Disability Benefits Lessons From TV Families

By Laura Marzi, March 2013

Every week millions of viewers tune into their favorite shows, often to be entertained by the hectic lives of TV families. As a working mom, I couldn’t help but draw some parallels between my job and one show about an extended family. After watching a few episodes, the following lessons about disability benefits came to mind.

Change Is Inevitable

As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, the only thing constant in life is change. And change is featured prominently in every episode to one of my favorite TV families. Sometimes it’s a stressful situation, such as a daughter’s arrest. Other times it’s a happy occasion, such as a surprise pregnancy. In each episode, the entire family unites to either weather the storm or celebrate a success.

If you have kids, your life revolves around a schedule – when do they need to be dropped off, when do they need to be picked up – all day long. There never seems to be enough time to think about a contingency plan for yourself. You just keep going and going, and assume you can plan for everything.

Then you have a day like one of my best friends, who broke her foot falling down her front steps while rushing to get her kids to school. She was home for three weeks recuperating.

There's no way you can predict everything that will happen. Disability insurance can be that contingency plan. It can keep income coming in, even if you can’t work due to an off-the-job injury or illness.

Communication Is Key

Often in TV family comedies, the story line is driven by some miscommunication and hilarity ensues. In my world, confusion exists about employee benefits but it’s not a laughing matter.

The Hartford 2012 Benefits For Tomorrow Study found only one in four U.S. workers said they completely understand disability or life insurance. Trouble is if workers don’t opt into coverage that helps protect their family finances because of any confusion or unawareness.

In order to better help families understand insurance benefits, The Hartford has created educational tools, such as MyTomorrow. Some of our life policies even include a service that provides confidential counseling and referral service that assists employees / their families with face-to-face counseling, work/life support, financial and legal information.

Check with your company’s HR department to find out what resources you have to help make informed choices that impact your family finances.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

Many popular TV shows capture the everyday life of extended families. Separately, each household has its own characteristics and circumstances. Your family’s financial goals are unique to you. The Hartford’s MyTomorrow tool includes a “reality check” to estimate your own household expenses as you consider how to protect and grow your family finances.

You don’t have to be a fan of TV comedies to apply these lessons to your family life.

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