Disability insurance
What is disability insurance? It protects your ability to earn a living. If you get too sick or injured to work, it replaces a portion of your income so you can pay your bills. Disability is more common than you may think: about 5% of working Americans experience a short-term disability each year — and most don’t originate at work, so they aren’t covered by workers' compensation.¹
Get disability insurance for yourself
Affordable long-term disability plans for the self-employed and people who want to supplement coverage from work.
Get disability insurance for employees
Protect the financial wellness of employees with short- and long-term coverage that can be managed in lockstep with other leave requirements.
A history of protecting
Why choose Guardian for disability insurance?
Investopedia named Guardian the Best Overall Disability Insurance Company for 2023 because of our wide range of plans and options to meet the needs of individuals and businesses.² But then again, we’ve been at it for a long time. In fact, Guardian has been helping families protect their financial well-being for over 160 years. With high scores for financial soundness from independent rating agencies,* our 12 million customers can trust us to be there when they need us most.³
Why every working adult should have disability insurance
What would happen if you were suddenly unable to work and earn an income? Accidents and injuries happen, and we can’t always anticipate if or when we’ll be diagnosed with a serious illness or medical condition. A disability policy can help protect you and your family by providing income to help pay your bills if you can’t collect your normal paycheck.
Disabilities are more common than you may think
While the term “disability” is sometimes applied to catastrophic conditions, such as paralysis from a car accident or a debilitating stroke, it covers far more conditions than you might think. Disabilities are more typically the result of less severe injuries, and people often need disability coverage for more common conditions such as pregnancy, back pain, depression, and digestive disorders.
Leading causes of disability claims*:
Income protection supports financial wellness
Around 5% of working Americans a year will experience a short-term disability leave due to a pregnancy, injury, or illness.⁴ The truth is that people of all ages, demographics, and professions have roughly the same potential to experience an income-disrupting injury or illness. More than 25% of today’s 20-year-olds can expect to become disabled and be out of work for at least a year during their career.⁵
Thinking about individual disability income insurance? Connect with a financial professional.
Still have questions?
Resources to help you learn and compare options or find materials to share with your employees.
Other products you may be interested in for yourself or your employees
Life insurance
If people depend on your income for support, what will happen to them if something happens to you? Life insurance can be a vital source of financial support.
Dental insurance
Dental insurance helps keep your mouth and body healthier by covering regular preventive oral care. And it helps cover costs every time you visit the dentist — even if you need major work.
Supplemental health insurance
Supplemental health benefits can offer an economical way to support well-being when employees are faced with unforeseen challenges, like an accident, illness, or injury.
Material discussed is meant for general informational purposes only and is not to be construed as tax, legal, or investment advice. Although the information has been gathered from sources believed to be reliable, please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, the information should be relied upon only when coordinated with individual professional advice.
Links to external sites are provided for your convenience in locating related information and services. Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents and employees expressly disclaim any responsibility for and do not maintain, control, recommend, or endorse third-party sites, organizations, products, or services and make no representation as to the completeness, suitability, or quality thereof.
Individual disability income products underwritten and issued by Berkshire Life Insurance Company of America (BLICOA), Pittsfield, MA or provided by Guardian. BLICOA is a wholly owned stock subsidiary of and administrator for the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), New York, NY. Product provisions and availability may vary by state. Optional riders are available for an additional premium.
Guardian’s Group Disability Insurance is underwritten and issued by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, NY. Products are not available in all states. Policy limitations and exclusions apply. Optional riders and/or features may incur additional costs. Generic Policy Form #s GP-1-STD-15; GP-1-LTD-15. The state approved form is the governing document. For NY, the Policy Form # is GP-1-DI-12R-NY.
For Guardian’s Group Disability Insurance, this advertising content is not currently intended for anyone in the state of New Mexico.
Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents, and employees do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. Consult your tax, legal, or accounting professional regarding your individual situation.
*Ratings are as of 2022 and are subject to change.
1Disability Statistics; Chance of Becoming Disabled - DisabilityCanHappen.org
2https://www.investopedia.com/best-disability-insurance-5071119
3https://www.guardianlife.com/financial-highlights
4Council for Disability Awareness, Chances of Disability, 2021
5Ibid.
