But there were plenty of flip-side benefits to having the coverage. For instance, without disability coverage:

an additional 49 percent said they would have missed a mortgage payment.
an additional 44 percent said they would have had to move out of their existing home.
an additional 33 percent would have applied for assistance.
an additional 41 percent said they would have missed a bill payment.

"Beneficiaries reported not just financial, but also social, psychological, and health-related benefits of disability payments," the survey said, citing the following data:

77 percent said disability benefits helped them avoid strain with spouse or partner.
78 percent said benefits helped them maintain their self-esteem as a provider for their family.
88 percent said benefits helped them maintain a healthy emotional outlook.
68 percent said their health would have been worse without benefits.

The comments from those interviewed were powerful endorsements of employer sponsored disability coverage. Among them:

"I probably would have gone off the deep end. It would have been too much to bear with the health problems I have." (Woman in her 50s)
"I would have felt awful, scared, stressed." (Man in his 20s)
"Without the benefit payments there would have been home pressures. I would have felt dependent, where I don't have control of my life, trapped, child-like." (Woman in her 40s)
"My life would have been a whole lot worse without my employer's disability insurance, because I wouldn't have been able to pay my bills, which would have meant I would have probably turned to welfare or Medicaid." (woman aged 65)

Many of the respondents said that few employees understand the value of having employer-provided disability insurance.

Instant Insights /

Report underscores 'critical role' of disability insurance

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