According to an NPR article, while about 65% of people surveyed believe that people should have long-term disability insurance, only about 48% of those people believe that they need it. Even worse, only about 20% of these people have disability insurance.

Long-term disability insurance provides you with income when you are unable to work for an extended time due to illness or injury. Typically, long-term disability benefits do not kick in until after a waiting period of three to six months. During that time, individuals often have coverage through short-term disability insurance – provided either through a private insurer, or through the state of California.

In most cases, long-term disability insurance offers you 50 to 60% of your income while you are unable to work. The length of time during which you can receive benefits varies, but some policies allow you to receive benefits until you turn 65 or reach retirement age as considered by the Social Security Administration.

The average duration of a condition that necessitates a long-term disability claim is almost three years. Most people do not have the savings to live without employment income for that long. 46% of those surveyed say that they would not have the cash on hand to cover a $400 emergency. Plus, a full 25% of people are likely to be disabled before their retirement age of 67.

Annual open enrollment soon will be underway at many companies, and long-term disability may be one of those benefits that are available to you. As a result, you should strongly consider the long-term disability insurance that is available to you through your employer. If your employer does not offer this benefit, you may want to consider private disability insurance policies. Although these policies may be more expensive, they can be well worth it if you suffer an injury or illness that results in a claim for benefits.

Obtaining long-term disability coverage can be essential to protecting your future. When you initiate a claim under this coverage, however, you need to be aware of your rights and responsibilities, which may necessitate the assistance of legal counsel. At Bonnici Law Group, we offer you client-centered representation at all stages of the long-term disability benefit claims process. When you need the kind of help that only an experienced long-term disability benefits attorney can offer you, contact Bonnici Law Group at 858-261-5454 or help@bonnicilawgroup.com.