Assurity Life Insurance Company offers those seeking disability insurance coverage the combination of a solid reputation with a large variety of included features and optional riders.
One of the differentiators with Assurity, according to Investopedia, is its affordability with high-risk professions, such as construction, electrical work, timber work, and machinery operations. In fact, Assurity may not only be the most affordable option for high-risk disability coverage, but it may also be one of your only ones.
Who is Assurity?
Assurity Life was formed through a 2005 merger of three companies there were founded in the 1890s: Woodmen Accident and Life, Security Financial Life, and Lincoln Direct Life.
Today, Assurity offers long and short-term disability income policies for worksites and individuals in 49 states and the District of Columbia.
The company has more than $2 billion in assets. It is rated A-, Excellent, by A.M. Best for its financial strength, the fourth highest of 15 rating classes.
Assurity is also a certified B Corporation. This is a designation determined by B Lab, a nonprofit organization with a vision of an "inclusive and sustainable economy that creates a shared prosperity for all.” The organization’s certified B Corporations “meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.” In addition, they are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment.
Assurity become a B Corporation in 2015. There are currently more than 3,900 B Corporations in 70 countries and 150 industries, according to B Lab.
Policy basics
These are the main product highlights of Assurity’s Century+ individual disability insurance policy:
- Assurity defines a total disability for the first two years of the benefit period as the inability to work at the insured’s regular occupation at the time disability begins, even if the insured still might be able to work at another occupation. After the first two years, sickness or injury is considered a total disability if it keeps you from doing any occupation and requires a physician’s care.
- The policy can be issued to applicants between the ages of 18 and 60.
- There are four occupational classes: 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A.
- Elimination period options are 30, 60, 90, 180, and 365 days.
- The maximum monthly benefit is $20,000 for its two highest occupational classes, $10,000 for its 2A class, and $8,000 for its 1A class.
- You can choose among benefits period options of 1 year, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years, to age 65, and to age 67. The age 65 or 67 option on the lower two classes are only available under a certain age and income standards.
- There is simplified underwriting on this policy. Assurity will not have to verify your income if you earn $4,000 or less per month as an employee or $2,500 or less per month as a contractor or self-employed person.
- In addition, Assurity will not require a medical exam if you earn $4,000 or less. This amount is $2,000 if you’re between the ages of 51 and 55, and it’s $1,500 for ages 56 to 60.
- The policy is guaranteed renewable to age 65 or age 67, and conditionally renewable to age 75.
Built-in policy features
Assurity offers a number of built-in policy features that are automatically included at no extra charge. These include:
Waiver of Premium
This means you don’t have to pay your premium during a total disability.
Partial Disability Benefit
The policy pays 50 percent of the monthly benefit amount if, after a total disability, you’re partially disabled and return to work part-time after receiving total disability payments.
Occupational Rehabilitation
If totally disabled, the policy pays for a rehabilitation program designed to help you return to work.
Home Modification
If totally disabled, this benefit may help pay for modifications to your home to improve access or use of facilities.
Survivor Benefit
The policy pays a lump sum of six times the monthly benefit amount if you die while totally disabled after receiving 12 months of benefits.
Presumptive Disability Benefit
Pays out the full monthly benefit upon the permanent loss of sight in both eyes, hearing in both ears, speech, use of both hands, use of both feet, or use of one hand and one foot, regardless of the elimination period or whether you’re working.
Optional riders available
Assurity enables you to customize your coverage further by adding riders to expand your protection. These include:
Return of Premium Benefit Rider
A money-back option to refund some or all of the premiums paid for your policy and optional riders, less any benefits paid when you cancel or lapse your policy, reach age 65, or die.
Critical Illness Benefit Rider
Pays a lump-sum benefit for a covered illness like heart attack, stroke, or cancer.
Residual Disability Benefit Rider
Pays a monthly benefit if a disability prevents you from performing some job duties resulting in loss of at least 20 percent of your prior monthly income.
Catastrophic Disability Benefit Rider
Extends your benefits beyond your policy benefit period if you’re catastrophically disabled and all total disability benefits have been paid.
Retroactive Injury Benefit Rider
Pays a lump-sum benefit after your policy’s elimination period if an injury causes you to become totally disabled.
Guaranteed Insurability Rider
Gives you the opportunity to increase your total disability income coverage within a specific time period.
Supplemental Disability Income Rider
Pays you a monthly benefit minus any social insurance or government benefits.
Own Occupation Rider
Extends your policy’s own-occupation definition of total disability from two years to five years, or to the entire benefit period.
Automatic Benefit Increase Rider
Increases the monthly benefits received by 5 percent of the original benefit each year, up to two times the original monthly benefit with no additional underwriting.
Non-Cancelable Rider
Guarantees the premiums and policy renewability to age 65.
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