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| Name | Description |
| General Policy Terms | How satisfied are you with the basic coverage offered by this policy? |
| Cancellation by Insurer | Although prohibited in some states, does this plan have a provision allowing the insurer to cancel your policy upon written notice to you? |
| Cancellation for Non-Payment | If the insurer cancels your policy due to non-payment, is there an acceptable timeframe for receiving the written notice and for appealing the cancellation? |
| Coverage Duration | How does the timeframe this coverage is in force and any disqualifying events fit your needs? |
| Coverage Maximums | Does the amount of available insurance meet your current and future needs? |
| Coverage vs. Cost | Comparing the coverage this policy offers, is it offered at a competitive price? |
| Meets Your Need | Evaluate the degree to which this insurance policy meets your overall financial, health, life and liability needs both now and in the future. If you are not sure, ask a professional. |
| Policy Renewal | Is the plan or policy guaranteed to renew regardless of your current or future health status? |
| Insurance Agent | How would you rate your insurance agent's overall helpfulness and knowledge? |
| Agent Helpfulness | How would you rate the agent's understanding of your situation and ability to provide solutions from which to choose? |
| Agent Knowledge | Is the agent knowledgeable and able to answer all your questions? |
| Agent Relationship to Insured | Evaluate your reason for considering this policy; is it for emotional reasons, do you feel obligated due to a friendship or does the policy really compliment your financial goals? |
| Agent Status | Does the agent represent one company or many companies? With limited access to other insurers, premiums could be higher. |
| Insurance Provider | How would you rate the overall interest, information and support the insurance provider has given you? |
| Affiliations | Does the insurer have affiliations with other business concerns (e.g. business partnerships and working relationships) that might translate to reduced premiums? |
| Claims Processing | How easy is this insurer's overall claims process? |
| Company Rating | How is the insurer rated by the standard rating services? |
| Recommendations | How would you rate the experience of others attempting to collect benefits from this insurer? |
| Cost | How do you rate the overall cost of this insurance coverage? |
| Cost Management | Evaluate the options available to you to reduce your overall cost of coverage. |
| Association Discount(s) | Evaluate any discounts given to policyholders for belonging to associations. (e.g. AARP, Alumni Association, Professional Associations) |
| Guaranteed Insurability Option | Does this policy allow the insured to purchase additional amounts of insurance at predetermined times without having to show evidence of insurability? |
| Social Security Supplement | Does the policy cover for insufficient or nonexistent Social Security benefits? |
| Premiums | Rate your overall cost of insurance. |
| Affordability | Evaluate your ability to afford premiums based on current income. |
| Payment Frequency | Does the insurer provide payment intervals which meet your needs (monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, etc.)? |
| Payment Options | Does the insurer provide various payment options (EFT, check, credit card, etc)? |
| Payment Source | Have you evaluated the best way to pay for this coverage, whether it be cash from your income or cash from income producing investments? |
| Premium Amount | Rate the premiums being charged for this policy or plan. For higher limits and health risks, you would expect to pay a higher price. |
| Coverages | Evaluate the coverage offered by the disability insurance policy or plan you are considering. |
| Benefits | Evaluate the overall benefits of this policy and determine its applicability to your specific needs. |
| Benefit Period | How does the benefit period, either "short term" or "long term," meet your needs and goals? |
| Stated Income | How does the income amount, as a percentage of earnings, meet your needs? |
| Delayed Disability Provision | If your policy has a delayed disability provision, does the amount of time allowed for a delayed disability meet your needs? |
| Fixed Income Amount | Evaluate the amount of fixed income received at total disability, and how it meets your income needs. |
| Non-disabling Injury Provision | Review the policy's coverage for paying your medical expenses for accidental, non-disabling injuries. |
| Partial Disability Payments | Evaluate the policy's partial disability payments provision (typically flat amounts or residual amounts) considering your income needs and your occupation. |
| Recurrent Disability Provision | Does the amount of time you have to wait between similar disabilities, before being considered a new disability, meet your needs? |
| Variable Income Amount | For policies that use the percent-of-earnings formula, evaluate the provided monthly income amount considering the length of time of the disability and how it meets your income needs. |
| Policy Features | Evaluate any limits placed on you due to policy definitions, eligibility or limitations. |
| Policy Considerations | Evaluate policy provisions to determine their impact on your out of pocket costs, coverage limits, or other policy terms. |
| Accidents Alone | If you need only an "Accidents Only" policy, how does this policy meet your needs? |
| Accidents and Sickness | If you need a combined "Accidents and Sickness" policy, how does this policy fit your needs? |
| Policy Definitions | Evaluate the definitions of terms used in the disability policy to determine their implication in your situation. |
| Total Disability | Does the definition used by the insurer for "total disability" meet your needs for this coverage? (Typically "any occupation" or "own occupation") |
| Policy Eligibility | Do you fit the eligibility requirements for this policy? |
| Basic Eligibility | Given your known risk factors and your current or anticipated health situation, how do the policy eligibility requirements fit you? |
| Age Criteria | Are you within the required age range for this insurance policy? |
| Health History | Does your health history affect your ability to acquire this protection? |
| Income Minimums | Evaluate your income relative to your expected premium payment. Insurers will only issue policies to those who can afford the premiums. |
| Mental Conditions | If you have a prior or existing mental condition, are this policy's qualification criteria appropriate for your situation? |
| Occupational Risk | To what extent does your current occupation disqualify you for insurance or raise the premiums beyond affordable limits? |
| Pre-existing Conditions | How well are pre-existing conditions covered by the plan? |
| Adult Conditions | To what extent are adult related pre-existing conditions covered by the plan? |
| Child Conditions | To what extent are children's pre-existing conditions covered by the policy or plan? |
| Waiting Period | How reasonable are any waiting periods for your pre-existing conditions? |
| Recreational Risk | To what extent do your recreational activities affect your ability to obtain coverage with this provider? |
| Cause of Disability | Which provision determines the cause of disability for this policy? |
| Elimination Period | How well does the elimination period, in days, meet your needs? |
| Elimination Period Conditions | How well do the conditions (e.g. disabilities due to sickness and/or accident) for the elimination period meet your needs? |
| Partial Disability | How well do the conditions for partial disability meet your needs when you are unable to perform important work duties or have to work part-time? |
| Presumptive Disability | How well do the conditions that automatically quality you for total disability meet your needs? |
| Probationary Period | How would you rate the length of the probationary period? The probationary period does not apply to accidents. |
This site is intended as an informational tool only and should be used in consultation with appropriate professional advisors.
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