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If you're hurt or sick and unable to work, long-term disability insurance can help replace part of your income. Read on to learn what medical conditions qualify for long-term disability and how you can apply for coverage. Long-term disability coverage isn't available at Aflac, but we do offer short-term disability insurance that is available through worksite payroll deduction.
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Long-term disability insurance is a policy that helps supplement an estimated 60% of your regular income after a qualifying medical condition prevents you from working for an extended period of time.1 Typically, short-term disability coverage is for medical conditions that keep you out of work for up to a year, while long-term disability helps cover time beyond that.
In either case, you will need to wait through an elimination period, which is the time you must wait before the insurer will pay benefits.
Otherwise, long-term disability works like any other insurance policy:
This regular benefit can help you meet your living expenses while you recover, while health insurance and supplemental policies (insurance that offers additional coverage for expenses your primary insurance doesn’t cover), like hospital insurance, may help reduce your out-of-pocket medical costs.
Qualifying conditions for long-term disability insurance vary between policies and insurers. Usually, long-term disability does not cover pre-existing conditions, but that will not necessarily disqualify you from applying for a policy.2 That pre-existing condition just won’t be covered by the policy.
Generally, some medical conditions that qualify for long-term disability include:1,2
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Help cover yourself and your family with coverage from Aflac.
Get StartedMany employers offer long-term disability insurance plans as part of a benefits package. Otherwise, you can apply for individual disability insurance on your own.
Here are the steps you can take to apply:2
Remember, you typically will not receive benefits for pre-existing conditions, so it’s important to apply and start paying for a long-term disability policy before you need it.
Specific claims for long-term disability insurance may be denied because:
If your claim is denied, you can:
Disability insurance can be a valuable resource if you miss work due to a qualifying injury or illness. However, not all medical conditions qualify for long-term disability, so it’s imperative to get a policy before a medical event and review it to understand your coverage.3
While Aflac does not offer long-term disability policies, we do offer short-term disability insurance that may be offered through your employer, which can provide cash benefits if you suffer a covered illness or injury and are unable to work. If you’re interested in applying for coverage, start chatting with an agent today.
Ready to get short-term disability insurance?
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Short-term and long-term disability insurance both offer great coverage. Learn the differences between them to figure out which insurance plan is right for you.
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.
Short-term and long-term disability insurance both offer great coverage. Learn the differences between them to figure out which insurance plan is right for you.
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 United States Chamber of Commerce – Short-Term vs. Long-Term Disability: What’s the Difference? Published January 31, 2025. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://www.uschamber.com/co/run/finance/short-term-vs-long-term-disability.
2 Policygenius – How does long-term disability work? Updated July 19, 2024. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://www.policygenius.com/disability-insurance/how-does-long-term-disability-insurance-work/.
3 Patient Advocate Foundation – Long Term Disability and Its Benefits. Accessed April 3, 2025. https://www.patientadvocate.org/explore-our-resources/maintaining-employment-employment-benefits/long-term-disability-and-its-benefits/.
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.
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.
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 | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999
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