(NAPSA)—When asked to list their assets, many people are likely to fail to include their abil- ity to earn an income. However, when that ability is impaired because of a disability, some may be left financially unprotected. In fact, research indicates that only 58 percent of full-time employees say they have disability Income insurance protection. Nearly half of those, 41 percent, admit they don’t know how much protection they have. Plus, the majority of working Americans(59 percent) have taken no steps to determine their households’ needs with regard to disability coverage. That’s according to the 6th annual MetLife Study of Employee Benefits Trends. In the event that an individual becomes unable to work because of sickness or injury, disability income insurance can replace a portion of lost income, helping to Many employees do not havesufficient disability insurance coverage should they becomeinjured orill. According to the 6th annual Metlife Study of Employee Benefits Trends: Only 58 percentoffull-time employees have disability insurance coverage. Of those that have coverage, 41 percent do not know how much coverage they have. Of those that do know how much coverage they have, more than half— 57 percent—don’tbelieve, or are unsure, that this amountof coverageis adequate tional coverage to meet your needs, there are advantages to buying disability insurance through the workplace, including the convenience, group rates, lim- ited underwriting and payroll deduction. ensure that day-to-day living expenses are covered and that long-term financial goals can be e If you don’t have coverage through work or are not able to The experts at MetLife believe disability incomepolicy. Look to replace 60 to 75 percent of your net earnings. Many people—especially high-wage earners—will need an individual policy to maximize their income addressed. that when consumers are obtaining disability coverage, they should consider the following: e If your employer provides a group disability insurance plan, determine the percentage of income it covers, what the waiting period is before benefits begin and the length of time that you’d be covered. e Is the amount of coverage provided by your employer enough for your situation? For example, group disability insurance offered by an employer as an employee benefit typically will not cover additional sources of income such as bonuses or incentive compensa- tion. If your employer offers the opportunity to purchase addi- obtain enough, you should con- sider purchasing an individual replacement. Be sure to understand the maximum duration that benefits will be paid. The most frequently offered benefit periods are two years, five years and to age 65. For free access to additional disability insurance resources, visit the MetLife Disability Insur- ance Calculator at www.metlifeis easier.com/disabilitycalculator, read MetLife’s Disability Income Insurance Life Advice brochure at www.lifeadvice.com or contact a MetLife agent or broker.
