Disability Insurance

Did you know that most injuries - nearly 60% - happen off the job?¹ This means they are not covered by Worker's Compensation, leaving a serious gap in your income protection. What's more, health insurance covers only your medical bills; it offers no financial security for any of life's everyday expenses. Finally, Social Security disability benefits cover "severe" disabilities only - those expected to last a year or more. To help close these gaps, you need the security of Disability insurance.

Most of us take our health - and our ability to work - for granted. But the fact is, nearly one in every five working-age Americans has a disability.² For many, this means loss of income, family security and independence. It can happen to anyone, at any age. A disability that prevents you from working - even for a short time - can be hard on you and your family. A weekend sports injury, a back disorder, a car accident, about of pneumonia - all are common causes of short term disability, and all can keep you from your job and your paycheck.

• At age 35, one has a 50/50 chance of being unable to work more than three months due to a disability before turning 65.³
• Disabilities affect one-fifth of Americans (about 54 million people)⁴
• On the average about 2,340 disabling injuries occur every hour during the year.⁵
• A disabling injury occurs every eight seconds at work.⁶
• More than half of all American families live from paycheck to paycheck.⁷

If a disability prevents you from earning income, how will you pay your bills, your mortgage, your car payments and other expenses? And what about the added costs that may accompany a disability, such as expenses for adaptive equipment? There's a lot depending on your paycheck - that' why disability income protection is so important. Disability insurance provides benefits to replace a portion of lost income for eligible employees who meet the definition of disability. This allows the policy holder to focus on their health and medical needs and not on how the mortgage and automobile loan will be paid.

Group disability insurance is very reasonable and can be paid by the employer, employee, a combination of employer and employee, or on a voluntary basis. As one of the most experienced insurance agencies on the Central Coast in disability insurance, Kardel Insurance Services specializes in creating disability solutions to meet our client's unique needs.

1. National Safety Council, Accident Facts, 1999.
2. National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Chartbook on Work and Disability in the United States, 1998.
3. Society of Actuaries, Money Magazine, April 2000.
4. U.S. Census Bureau, Americans with Disabilities, 1994-1995
5. National Safety Council, Injury Facts, 2001 edition.
6. National Safety Council, Injury Facts, 2001 edition.
7. Consumer Federation of American survey conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates, February 20, 2001.