Disability Insurance · Hudson Valley, NY
Income protection for the scenario no one wants to think about.
Roughly one in four working Americans will experience a disability lasting more than 90 days before age 67. Most do not have private coverage beyond a basic employer policy. The plan that fills that gap is small and worth running.
What it is
Without jargon.
Disability insurance pays you a monthly benefit if you cannot work due to an injury or illness. It is not about death (life insurance covers that). It is about the much more common scenario where you are still alive but unable to earn the income your family is counting on.
Most employer disability plans cover 50 to 60 percent of base salary, are heavily taxed when paid out, and cap monthly benefits at amounts that often fall short of what a Hudson Valley household actually spends each month. Private disability insurance fills the gap, often paying out tax-free and at a higher coverage percentage.
For self-employed Hudson Valley professionals, contractors, and small business owners with no employer disability coverage, private DI is usually the largest single gap in their household plan. For W-2 employees with employer coverage, supplemental private DI is often a smaller but meaningful add.
What's included
What working together actually covers.
Honest read of your employer coverage first
If you have group long-term disability through work, Peter looks at it before recommending anything. Often the existing plan is most of what you need, and the right answer is to add a small supplemental policy.
Coverage sized to your actual budget
What does your household actually spend each month? That is the number the DI policy should approximate, after factoring in taxes and any other income sources during a claim.
Carrier comparison on definitions that matter
Own-occupation vs any-occupation definitions of disability matter enormously for higher-earning professionals. Peter walks through which definition fits your career.
Riders matched to your situation
Future increase options, cost-of-living adjustments, partial disability, retirement protection, we pick the ones that earn their cost and skip the ones that do not.
Annual review
DI is a long-horizon policy. Income changes, career changes, and family changes all warrant a check-in. The annual review keeps the coverage right-sized.
Who it's for
If any of these sound like you, this is worth a conversation.
01
ScenarioSelf-employed professionals with no employer DI
Freelancers, consultants, small business owners, contractors. If you do not have a W-2 with a group disability plan, this is usually the single largest gap in your household plan.
02
ScenarioHigh-earning W-2 employees with low employer caps
Many group long-term disability plans cap monthly benefits at $5,000 to $10,000, well below what a six-figure professional household actually needs. Supplemental DI fills the gap.
03
ScenarioNewer parents whose households now depend on one income
When one parent steps back from work for a few years, the other parent is the entire household income. DI on the working parent becomes load-bearing.
What it costs
Real numbers, before you commit.
Individual disability insurance premiums depend heavily on occupation, age, and benefit amount. A healthy 35-year-old professional buying a $5,000-per-month benefit policy typically pays $80 to $200 per month, depending on the carrier and the rider structure. Self-employed and higher-risk occupations cost more. Peter runs a comparison quote at the first conversation so you can see the math.
* Premium and cost figures shown are illustrative, based on a healthy non-smoker at the example age cited. Actual rates depend on individual underwriting (age, health, gender, term, coverage amount, carrier) and may be higher or lower. Insurance applications are subject to carrier approval. Tax thresholds and estate-tax figures reference current law and may change.
Common questions
Specific to disability insurance.
I have disability coverage through work. Do I need more?
What is the difference between own-occupation and any-occupation coverage?
Are disability insurance benefits taxable?
I am self-employed. Is private DI worth it?
Ready to map this out?
Talk through your disability insurance plan with Peter.
Thirty minutes. Free. No pressure.
Often paired with
Three more that pair with this one.
Term Life Insurance
Straightforward coverage for the years your family needs the most protection. Mortgage, kids, income replacement.
Whole Life Insurance
Permanent coverage that grows cash value over time. The right fit when life insurance is part of a long horizon plan.
Financial Planning
The wider plan that ties life insurance, retirement, and estate together into one read. For families ready to stop having four conversations and start having one.