Washington Babies

Short-term disability coverage for pregnancy/baby?

I had a conversation at work with someone random the other day who mentioned that before she got pregnant she bought short-term disability insurance so that it would be less stressful to pay bills after she gave birth. I had never even considered this before - it's such a brilliant idea!

Has anyone else done this - can you share your experience? (I understand that for most companies, you have to start paying for the coverage before you get pregnant in order to get the benefits.) What company did you go through? Does anyone know if it takes you longer to get pregnant, do you end up paying more than what you can take in the payout?  If you don't mind sharing, what did you contribute and how much was the payout? Were you happy that you did short-term disability? What was good and what was bad about the program for you?

I'm so excited to begin researching this. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences.


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Married: December 2005 ~ Started TTC: December 2008 ~ DH: 33, Me: 30
Diagnosis: severe MFI, late ovulation, short LP, DOR
Only option is IVF/ICIS. Waited several years before treatment because we're OOP.
IVF/ICIS #1 in June 2012 (Protocol: Long Lupron). Stims: 6/17/12, ER: 6/30/12 (6R, 5M, 4F), ET: 7/5/12 (1 4AA embryo transferred, 0 made it to freeze) ~ Beta#1: 7/14/12 - 55, Beta#2: 7/16/12 - 100, Beta#3: 7/18/12 - 199 ~ Limbo for weeks, finally confirmed pregnancy not viable: 8/13/12 ~ D&C: 8/17/12 
Varicocele Surgery: October 2012 (long break to wait for results, no change) 
Changed clinics: February 2013 
IVF/ICIS Attempt #2 in April 2013 (Protocol: Antagonist). Stims: 4/12/13, Cycle Cancelled: 4/17/13 for poor follicle response and low E2 rise. 
IVF/ICIS Attempt #3 in May 2013 (Protocol: LEAP) Cycle Cancelled: 5/20/13 at suppression check due to cyst
IVF/ICIS Attempt #4 in July 2013 (Protocol: LEAP). Stims: 7/20/13, ER: 8/1/13 (12R, 11M, 9F), ET: 8/6/13 (3 fair embryos transferred, 0 made it to freeze) ~ Beta#1: 8/15/13 - 86, Beta#2: 8/18/13 - 390.6, Ultrasound: 9/3/13 - TWO HEARTBEATS! 

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Re: Short-term disability coverage for pregnancy/baby?

  • I would love to hear about this too! Is it worth it, premiums-wise?
  • I did this but haven't taken care of the benefits yet.  I went through American Fidelity which is the compan my work uses (I work in a school district).  I pay $80 per month and will get $2400 every 4 weeks.  If you have to go off work for any reason the claim starts and then there is a 2 week waiting period before benefits start.  I would get the pay until I went back to work or until 6 weeks after delivery (8 weeks for a C-section).  If there is no bedrest or I work until delivery then I would just get the 6 weeks post-delivery.  I got the policy two years ago when we started TTC and unfortunately had 2 miscarriages over the last 2 years before this pregnancy.  I did the math though and it was still worth it to have the policy (though not as worth it if I got PG right away obviously).  I got the police mainly because I have a family history of complicated pregnancies and bedrest so wanted that insurance.  I am going to use the $2200 benefit to cover the unpaid porton of my 12-week FMLA maternity leave.  You can choose all different payouts up to a max and shorter or longer waiting periods to help the monthly price.  Hope that helps!
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  • It was definitely worth it! I paid about $7 per pay period (it was offered through my regular benefits), and then I got 60% of my pay (non taxed) while I was on bed rest and maternity leave!!    You would have to be on it for a very very long time to have it not be worth your while...  Definitely recommend!
    imageimageLilypie Third Birthday tickers Lilypie First Birthday tickers image . Ice Ice Binky Formerly FutureMrsLynch
  • Disabilty insurance is good to have if you depend on your income even if you're not planning on a baby.  In our 20/30/40s we're much more likely to be out of work due to injury or illness than we are to die yet most of us only think of life insurance.

    I sound like an insurance salesperson. I'm not.  I just sleep better knwoing that if something happened to either DH or myself we would be fine money wise.

  • Oh and I only had a 7 day wait period before I started getting benefits. 
    imageimageLilypie Third Birthday tickers Lilypie First Birthday tickers image . Ice Ice Binky Formerly FutureMrsLynch
  • Look and see if you have that available through work.  We had it and that's what paid our maternity coverage.  I didn't buy anything on a private plan.  BUt it's definitely worth looking into.  Make sure you know when you'd be eligible.
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  • I've searched high and low for a private policy, not a group policy and still haven't found one 14 months after I started looking.  I do have a group policy but it covers at 60% with a max benefit of $1000/week, which ever is less.  I'd like to ultimately have a benefit greater than 60% though and our plan doesn't offer a buy up options.

    Check out AFLAC or "hospital indemnity" coverage which also will pay you if you are hospitalized and will also cover medical procedures.  If you have good insurance coverage, it's just free cash.

     

     

    BIG Brother born 10/19/07 little Brother born 1/31/12
  • I wish I had done this before becoming pregnant, My work offers AFLAC coverage at a super low price.

    If I had signed up before becoming pregnant I would get $1500 for having a baby, and short term disability pay (after being off of work for 14 days) of $1500 per month. (You can go higher for the disability pay if you want to, but $1500 was all I needed to cover my bills).

    Since the AFLAC is through my work it comes out of my paycheck pre tax and the payment is so low I don't even notice it. I signed up for the short term disability and hospital/sickness plan.

    I would definitely encourage you to look into it!

  • imagepreston18:

    Disabilty insurance is good to have if you depend on your income even if you're not planning on a baby.

    This!
    3 years ago I broke my ankle, had to have surgery and used my short term disability then to get 8 weeks off work. THen I had a baby and was paid for 6 weeks.  Well worth the money for a little peace of mind for unexpected injuries as well as planned ones.

  • imagepreston18:

    Disabilty insurance is good to have if you depend on your income even if you're not planning on a baby.

    Very true!

    I am fortunate to have it through my work, at 70% of my salary for up to 12 weeks after a two-week wait period.  I also get pregnancy-related disability and family leave through my work, but neither is paid so having STD is awesome.  I would definitely look into it.

  • My coworker was covered under Aflac (she paid into it).  I don't know too many details but the sign up period is usually once a year and you can't use it right away, 10 months out maybe?

    I am covered under LTD through my work because of bedrest and such.  I thought it was weird that I'd be under long term but the insurance co told me that sometimes pregnancy falls under long if the company does not offer short.  I don't know any details so far since I can't send my paperwork in until I end up on bed rest and I won't know for sure if I'm covered until its processed.  The lady I talked to said she is pretty sure I am.

    Love: 8/2000 | Marriage: 7/2005 | Baby makes three: 3/28/2007 | And one more makes...SIX?
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  • I have signed up for Aflac Coverage though my work and with the coverage that I have I would get just under $6000 for a normal vaginal delivery with no bed rest or complications, my coverage cost me approximately $160 a month. So as long as I was to deliver within 37 months of getting the policy I would at least come out even. The sooner I had the baby more of a ?profit? I would get.  If I were to have to have a c-section or spend anytime on bedrest I would end up with an even larger payout. All of the policies that I have require that they are in place a minimum of 10 months prior to delivery.

     

    I personally have short-term disability coverage; you can only get this coverage if your employer participates in Aflac. It pays for 6 weeks for a vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for a c-section, after your specified waiting period. I choose a 7-day waiting period so I would be paid for 5 or 7 weeks. This policy is the bulk of my premium and the rate and coverage will depend on your income.

     

    I also have a Hospital confinement policy and a Sickness policy with additional riders for hospital admissions. My hospital confinement policy will pay $1000.00 upon admission to the hospital for more then 24 hours (once per calendar year), $400.00 per day that I am in the hospital for the first five days per calendar year after five days it goes down to $100.00 per day, $200.00 ?surgical benefit? for a vaginal deliver or $300.00. So for a ?normal? vaginal delivery with a 2-day hospital stay this policy would pay out $2000.00. I believe that Aflac sells this policy to individuals so your employer is not required to participate. The important thing to remember for this policy to be worth it is to add the maximum amount of riders for hospital admission to your policy to increase the admission benefit form $250 to $1000. Without the additional riders the policy would not be worth it.

     

    I also have the personal Sickness Indemnity Plan with additional riders for initial hospital confinement. This policy will pay $1000 on initial hospital admission (once per calendar year), $25.00 payment for up to 3 doctors visits, and $100.00 per day for hospital confinement, and $300.00 for a vaginal delivery or $400.00 for a c-section. With a normal vaginal delivery this policy would result in $1575.00. Again the important thing on this policy is to add the additional riders for initial hospital confinement.

     

    I of course have not used my benefits yet, however my Aflac agent knows that my purpose of getting benefits was to cover pregnancy and we designed my coverage around that. My employer dose not offer paid maternity leave, so these policies will help replace my lost income while I am on leave. The last two policies that I listed can even be a good option for stay at home moms, because they do not require that you be employed.    
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