individual Disability Insurance is underwritten by Provident Life and Accident Insurance Company, Chattanooga, TN. In New York, underwritten by Provident Life and Casualty Insurance Company, Chattanooga, TN.
For NY: The Group STD/LTD and Individual Disability policies provide disability income insurance only. They do NOT provide basic hospital, basic medical or major medical insurance as defined by the New York State Department of Financial Services. The expected benefit ratios for the Individual Disability policies are 54% for policy form 850, 60% for policy form 851, 61% for policy form 850-F and 67% for policy form 851-F. The ratio is the portion of future premiums that the company expects to return as benefits, when averaged over all people with this policy.
Applicable to Policy Forms C.FP-1, et. al, and PFML20-1.
The policies or their provisions may vary or be unavailable in some states. The policies have exclusions and limitations which may affect benefits payable. See the actual policy or your Unum representative for specific provisions and details of availability.
