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Short-term disability insurance can help protect your income if you suffer an unexpected illness or injury. You can use the funds to cover expenses such as bills and groceries while you cover. While Aflac short-term disability insurance can’t be purchased on an individual basis, we offer coverage that you can get as a worksite benefit from an employer. Read on to learn how short-term disability works and what it covers to find out if this policy is right for your needs.
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Short-term disability insurance is a policy that is typically provided as part of your employer’s benefits package. This policy pays cash benefits for covered injuries or illnesses (subject to exclusions and limitations) that prevent you from earning income for a short time period.1 Payments can be used as needed – to help with medical bills, recovery expenses or even to help you pay for rent or groceries. This may be particularly helpful if others depend on your income or if you have outstanding bills to pay. Aflac offers short-term disability insurance with extensive coverage and reasonable premiums.
At Aflac, you can apply for short-term disability insurance through your employer. Payments are usually deducted from your paycheck, and you may receive benefits for covered illnesses or injuries that occur on or off-the-job. For example, if you develop pneumonia and need several weeks away from work to recover, your employer’s short-term disability coverage can help replace part of your income so you can focus on getting better without added financial stress.
The main qualifier for short-term disability coverage from your employer is if a covered injury or illness temporarily puts you out of work. For example, if you break your leg and can’t perform your job duties for several weeks, or if an illness requires you to take time off to recover, short-term disability insurance may help replace a portion of your income. However, it can be useful to review circumstances that may not be covered by short-term disability insurance:2
We recognize that understanding the qualifications of each short-term disability insurance plan is important. In addition to reviewing the limitations and exclusions in each plan, it can be helpful to consider your budget for a short-term disability insurance plan and how long you are able to stay afloat without income.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Help cover yourself and your family with coverage from Aflac.
Get StartedYou will start to receive short-term disability benefits within a certain time frame after you file a claim, called an elimination period. This period typically lasts 7 to 14 days, but the exact time frame can vary depending on your policy.1
Every short-term disability insurance plan has its own benefit period. While several months is typical, some plans offer benefits for as long as a year. If you'd like long-term coverage, you'll need to invest in a long-term disability plan. Luckily, you have many options with Aflac:
Short-term disability insurance is designed to help offer coverage for a short period of time after a covered injury or illness. The amount of time varies depending on the type of plan you have and the insurance company, but you may receive coverage for a few months. Long-term disability insurance, on the other hand, can help offer income replacement after your short-term disability coverage has ended and your injury or illness still prevents you from working.
Here are some key benefits short-term disability insurance can offer:
You can apply for short-term disability insurance from Aflac through your employer, if they offer this policy as part of their benefits package. If your employer does not currently offer short-term disability insurance, but you think it would benefit you and your coworkers, we recommend starting the conversation today. If you are an employer and don’t have this plan accessible, offering short-term disability coverage can be a great way to help your employees feel better protected.
Aflac short-term disability insurance is a worksite benefit that employers can provide to help protect employees’ income if an illness or injury keeps them from working. Depending on your location and condition, Aflac offers guaranteed-issue options for short-term disability insurance, meaning you may be able to skip the medical exam and still receive coverage. Keep in mind that every short-term disability plan is different. The duration of coverage, the cash benefits offered, and the limitations and exclusions can vary from company to company.
If you’re an employee, check whether your employer offers Aflac short-term disability insurance or consider starting the conversation if they don’t. If you’re an employer, explore our flexible, affordable plans to see how they can support and protect your workforce.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Help cover yourself and your family with coverage from Aflac.
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Wondering if short-term disability is worth it? Learn how short-term disability works and what it covers to decide if this type of insurance is worth getting.
Short-term disability insurance can offer affordable coverage if you’re out of work due to an injury or sickness. Learn how much short-term disability costs.
Wondering if short-term disability is worth it? Learn how short-term disability works and what it covers to decide if this type of insurance is worth getting.
Short-term disability insurance can offer affordable coverage if you’re out of work due to an injury or sickness. Learn how much short-term disability costs.
1 GoodRx - What Is Short-Term Disability? How It Works, How to Apply, and What Qualifies. Updated July 17, 2024. Accessed January 23, 2025. https://www.goodrx.com/insurance/employer-sponsored/what-is-short-term-disability.
2 Stewart Lee Karlin Law Group, PC - How Long Is Short Term Disability? What You Need To Know. Published Augusth 27, 2024. Accessed January 23, 2025. https://www.stewartkarlin.com/blog/how-long-short-term-disability/.
Content within this article is provided for general informational purposes and is not provided as tax, legal, health, or financial advice for any person or for any specific situation. Employers, employees, and other individuals should contact their own advisers about their situations. For complete details, including availability and costs of Aflac insurance, please contact your local Aflac agent.
Aflac coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. In New York, Aflac coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.
Short-Term Disability, A57600 series: In Arkansas, Policies A57600AR & A57600LBAR. In Delaware, Policies A57600DE & A57600LB. In Idaho, Policy A57600IDR. In New York, Policy NY57600. In Oklahoma, Policies A57600OK &A57600LBOK. In Oregon, Policies A57600OR & A57600LBOR. In Pennsylvania, Policies A57600PAR &A57600LBPA. In Texas, Policies A57600TX &A57600LBTX. In Virginia, Policies A57600VA &A57600LBVA.
Cancer/Specified-Disease, B70000 series: In Delaware, Policies B70100DE, B70200DE & B70300DE. In Idaho, Policies B70100ID, B70200ID, B70300ID, B7010EPID, B7020EPID. In Oklahoma, Policies B70100OK, B70200OK, B70300OK, B7010EPOK, B7020EPOK. A75000 series: In Virginia, policies A75100VA–A75300VA.
Critical Illness/Specified Health Event, A74000 series: In Delaware, Policies A74100DE, A74200DE, A74300DE. In Idaho, Policies A74100ID, A74200ID, A74300ID. In Oklahoma, Policies A74100OK, A74200OK, A74300OK. In Virginia, Policies A74100VA, A74200VA, A74300VA. A73000 series: In Delaware, Policies A73100DE & A7310HDE. In Idaho, Policies A73100ID & A7310HID. In Oklahoma, Policies A73100OK & A7310HOK. In Virginia, Policy A73100VA & A7310HVA. B71000 series: In Delaware, Policies B71100, B71200, B7130H & B7140H. In Oklahoma, Policies B71100OK & B7110HOK.
Hospital, B40000 series: In Delaware, Policies B40100DE & B4010HDE. In Idaho, Policies B40100ID & B4010HID. In Oklahoma, Policies B40100OK & B4010HOK. In Pennsylvania, Policies B40100PA & B4010HPA. In Virginia, Policies B40100VA & B4010HVA.
Other coverage is underwritten by Tier One Insurance Company. Tier One Insurance Company is part of the Aflac family of insurers. In California, Tier One Insurance Company does business as Tier One Life Insurance Company (NAIC 92908).
Cancer/Specified Disease plans, T70000 series: In Delaware, Policy T70000. In Idaho, Policy T70000ID. In Oklahoma T70000OK, In Virginia, policies T70000VA & T70000GVA.
Critical Illness: In Delaware, Policy T71000. In Oklahoma, Policy T71000OK. In Virginia, Policy T71100VA.
Coverage may not be available in all states, including but not limited to DE, ID, NJ, NM, NY, VA or VT. Benefits/premium rates may vary based on state and plan levels. Optional riders may be available at an additional cost. Policies and riders may also contain a waiting period. Refer to the exact policy and rider forms for benefit details, definitions, limitations, and exclusions.
Aflac WWHQ | Tier One | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999
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