Even if you know how beneficial long-term disability insurance can be, you may not know what to expect as far as rates are concerned. It’s not easy to just throw out a few figures; rates vary from one person to another, and they depend on various factors. Below, we’ll explain some of these factors in greater detail.
1. Your Age
As we age, we’re more likely to suffer a long-term disability. Because of that unfortunate fact, insurance rates increase with age. Keep in mind that your cost for long-term disability insurance will never be as low as it is today, and consider purchasing a policy as soon as possible.
2. Your Income
In the long-term disability insurance niche, the terminology is a bit misleading; it should really be known as ‘income insurance’. Because it is designed to protect or replace your income, it pays more if you make more. Therefore, rates are higher for those with elevated incomes. In most cases, long-term coverage costs from one to three per cent of your gross yearly income.
3. Whether You Smoke
Those who smoke are more likely to become disabled in the future. Not only do they pay more for health and life insurance, but they also pay more for disability coverage as well. If you smoke, consider quitting; if you don’t smoke, don’t start.
4. Your Job
As a worker, your long-term disability insurance rate is determined based on your job’s risks or physical demands. For instance, if you’re an office worker, you may pay less than a manual labourer would pay.
5. The Definition of a ‘Disability’
Every policy has a unique definition of the term ‘disability’. Most question whether you can do your previous job, or whether you’re unable to do any work at all. The looser the definition, the more you’ll pay for coverage. A policy covering ‘own occupation’ disabilities will pay out if you can’t do the same work, even if you could hold a different type of job.
However, a policy covering the ‘loss of earnings’ will bridge the gap between your pre- and post-disability income. Finally, an ‘any occupation’ policy will only pay out if you cannot perform any type of work. By considering this from Darras Law, you will get the help needed to encourage your insurer to fulfil its obligations.
6. The Potential Payout
While your policy’s cost will, of course, depend on your income, not all long-term disability policies pay 100% of what you make. Some pay just a fraction of that amount; the closer the policy comes to a 100% payout, the higher the rate you’ll pay.
7. Elimination Period Length
A policy’s elimination period is sometimes referred to as a waiting period. It’s the time that has to pass between the onset of your disability and when the policy starts paying out. A policy may come with a 30-, 60-, or 90-day elimination period, and those with shorter periods will cost more.
8. The Benefit Period
A disability insurance policy’s benefit period is the length of time it will pay out following the waiting period. Two- and five-year policies are common, as are lifetime policies and those that pay out until retirement age. The longer the benefit period, the more the policy will cost.
In Conclusion
Now that you’ve gained an understanding of the factors affecting your long-term disability insurance rates, your next step should be to determine how much coverage you need. While an insurance agent can help you find a new policy, a local disability attorney will help you get the benefits to which you’re already entitled.
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