Disability insurance provides a monthly benefit should you become disabled and unable to earn an income. If you qualify, you can pick coverages based on other insurance you may have and your desire to fill in financial gaps — if you can’t work due to an illness or injury.
What Is Disability Insurance?
When discussing disability insurance, most are likely thinking of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), which assists people with disabilities. The program pays benefits to you and certain family members if you are insured, meaning you worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes on your earnings.
How Do You Qualify?
To be eligible, you must have a qualifying disability. More specifically, it must be a disability that has and continues to prevent you from working.
The process to enroll in Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) will look something like this:
- You gather the information and documents you need and complete and submit your application.
- Social Security reviews your application and makes sure you meet requirements, including whether or not you have worked enough years to qualify and current work activities.
- Social Security processes your application and forwards it to the Disability Determination Services office in your state, who make the final decision.
To qualify for Medicare with a disability, you first have to complete this process and enroll in SSDI. Each month, you will receive an SSDI check. Once 24 months have passed, you may be automatically enrolled in Medicare or have to enroll yourself. You do not have to accept this coverage, but there are many benefits you should consider before rejecting it.
Social Security Disability Insurance
With SSDI, you will receive a monthly payment or insurance for the duration of your disability preventing you from working. If you decide to try and go back to work, you must follow a specific process to maintain your benefits.
It’s also important to know how long you need to have worked before your disability to qualify. It is relative to your age—so, if you are 30, you will likely need at least two years of work under your belt. If you are 60, roughly nine and a half years. If you are considering disability insurance, make sure you qualify, especially if you consider going back to work in the near future.
Get the Insurance Advice You Need
Secure Insurance Group works with people like you to find them the policies they need. To learn more about disability insurance, give us a call or send us an email today!
