Life & Health Insurance
Understand what would replace your income if you couldn't work.
A review of short-term and long-term disability insurance, including how employer coverage compares to what you might actually need.
No obligation. Starting a review does not change or bind any coverage.
What's going on
Maybe you've never thought about what would happen to your income if you couldn't work for a while. Maybe your employer offers some disability coverage and you're not sure what it actually pays or for how long. This is where to start.
Why it matters
Disability insurance replaces a portion of your income if you can't work due to illness or injury. Short-term policies generally cover a few weeks to months; long-term policies can cover years or until retirement age. Policies also differ in how they define disability — an "own-occupation" definition pays if you can't do your specific job, while an "any-occupation" definition only pays if you can't work any job at all. Employer-provided coverage is often less than people assume, both in how much it pays and how long it lasts.
Things worth considering
Points we would talk through with you. Which of them apply depends on your situation, and what you do about them is your decision.
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Do you have short-term, long-term, or both?
Short-term and long-term disability cover different time periods and are often sold separately. It's worth knowing what gap, if any, exists between them.
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How does the policy define disability?
An own-occupation definition pays if you can't perform your specific job. An any-occupation definition is stricter — it only pays if you can't perform any job at all. This distinction significantly affects what a policy actually covers.
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What does your employer coverage actually provide?
Group disability coverage through work is often a modest percentage of salary with a benefit cap, and it may not continue if you change jobs. It's worth understanding what you'd be left with.
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How long is the benefit period?
Policies pay out for a defined period, whether that's a set number of years or until a certain age. This affects how much protection the policy actually provides over time.
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Is the benefit taxable?
Whether disability benefits are taxable can depend on how the premiums were paid. This is worth discussing so you understand what you'd actually receive.
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What's the elimination period?
Most policies have a waiting period before benefits begin. Knowing how long you'd need to cover expenses on your own before payments start matters.
Information on this website is general in nature and is not a complete description of any insurance policy or every coverage option that may be available. Coverage availability, terms, conditions, limits and exclusions vary by insurer, policy and individual circumstances. The issued insurance policy and applicable endorsements control coverage. Beacon Point Insurance Group may provide information regarding available insurance options and discuss coverage considerations based on information you provide, but customers are responsible for selecting the carrier, coverages, limits and deductibles they wish to purchase. No insurance coverage is bound, changed, or canceled through this website unless confirmed by Beacon Point Insurance Group or the applicable insurer.
How this tends to come up
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Assuming employer coverage was enough
An Independence resident assumed their employer's disability plan would replace most of their income. A review showed it covered a smaller percentage and only for a limited period.
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Two different definitions of disability
A Kansas City area professional compared an any-occupation policy against an own-occupation option and found the difference mattered a great deal given the specialized nature of their work.
We Learn. We Compare. We Explain. You Decide.
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We Learn
We ask questions about your situation and the insurance you currently carry.
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We Compare
Based on the information you provide, we can obtain and compare available options from the insurance companies we represent.
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We Explain
We help you understand important differences in coverage, limits, deductibles, policy terms, and price.
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You Decide
You select the company, coverages, limits, deductibles, and options you want to purchase.
What working with us is like
The part people tend to mention is that someone explained it and then let them decide.
More life & health coverage
Let's find the options that work for you.
No obligation. Starting a review does not change or bind any coverage.