Women are significantly more likely to encounter disability in their line of work. Kaplan, a 39-year-old lawyer and mother of three, is an ardent supporter of disability insurance. She so strongly believes in it that she reimburses her full-time employees for their premium costs of individual disability insurance, which they receive tax-free due to it not being a part of their payrolls. Disability insurance is designed to offer benefits when policyholders cannot perform their primary job, it’s extremely essential to understand the specifics of the plan.

Kaplan herself persevered with her own disability policy even when her respective firms extended benefits. Her employee plans generally had restrictive definitions of disability, disabling her to reap these benefits fully. She had to take several months off during her second and third pregnancies and relied on her disability checks. Without her own disability policy, the pressure to continue work during this could have resulted in unfavorable health outcomes.

The number of women in the workforce is rising twice as fast as men. Women now contribute 30 to 40% of household income. Yet, women, especially in their peak working years, are more likely to face disability— both permanent and temporary than men. As per the Journal of the American Society of Certified Life Underwriters, a 35-year-old professionally employed woman is three times more likely as opposed to a man of the same age to be disabled for 90 days or more. Long-term disability insurance isn’t mandated by law, hence many companies opt-out.

This makes it essential for employees to understand their entitlements on if and when their companies do offer disability benefits. It’s quintessential not to rely just on social security benefits for potential income as the criteria for those often prove difficult to meet. The California Department of Insurance advises calculating the monthly expenditure in the case of disability while considering the amount of long-term disability payment received and the spouse’s take-home pay. This helps determine the appropriate coverage and whether additional ones are needed.

If you are looking for information on how to qualify for disability benefits or simply how to protect yourself against potential work-related disability, it is essential to reach out to responsible bodies. In the state of California, you can reach out to California Department of Insurance or EDD (Employment Development Department) for more information. Websites like eddcaller.com help you reach the concerned persons in the department, providing solutions on how to contact SDI, how to get through to edd, or how to reach an agent at edd. These services are essential platforms to gather related information and make informed decisions about your future.