Start with the income your household relies on
Disability income insurance can replace part of your earnings when a covered illness or injury meets the policy’s definition of disability. It serves a different purpose from health insurance, which helps pay for covered medical care. List the bills you would still need to pay if you could not work, then check what employer benefits or other resources you already have.
Review when benefits start and stop
Compare the benefit amount, the waiting period before benefits begin, and the maximum time benefits may continue. Read how the policy defines disability: being unable to perform your own occupation can be different from being unable to perform another occupation. Ask whether the definition changes over time and whether benefits can apply if you return to work with reduced hours.
Compare policy terms with your existing benefits
Request a copy of any group policy through work and ask whether it can continue if you change employers. Compare exclusions, offsets for other benefits, and the rules for renewal. If you are self-employed or your income varies, ask what financial records the insurer uses to determine the benefit.
Coverage depends on your policy’s terms, limits, and exclusions.