How would you pay your bills and support your family if you suffered a serious illness or injury and could not work? Disability insurance, also known as income protection insurance or sick pay, safeguards families by providing wage earners with a sizeable portion of their income if they are unable to work because of injury or illness. 

Unfortunately, misunderstandings about disability income insurance and the need for the benefits it provides have caused some workers to forego this protection, leaving them and their families in a dangerously vulnerable position. To help ensure that your family has the financial protection they deserve, here are the most common misconceptions about disability income insurance , along with the real facts about this valuable protection.

My employer’s disability insurance provides all the protection I need. 

The group disability income insurance coverage provided by most employers pays around 60 percent of your salary, up to a specified cap, typically $4,000 to $6,000 per month. Any bonuses, commissions, and other forms of compensation you receive are not included, even if they represent a significant portion of your salary. An individual disability income insurance policy can cover up to 70 to 80 percent of your income, depending on the policy you choose, and your benefits are usually not taxed as they are under employer-based plans. Group policies also usually reduce the amount they pay based on any other payments you receive, such as Social Security, a drawback that personal disability income insurance policies do not have. 

Social Security Disability will cover me if I become disabled. 

Despite public perception, only a very small number of people actually receive Social Security disability benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) operates under such strict definitions of disability that they only approve approximately 35% of disability applications at the initial application level and only 10% of applicants at the reconsideration level. That leaves the vast majority of disabled workers uncovered by Social Security benefits.

Workers’ Compensation benefits will cover me if I am unable to work. 

Statistics show that only 5% of disabling accidents and injuries are work-related and covered by Workers’ Compensation Insurance. 

My savings will cover my needs.

If you put 10% of your salary into savings every year, a single year of disability could wipe out a decade of savings. Since your income and expenses have grown during that time, you could lose even more, as the interest paid on savings is not commensurate with the rising cost of living. 

Individual disability income insurance is too expensive. 

Actually, individual disability income insurance is far more affordable than most people realize. If you look at your disability income insurance premium as a percentage of your yearly salary, a typical plan only represents 1% to 3% of your income. To put it into perspective: A 45-year-old worker making $50,000 a year can purchase an individual disability income insurance plan for around $150 a month; if that same worker becomes permanently disabled, he or she stands to lose more than $1,000,000 in future earnings. 

All disability income insurance plans are the same. 

Disability income insurance plans can vary in many ways. Differences in definitions of disability, length of waiting periods, as well as the length and levels of coverage provided can have a significant effect on the financial well being of your family. The insurance specialists at MHG can explain the fine print and compare policy benefits and premiums to ensure you have the best individual disability income insurance coverage for your particular financial situation. MHG Insurance can assemble a complete insurance package that includes life insurance, health insurance, disability income protection , AFLAC coverage and more to ensure your family has all the protection they need. 

Call  MHG Insurance  today at 954-828-1819 or visit us online at mhginsurance.com and let our insurance specialists ensure your family has all the coverage they need.