Long-Term Disability Insurance is a valuable resource as a means for protecting your income as well as your standard of living. Should you become disabled you most likely will be unable to earn enough income to cover your continued living expenses. Disability Insurance provides the insured with monthly payments to assist in meeting their everyday living expenses.

Approximately 54 million Americans currently have a disability (1) . Each year, 1 in 5 people will become disabled for one year or more (1). Almost half of the home foreclosures in the United States are brought on by a disability (2).

1. McNeil, J.M. (1997) Americans With Disabilities: 1994-95, "U. S. Census Current Population Report," PP 70-61, Washington, D.C.: US Department of Commerce
2. Mortgage Foreclosures in the U. S. (1990) "Million Dollar Round Table Reference Guide," PP 6.15.1

There are two types of disability insurance:

Short-Term
Provides income for the early part of a disability. A policy may pay benefits for two weeks or up to two years. It is often included as part of an employee benefit package.

Long-Term
Replaces your income for an extended period of time. Some people have long term disability insurance provided by their employers, others purchase it individually.