DisabilityFLEXSM
Unique Needs, Custom CoverageSee how you can help protect your employees and your bottom line with new customizable disability coverage.
- What It Is
- How It's Flexible
- Why It's Valuable
- Whom It Covers
- What It Costs
- About Claims
- Audits: Why and How
- How To Get It
What It Is
DisabilityFLEX is short-term disability insurance paid for by employees.
If your employees become ill or injured outside of work, DisabilityFLEX helps protect their income and helps them get back to work faster. It's 100% employee-funded coverage that can be customized to complement the benefits that you currently offer. So it serves the unique needs of your employees.Find Out More
It's a simple and affordable way to enhance employee benefits.
- Custom coverage for your business needs
- You know your business and employees best. That’s why DisabilityFLEX is built to let you select the best plan options for your needs. So whether this is your first time offering disability insurance to your workforce or a way to add value to your existing benefits package, DisabilityFLEX could work for you.
- It’s easy to understand
- DisabilityFLEX gives your employees simple, clear coverage with benefits that are paid in flat dollar amounts directly to them when they need it. And unlike many short-term disability programs, there are no offsets from other benefits or restrictions on how the benefit money is used.
- And even easier to set up
- There is no evidence of insurability required to get started with DisabilityFLEX.1 Once you select the plan options you'd like to offer, The Hartford will provide onsite enrollment meetings with personalized forms for your employees.
- 1This policy is guaranteed issue. This means that although you will not be asked to take a medical exam or answer medical questions at the time of enrollment, insurance benefits payable are subject to your policy's Pre-Existing Conditions Limitation.
See DisabilityFLEX at work.
Of course, no one wants to believe they'll suffer a disability. But when life throws your employees a curveball, they'll have help protecting their paycheck with DisabilityFLEX.
Almost any injury and illness that occurs outside of work that keeps employees from working.
Like most short-term disability plans, DisabilityFLEX covers all major injuries and illnesses that occur outside of work. But it also covers many incidences you and your employees would never expect, like:
Take better care of your people with more complete benefits.
You want to offer your employees better benefits. You need to control costs. DisabilityFLEX allows you to do both. Whether it complements your existing benefits package or creates a new stand-alone benefit, you could boost employee satisfaction and better retain your best people. Find Out More
Give Your Employee More Reason to Stick Around
Good help may be hard to find but it may be a little easier to keep around with DisabilityFLEX. Offer your employees a more competitive benefits package that lets them know you see them as an important part of your team—without adding to your overall benefit costs.
And Get Them Back to Work Faster
The Hartford’s ability approach and return-to-work coordinators have helped employees return to productivity nearly 12 days sooner than initially estimated by their physicians1.
- 1Based on internal data and research by The Hartford as of December 31, 2011.
Disability Facts
Disability happens a lot more often than you might think. In fact, over 36 million Americans are classified as disabled—that’s about 12% of the total population.* DisabilityFLEX is a simple and cost-effective way to help provide income protection to your employees.
- *U.S. Census Bureau
- 1Insurance Barometer Study, LIMRA and Life Foundation 2012.
- 2American Payroll Association, Getting Paid In America, September 2012.
- 32012 CDA Long Term Disability Claims Review.
- 4Council for Disability Awareness, Long-Term Disability Claims Review, 2012.
- 5The Hartford, Benefits for Tomorrow Study, Press Release, Flying Solo: New Research by The Hartford Finds Single Workers Lack Financial Safety Net, released April 2012.
Everyday expenses can add up quickly.
Here's a modest budget for a family of four. It certainly doesn't include all those unexpected expenses like appliance repairs, emergency vet visits, and the like. Considering that 68% of the U.S. population lives paycheck to paycheck*, up to an additional $1,000 per week could help them should they become disabled outside of work.
| Housing | $1400 |
| Groceries | $1000 |
| Childcare | $1000 |
| Autos/Gas | $850 |
| Cable/Internet | $120 |
| Utilities | $325 |
| Medical Rx | $168 |
| Mobile Phone | $100 |
| Clothing | $85 |
| Total | $5,048 |
- *American Payroll Association, Getting Paid In America, September 2012.
You choose the options that suit your company’s needs best.
DisabilityFLEX offers several ways to customize your plan. First, you select the start date and duration options that work best for your business. Then your employees pick the start date, duration and weekly benefit amount that suit their needs and budget from the options you’ve chosen to offer. Find Out More
It’s all about choice.
Your Hartford representative will help you select the plan options that will best complement any benefits you currently offer, as well as the financial profile of your workforce. You'll then be able to offer DisabilityFLEX to your employees, which they can customize to their own unique needs.
Start Date
Start Date is often referred to as commencement and is the number of days an insured will wait for coverage to start after a disabling event.
Duration Period
Duration Period is the number of weeks an insured will receive their weekly benefit payment
Start Date
Start Date is often referred to as commencement and is the number of days an insured will wait for coverage to start after a disabling event.
Duration Period
Duration Period is the number of weeks an insured will receive their weekly benefit payment
Benefit Amount
Benefit Amount is the weekly flat dollar amount that an employee receives once coverage begins.
You select plan options that best serve your business needs.
DisabilityFLEX is short-term disability insurance designed to be flexible enough to work with the benefits you may already offer. And it can be customized with some specific objectives in mind, whether it's affordability to your employees or coverage that can bridge the gap to long-term disability benefits.
- Lowest Cost Plan
- Offer the longest start dates and the shortest durations.
- Short Term Plan
- Select the shortest Benefit Commencement Periods and the shortest Benefit Durations.
- Broadest Coverage Plan
- Offer both the shortest and longest start dates and durations to your employees.
- Long Term Plan
- Select the longest Benefit Durations with any of the Benefit Commencement Periods.
- Transition to Social Security
- Select the longest Benefit Duration, which is when SSDI and Medicare kick in, with any of the Benefit Commencement Periods.
- Accompanying LTD Plan
- Choose the Duration Period that bests coordinates with any Elimination Period on your LTD benefits, e.g., 13 weeks for a 90-day EP or 26 weeks for a 180-day EP.
Protect your biggest asset.
Your employees.
DisabilityFLEX provides coverage for a wide range of income levels and professions. And with no medical evidence of insurability required, your employees can help protect their paycheck at an affordable cost.
Find Out More
Everyone’s covered.
Guaranteed Issue1 means that employees are guaranteed acceptance during the initial annual open enrollment (new employees or family status changes within 31 days) if they qualify for DisabilityFLEX.
- *25% enrollment is required for businesses with over 1,000 employees.
- 1This policy is guaranteed issue. This means that although you will not be asked to take a medical exam or answer medical questions at the time of enrollment, insurance benefits payable are subject to your policy's Pre-Existing Conditions Limitation.
Your chances of suffering a disability are probably a lot higher than you think.
It’s called a Personal Disability Quotient. And it's a way to calculate your odds of an injury or illness that could force you to miss work for weeks, months—even years. Once you understand your chances, then you can just imagine what they might be for many of your employees.
Get My PDQ*The Personal Disability Quotient is hosted by a third party and is not affiliated with The Hartford. It is not intended to serve as financial advice. Individual needs may vary. Please consult your personal financial advisor.
- *By clicking on this link you will directed away from The Hartford's site.
Unique needs, flexible coverage.
Your workforce is multi-faceted. So how do you provide a disability package that can work for everyone? With new, customized coverage: DisabilityFLEX. It lets employees choose coverage that fits their needs.
Click to See How“It's flexible”*
I can spend the money however I want on whatever I need: rent, groceries, the electric bill, anything.
I Selected...
- 15 Day Start
- 52 Week Duration
- $700 Weekly Benefit
- *All quotes are for illustrative purposes only.
“It helps us feel better
prepared.”*
We didn’t have any long-term disability insurance, and this provides up to 2 years of coverage.
I Selected...
- 30 Day Start
- 104 Week Duration
- $400 Weekly Benefit
- *All quotes are for illustrative purposes only.
“It’s affordable”*
My group rates are more affordable than individual rates. And I can design a plan that meets my own needs and budget.
I Selected...
- 15 Day Start
- 13 Week Duration
- $200 Weekly Benefit
- *All quotes are for illustrative purposes only.
“It’s guaranteed coverage”*
There is no evidence of insurability required.1
I Selected...
- 8 Day Start
- 26 Week Duration
- $1000 Weekly Benefit
- *All quotes are for illustrative purposes only.
- 1This policy is guaranteed issue. This means that although you will not be asked to take a medical exam or answer medical questions at the time of enrollment, insurance benefits payable are subject to your policy's Pre-Existing Conditions Limitation.
“It’s simple to understand”*
I receive a flat dollar amount every week, with no offsets or taxes taken out.
I Selected...
- 8 Day Start
- 13 Week Duration
- $500 Weekly Benefit
- *All quotes are for illustrative purposes only.
“It’s income protection”*
Since my employer provides me with long-term coverage after 6 months, this coverage allows me to bridge the gap.
I Selected...
- 15 Day Start
- 26 Week Duration
- $800 Weekly Benefit
- *All quotes are for illustrative purposes only.
Employees cover 100% of the costs.
Since employees pay the premiums for DisabilityFLEX, there's no cost to you. In fact, it can help you reduce your overall benefit costs while still helping your employees protect their paycheck.
Compare the Cost
Disability insurance could cost less per day than some everyday items.*
Click to Compare- *All prices are for illustrative purposes only.
Speak to your benefits broker today.
A simple call or e-mail to your local Hartford representative or benefits broker is all it takes to get started. We'll help you select the right plan options for your business. Then we'll create personalized forms for your employees and provide onsite enrollers to explain your benefit choices and get them signed up.
New voluntary coverage from a leader in disability.
The Hartford has been a trusted business insurance provider since 1810, protecting more than one million U.S. companies. We're pleased to be able to introduce DisabilityFLEX, as a new way for employers to enhance employee benefits without adding to their cost.
We'll support you with onsite Hartford enrollers, group enrollment meetings and personalized enrollment forms with a minimum of just 10 enrolled lives.* And since no medical evidence of insurability is required, the whole process is simpler for everyone involved.1 Learn more about DisabilityFLEX by contacting your local Hartford representative today!
Compare DisabilityFlex with Traditional Short-Term Disability (STD) Coverage
| DisabilityFLEX | Traditional Competitor STD Plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Choice of Options | Offers option to employees best fit their needs and budget | Offers only a single plan |
| Benefit Duration | 3 months to 2 years | 3 to 6 months |
| Offsets and Taxes | None. The amount the employee elects is the amount they receive | Offsets apply (e.g., sick or vacation time, PTO, state benefits) |
| Weekly Benefit Amount | Flat dollar amounts from $200-$1,000 | Straight percentage of employee income |
| Guaranteed Issued | No evidence of insurability is required, even on subsequent enrollment periods | Medical underwriting may be required if the employee does not elect coverage during the first enrollment |
| Participation Requirements | Only 10 enrolled employees required for coverage* | 25-35% participation required |
| Claim Handling | Registered nurses take initial calls and then involve physicians to help with the process. | Claims calls may be taken by representatives with no clinical background |
- *25% enrollment is required for businesses with over 1,000 employees
- 1.This policy is guaranteed issue. This means that although you will not be asked to take a medical exam or answer medical questions at the time of enrollment, insurance benefits payable are subject to your policy's Pre-Existing Conditions Limitation.
- Why would my employees want DisabilityFLEX?
- It helps protect your employees' paychecks after a non-work-related injury or illness. The benefits are paid in flat dollar amounts—regardless of other insurance or benefits they may have. With a range of options tailored to your workforce, DisabilityFLEX can help your employees feel better prepared at a price they can afford.
- How is DisabilityFLEX different from a standard STD plan?
- DisabilityFLEX is customizable, affordable and easy to understand. DisabilityFLEX offers a weekly flat dollar amount between $200 and $1000 paid directly to your employees—instead of a percentage of their income. DisabilityFLEX also offers employees customizable options. They select the start date, duration, and benefit amount that are most affordable for them. Since there are no offsets for other income benefits, the benefit amount they select is the amount they receive in the event of a disability.
- Doesn’t Social Security provide disability insurance for my employees?
- Social Security pays benefits to people who cannot work because they have a medical condition that is expected to last at least one year or result in death. Federal law requires this very strict definition of disability. DisabilityFLEX provides income to people with partial disability or short-term disability. Social Security does not cover either of these types of disabilities.
- Are DisabilityFLEX benefits taxable?
- The premiums for DisabilityFLEX are paid post-tax so that the benefit payment is received tax-free as well.1
- What disabilities are not covered?
- The policy does not cover, and The Hartford will not pay a benefit for, any disability:
- Unless the insured is under the regular care of a Physician;
- If it is caused or contributed to by war or act of war, whether declared or not;
- If it is caused by the insured's commission of or attempt to commit a felony;
- If it is caused or contributed to by the insured being engaged in an illegal occupation;
- If it is caused or contributed to by an intentionally self-inflicted injury;
- For which Workers' Compensation benefits are paid, or may by paid, if duly claimed;
- If it is sustained as a result of doing any work for pay or profit for another Employer, including self-employment.
- What are the benefits of Voluntary Group Benefits?
- For employers, Voluntary Group Benefits can help provide a more comprehensive benefits package to attract and maintain valued employees while also lowering your overall benefit costs in the face of rising health care expenses. Employees get a broader choice of benefits and often better rates than they would find on their own.
- 1This information is written in connection with the promotion or marketing of the matter(s) addressed in this material. The information cannot be used or relied upon for the purpose of avoiding IRS penalties. These materials are not intended to provide tax, accounting or legal advice. As with all matters of a tax or legal nature, you should consult your own tax or legal counsel for advice.
All benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of the policy. Policies underwritten by the issuing companies listed above detail exclusions, limitations, reduction of benefits and terms under which the policies may be continued in force or discontinued. This guide explains the general purpose of the insurance described, but in no way changes or affects the policy as actually issued. In the event of a discrepancy between this guide and the policy, the terms of the policy apply. Complete details are in the Certificate of Insurance issued to each insured individual and the Master Policy as issued to the policyholder. Benefits are subject to state availability. DisabilityFLEX is not offered in states with statutory disability plans, including CA, NY, NJ, RI and HI.
