American Fidelity, an Oklahoma-based, family-owned insurance company, specializes in offering employer benefits to employees. American Fidelity offers products in the education, automotive, and healthcare industries, as well as in the public sector. The company's specific offerings include group and individual life, health, and annuity services.
American Fidelity also offers a variety of disability insurance plans for groups. Because it focuses on specific industries, the company can specifically serve the customers in its base.
American Fidelity's long history, high ratings, and low complaint ratio offer a great option for many companies in various sectors.
American Fidelity disability insurance products
American Fidelity offers long-term disability and short-term disability insurance products. American Fidelity works with companies to put together a strategy for creating the best employee benefits possible. Its benefits packages aim to create a holistic strategy to help employers:
- Retain employees
- Save money
- Offer insurance that employees want and need
Basic disability insurance policy provisions
Let's take a look at the basic policy provisions involved in both short- and long-term disability through American Fidelity.
- Elimination period: Long-term disability: 7, 14, 30, 90, or 180 days; short-term disability: 7 or 14 days
- Monthly maximum benefit for short-term disability: $10,000 monthly
- Monthly maximum benefit for long-term disability: $10,000 monthly
- Short-term benefit period: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, or 24 months
- Long-term benefit period: 60 months or Social Security normal retirement age
Built-in disability insurance policy features
The built-in policy features for American Fidelity include the following:
- Partial disability: American Fidelity allows partial disability insurance made to an individual who is not completely disabled but has a lasting impairment due to an injury. This includes people who cannot do their former job or can only do a lower-paying job, though they may be able to return to the company to work.
- Workplace modification: American Fidelity can also help employers adjust work conditions, alter duties and functions and reestablish job protocol to fit an employee's condition.
- Return-to-work benefit: Employees may receive a partial benefit for going back to work part-time while still on disability.
- Survivor benefit: Employees' spouses or children may qualify for survivor benefits if an employee dies while receiving certain disability benefits.
- Waiver of premium: The insurance company will not require the insured to pay the premium if they are seriously injured.
- Guaranteed issue: Each employee can apply for coverage during his or her annual enrollment without answering medical questions. Those with pre-existing conditions may also apply.
- Custom coverage options: Individuals can select benefit amounts and elimination periods that meet their financial needs.
- Benefit payments made directly to you: Employees can use funds for whatever they wish, whether they pay for copayments, deductibles, living expenses or other purchases.
- Custom education process: American Fidelity helps employees understand their benefits to help with retention. Employees who understand the value of their benefits package are more likely to stay with their employers, according to the American Fidelity website. Therefore, American Fidelity offers education opportunities for employees, through one-on-one reviews with each employee for tailored benefits recommendations.
Employers and employees can get support at any time with benefits administration, help with budget challenges and any other type of support needed to get a benefits package suited to their needs.
American Fidelity also offers protection against identity theft. The company can also provide roadside and legal assistance at discounted rates.
American Fidelity also offers telehealth options, with access to a licensed medical professional 24/7 by phone or online video. Employees can then save on out-of-pocket expenses and time.
No-cost disability insurance benefits provided
American Fidelity also offers various other perks, such as the following (and more):
- Direct deposit
- Easy online claims filing
- Phone coaching with legal advice
- Help with filing for Social Security Benefits
- Help with the Social Security appeal process
Optional disability insurance riders
American Fidelity can also customize employee coverage through a variety of riders and coverage options. This way, employers can skip working with multiple carriers and can concentrate on offering employees one carrier instead of several.
American Fidelity offers customizable policies that include optional critical illness and hospital indemnity riders. It can also offer a COBRA premium rider as well as an accident-only spousal rider. Let's take a look at a list of several popular optional riders employees can take advantage of and/or definitions of riders already listed:
- Critical illness rider: Provides additional coverage for medical emergencies like heart attack, stroke or cancer.
- Hospital confinement indemnity: Supplemental insurance plan designed to pay for the costs of a hospital admission.
- Supplemental disability income: Helps cover the difference between what you'll get from your current long-term disability policy and what you’d need to maintain your current lifestyle if you can't work due to disability.
- Retroactive injury: This type of rider pays a benefit if an injury causes the insured to become totally disabled within 30 days of the injury and the insured remains continuously totally disabled until the end of the elimination period.
- Accidental medical expense: This pays a lump sum for ambulance, emergency room, hospital, doctor and nursing services. It can also pay for rehab, prescriptions and even dental and vision services due to the result of an accident.
- Catastrophic disability: This rider provides additional funds, more than a normal disability policy, if employees become catastrophically disabled.
Learn More: Disability Insurance Riders
Is American Fidelity the right choice?
Whether you need to improve your benefits package to coordinate with your major medical insurance or need just one carrier for all of your insurance needs, American Fidelity offers a lot of options.
American Fidelity can help you create a comprehensive benefits strategy to help you cover and retain employees, and save time and money.
About American Fidelity
In 1960, C.W. and C.B. Cameron founded American Fidelity Assurance Company. C.W. founded the company based on his experience of having to drop out of school to support his family after his father became disabled.
The company focused its efforts on state agency employees, trade associations, and teachers. American Fidelity has earned an A+ financial rating from A.M. Best and is also listed as a high-performing life-health insurance company through Ward's 50.
In addition, American Fidelity has a low complaint ratio with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
Melissa Brock is the founder of College Money Tips and a full-time freelance writer and editor. She loves helping families navigate their finances and the college search process.
The information and content provided herein is for educational purposes only, and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, or financial advice, recommendation, or endorsement. Breeze does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, reliability or usefulness of any testimonials, opinions, advice, product or service offers, or other information provided here by third parties. Individuals are encouraged to seek advice from their own tax or legal counsel.
