Disability Income Insurance

Definition of "Disability income insurance"

Health insurance that provides income payments to the insured wage earner when income is interrupted or terminated because of illness, sickness, or accident. Definitions under this insurance include:

  1. Total and Partial Disability reduction in benefits if the insured is found to be partially disabled instead of totally disabled.
  2. Amount of Benefits many policies stipulate that all sources of disability income cannot exceed 50% to 80% of the insured's earnings prior to the disability, subject to a maximum absolute dollar amount.
  3. Duration of Benefits length of time benefits will be paid. Some policies will pay benefits for one or two years, whereupon the insured must agree to be retrained for other work. Other policies pay benefits as long as the insured is unable to do the job for which he or she is suited by training, education, and experience (often up to age 65, when retirement programs take over). Some policies pay lifetime benefits.
  4. ELIMINATION PERIOD (Waiting Period) period beginning with the first day of disability, during which no payments are made to the insured. The longer this period, the lower the premiums.
  5. Physician's Care the insured must be regularly attended by a legally qualified physician because it is necessary to assess changes in severity of disability.
  6. PREEXISTING CONDITION if an insured has a preexisting injury, sickness, or illness, most policies will not pay income benefits either for the duration of the policy or until a period of time (usually from six months to one year) has elapsed.
  7. Recurrent Disability most policies will not pay income benefits to an insured who is experiencing a recurrent disability unless the recurrent disability is deemed a new disability. Some more progressive policies define a recurrent disability as a new disability if there has been a break of at least six months between the first disability and the current disability, and the insured has returned to work during that break.
  8. RESIDUAL DISABILITY many policies pay for the unused portion of the total disability period, limited to age 65.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Terms

Insurance companies that seek an economic advantage, thereby increasing their returns on equity by utilizing their specialized knowledge about a given line of insurance, territory, or risk ...

Voluntary state insurance programs that aid small businesses in acquiring insurance coverages when there are impediments to obtaining the coverage. ...

Association of life insurance agents who meet minimum life insurance sales standards predetermined each year by the organization. Membership is a primary goal of professional life insurance ...

Dividend in a participating policy paid after the death of an insured, representing dividends earned between the last dividend date and the insured's death. ...

Plans that are similar to stock appreciation rights (SARS) in that an employee is granted a contractual right by the employer to a stipulated number of units in the business, which is ...

Liability coverage mandated by the employee retirement income security act OF 1974 (erisa) under which employers are required to purchase insurance to cover their contingent liability for ...

Use of engineering-approved masonry or fire resistive materials for exterior walls, floors, and roofs to reduce the severity of a potential fire and lower premium rates. ...

Expenses taken out when benefits are paid. For example, a specific dollar amount is subtracted from a monthly income payment for company expenses. ...

Canadian retirement plan much like U.S. individual retirement account (IRA). Here, an employee can contribute on a tax deductible basis C $3500 each year as a member of an employer pension ...

Popular Insurance Questions