Picture Your Team Protected — Even When They Can’t Work

Protect Your Most Valuable Asset — Your People

When an illness or injury keeps a valued employee out of work, group disability quietly replaces a big chunk of their paycheck — so they can focus on recovering instead of worrying about the bills. Picture the relief on your team’s faces knowing that if life takes an unexpected turn, they’re covered. It’s one of the most appreciated benefits you can offer, and one of the simplest ways to show your people you’ve got their back.

Because we’re independent, we work for you — not one carrier. We represent 20+ top-rated disability carriers and build a plan that fits your budget, your industry, and your workforce. Whether you want employer-paid coverage that protects everyone automatically or a voluntary program your team funds through simple payroll deduction, we’ll talk through your options and design the right fit together.

Short-Term vs. Long-Term Disability

Most businesses pair both STD and LTD to close every gap — short absences and life-changing events alike. Look at how they work together:

Voluntary vs. Employer-Paid Plans

Employer-Paid (Core) Plans: The employer pays 100% of the premium. This provides a baseline of coverage for all employees with no enrollment hurdles — everyone is automatically covered. Premiums are tax-deductible as a business expense, but benefits are taxable to employees. This structure is most common for key employee groups and executive benefit packages.

Voluntary (Employee-Paid) Plans: Employees elect coverage and pay the full premium through convenient payroll deduction. Since employees pay with after-tax dollars, their benefits are received tax-free. Voluntary plans give employees flexibility to choose the level of coverage that fits their personal situation, and they cost the employer nothing while still providing a highly valued benefit.

Hybrid Approach: Many employers choose a blended model — offering employer-paid STD or LTD as a base benefit while allowing employees to purchase supplemental coverage (or buy-up options) through voluntary payroll deduction. This provides a solid foundation of protection while letting employees customize their coverage.

How It Fits With Your Other Benefits

Group disability works hand in hand with the benefits you already offer to create a complete safety net. See how the pieces fit together so you can avoid hidden gaps and feel confident nothing falls through the cracks:

• Paid Time Off (PTO) & Sick Leave: STD typically begins after PTO and sick leave are exhausted, or it can be designed to coordinate directly with your paid leave policy. Some plans allow employees to use sick leave to supplement STD benefits up to 100% of pay.
• Workers Compensation: If a disability is work-related, workers comp provides the primary coverage and STD/LTD serves as a supplement for any remaining income gap. WC does not cover non-occupational disabilities, which is why group disability is essential.
• State Disability Insurance (SDI): In states like California, New York, and New Jersey, state-mandated SDI programs provide partial wage replacement. Group disability plans can be integrated with or supplant SDI, depending on state regulations and employer preference.
• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI): LTD plans typically integrate with SSDI. Your LTD benefit may be reduced by the amount your employee receives from SSDI. We help structure plans to maximize total income protection.
• 401(k) & Retirement Plans: Employees receiving disability benefits may be able to continue retirement plan contributions. Many group disability plans include a retirement plan contribution feature that helps keep retirement savings on track during a disability.

Designing a Plan Around Your Business

Every business is different, and your plan should be too. When we build your group disability coverage, we walk through these levers together so it protects your people the way you want — at a price that fits your budget:

• Waiting / Elimination Period: The longer the waiting period before benefits begin, the lower the premium. Common waiting periods are 0, 7, 14, 30, 60, 90, and 180 days.
• Benefit Percentage: Standard income replacement ranges from 50% to 70%. Higher percentages result in higher premiums but provide better protection for your employees.
• Maximum Monthly Benefit: Caps on the total monthly benefit help control costs while still providing meaningful protection. Higher caps are available for executive and key employee groups.
• Definition of Disability: “Own occupation” definitions are more favorable to employees (benefits if they can’t perform their specific job) while “any occupation” definitions are more restrictive and result in lower premiums.
• Guaranteed Standard Issue (GSI): Many group disability plans offer guaranteed issue up to certain amounts with no medical underwriting — meaning employees cannot be turned down for health reasons.

Frequently Asked Questions