How likely am I to become disabled before retirement?

You are about 17 times more likely to be disabled than to die before retirement. Roughly 1 in 4 of today's workers will be disabled for 90 days or more before age 65.

Does not my employer's coverage already protect me?

Group coverage usually replaces only part of your income, is taxed when you receive it, and disappears if you leave the job. For most people it is not enough on its own.

How long do disability claims usually last?

The average long-term disability claim lasts about 3 years. Most people have less than 6 months of expenses saved, which is the gap a good policy is built to close.

What kind of disability insurance does BetterWealth recommend?

An individual policy you own and control, with definitions that actually protect your occupation. We start with what your income is worth and build the coverage around it.

Disability Insurance | BetterWealth

First question

Are you working because you need to,
or because you want to?

If the answer is need to, your financial plan has a single point of failure. One event ends everything. Most people insure every asset they own except the one that funds all of them.

Income Asset Calculator

You are not insuring a salary.
You are insuring a lifetime asset.

Enter your details below and see exactly what your income-earning ability is worth between now and retirement.

Current Age

Retirement Age

Annual Income

Annual Income Growth

3.0%

33 years to retirement

Total lifetime income asset at 3% annual growth

Conservative

0% growth

Your scenario

3% growth

Optimistic

5% growth

Insuring this asset costs roughly 1-3% of your annual income. You insure your car for 100%. The math is the same.

The problem

Most disability policies fail you
at the worst possible moment.

Wrong definition of disability

Most group policies use "any occupation." You only collect if you cannot work any job at all. A surgeon with a broken hand who can answer phones is not covered after two years. The carrier decides what is reasonable.

No portability

Group coverage disappears when you leave your job, get laid off, or start your own business. Pre-existing conditions may not be covered at your next employer. Your individual policy goes wherever you go.

Not enough coverage

Employer plans typically cover 60% of base salary. No bonuses, no business income. And if your employer pays the premium, those benefits are taxable. After taxes, 60% can feel closer to 40%.

The two-year trap

Most group policies only protect your occupation for two years. After that, if you can do anything reasonable based on your education and experience, they stop paying. Reasonable is a word carriers love and claimants hate.

Not sure if your current coverage has these gaps?

Book a free 25-minute policy review. We will tell you exactly what you have and what you are missing.

Get a Free Policy Review

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Disability done better

Two words determine whether
you collect or not.

Any occupation or own occupation. Most people have no idea which one they have. Type your occupation below and see exactly what the difference looks like for someone in your field.

Situation	✕ Any Occupation Typical group plan	✓ Own Occupation What we use
Can you do other work?	Search your occupation above	Search your occupation above
Do you collect benefits?	Search your occupation above	Search your occupation above
After 2 years?	Search your occupation above	Search your occupation above
Income protected?	Search your occupation above	Search your occupation above
Premium guaranteed?	Search your occupation above	Search your occupation above
Policy portable?	Search your occupation above	Search your occupation above

🔍

Search your occupation above

See exactly how any occupation vs. own occupation plays out for someone in your field.

Every disability policy comes down to three decisions: benefit amount (how much you get paid), definition (the fine print that determines whether you collect), and cost. Group plans are bought on benefit amount and cost. The definition is what suffers. That is why claims get denied.

How it works

Three steps to the right coverage.

Step 01

Discovery call

We look at your situation. Your income, current coverage, occupation class, and your goals. We ask the right questions, find the gaps, and determine what proper coverage actually looks like for you.

Step 02

You get options

We shop the top carriers and put different scenarios side by side with real numbers. Benefit amounts, elimination periods, riders. You see exactly what you are getting and what it costs before you decide anything.

Step 03

You decide

We present our recommendation and you decide. If it makes sense, we place it. If it does not, we tell you that too. You own the policy, not your employer. It goes wherever you go.