Skip to main content
Articles

Disability Income Insurance Coverage | Open Enrollment 2025

Disability Income Insurance Coverage: Do You Really Know What You’re Protected for During Open Enrollment?

By David Levine, Disability Insurance Specialist, Vision Financial Group

As open enrollment season arrives, it’s the perfect time to take a deeper look at one of the most overlooked parts of your benefits package: disability income insurance coverage.

Many people assume their employer’s disability benefits will be enough if they ever face a serious illness or injury. But many employees don’t fully understand what their disability income insurance policy covers — or where the gaps are.

Questions You Should Be Asking About Your Disability Coverage

Before you check the box and move on, ask yourself do you fully understand:

  • What disability benefits you currently have?
  • How are those benefits taxed?
  • How is disability defined under your policy?
  • What portion of your compensation is covered — and what’s excluded?
  • Who determines if you’re disabled?
  • What the policy limitations or exclusions are?

If you’re unsure about any of these, you’re not alone.

Why Your Employer Disability Income Insurance Might Not Be Enough

According to the Social Security Administration, only about 39% of first-time SSDI applications are approved, meaning over 60% are denied at the initial stage.1

Some employer-sponsored plans can be difficult to navigate. In certain cases, benefits may be reduced by Workers’ Compensation or Social Security, and these reductions are often estimated in advance, which can result in lower payouts than anticipated.

And when HR can’t answer your questions, who can?

Let a financial professional at Vision Financial Group help you navigate the complexities of disability income coverage. Together, we can assess your existing benefits and design a personalized solution2  that helps reduce the gaps and protects your financial well-being.

Why Disability Income Insurance Is Critical to Your Financial Strategy

According to the Social Security Administration, 1 in 4 working adults will become disabled before age 67.3That makes disability income protection a crucial part of your overall financial wellness.

Without it, you’re vulnerable to:

  1. Your Income — Your paycheck is your most valuable asset. A sudden illness or injury could interrupt your ability to earn an income.
  2. Your Career Choices — Having strong coverage provides financial protection so you can focus on recovery, without the added pressure of immediate income loss.
  3. Your Assets — Without adequate coverage, you may have to dip into retirement savings, home equity, or your children’s college funds.

Here’s why it matters:

  • Nearly 50% of home foreclosures are tied to medical issues or a disability. 4
  • A 2023 study shows that 20% of Americans have medical related debt. Additionally, a shocking 62% of bankruptcies are due to or related to medical expenses.5

Don’t become a statistic.

Let’s Review Your Coverage Together

Whether you have disability benefits through your employer or none at all, we can help you understand:

  • What you’re actually covered for
  • How your benefits are taxed
  • What financial gaps may exist
  • And how to protect what matters most

Contact us today to speak with a financial professional who can walk you through your options and help you build a more confident future.

1 SSDI Initial Application Approval Rates, 2020 – https://www.clausonlaw.com/blog/disability-benefits/approval-rates-by-state-for-ssdi-and-ssi/

2 Supplemental individual disability income insurance does not coordinate with your group long term disability coverage. Claim decisions are rendered independent of each other.
3  Social Security Fact Sheet, 2025 –  https://www.ssa.gov/news/press/factsheets/basicfact-alt.pdf
4 Medical Causes of Home Mortgage Foreclosures – https://pnhp.org/news/medical-causes-of-home-mortgage-foreclosures/
5 How Medical Debt Makes People Sicker — and What We Can Do About It, 2023 – https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/podcast/2023/oct/how-medical-debt-makes-people-sicker-what-we-can-do-about-it

The information provided is not written or intended as specific tax or legal advice. MassMutual, its subsidiaries, employees and representatives are not authorized to give tax or legal advice. Individuals are encouraged to seek advice from their own tax or legal counsel. 

Disability income insurance policies issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, Springfield MA 01111-0001.

 

CRN202808-9205077

Share