Disability & Absence Services
A disability can completely change every aspect of your life, but that shouldn’t mean that it threatens your financial stability.
What type of information are you looking for?
What Are My Options?
Disability or leave protection may vary depending on your situation. Ask your employer or review our product details below.
Our Products
Short-Term Disability
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Long-Term Disability
Maintain your
Paid Family & Medical Leave
Paid Family
If you can't earn your paycheck due to a short-term situation, here's a coverage solution that may help financially support you.
- Weekly payments: receive a portion of your salary for three months to a year, depending on your policy.
- Competitive group rates only offered through your employer
Long Term Disability through your employer can help you stay afloat and pay your expenses if you find yourself out of work due to a chronic condition.
- Covers essential living expenses: Can help pay for food, clothing, utilities, a mortgage, car payments, and more.
- Direct monthly payments: Receive a portion of your salary paid directly to you each month if you’re unable to work (after the initial waiting period).
These programs allow workers to request a wage replacement benefit if they are sick, hurt, or unable to work due to a family matter.
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Coverage Calculator
Not sure how much Disability Insurance coverage you need? Use this calculator to find out.
Help Keep Your Income Coming In
Receive a portion of your pre-disability income if you're unable to work.
FAQs
The definition of disability will vary depending on your employer’s plan. Some policies consider you disabled when you’re unable to perform your job duties, while others pay only if you’re unable to perform in any job suitable for you based on your training, education, and experience. Other policies require that you not be gainfully employed while you’re collecting benefits or that you are unable to earn a certain percentage of your predisability income because of injury or sickness.
There are some policies that will pay you a portion of your total disability monthly benefit amount if you have lost a part of your income due to a disability. Other policies and plans may include a rehabilitation provision that requires you to take part in a vocational rehabilitation program in order to continue to receive benefits.
Keep in mind that many policies and plans have exclusions and limitations and may not fully cover certain disabilities and pre-existing conditions. Benefits differ from company to company, so speak with your benefits administrator for your workplace’s complete plan details.
Benefits may begin after you have met an elimination period — a plan-defined period of time, starting with the date you are disabled from work and the number of days you must continue to be disabled until benefits may begin. Most group long term disability plans have an elimination period of 90 days or 180 days. Under most group plans, generally the employer selects the elimination period.
When you choose disability coverage, consider how long you can manage without a paycheck. If you have significant savings, you may be willing to choose a longer elimination period. Typically, the longer the elimination period, the lower the premium.
With most group disability plans, the employer selects the maximum duration of benefits. The most frequently offered maximum benefit periods are two years, five years, and to age 65. Policies with shorter maximum benefit periods typically have lower premiums. Speak to your benefits administrator for your plan’s length of coverage.
Disability coverage that replaces at least 60 percent of your after-tax income is generally recommended.
To estimate the benefit amount you would need if you became disabled, ask yourself how much monthly income would cover your living expenses. Household expenses may include mortgage, car payments, groceries, and childcare. Consider all these factors to help you come up with an appropriate amount.
The MetLife Disability CalculatorTM is another handy resource you can use to estimate the amount of disability insurance income you would need to help maintain your current standard of living.
Special Considerations:
If you work in a state with state-mandated disability or paid medical leave benefits (“State Benefits”), you should carefully consider whether to enroll for this coverage. In California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Washington (and Oregon starting 9/3/23, and Colorado starting 1/1/24), if eligible, you must apply for State Benefits. Your STD benefit will be reduced by State Benefits or other government benefits that apply. Depending on your compensation, the amount of the State Benefit, and other factors, you may only receive the minimum weekly benefit. Please consider, based on your individual circumstances, whether you need additional coverage beyond the State Benefit.
Social Security disability benefits may be available to eligible individuals who experience a disability that is expected to last longer than one year (in addition to other requirements). Social Security disability benefits are not intended for temporary conditions. You should also note that Social Security's disability rules are different from those of other government or private programs. For more information on Social Security disability benefits eligibility, visit the Social Security Administration’s website at www.ssa.gov. Paid Family and Medical Leave and/or state disability benefits may also be available depending on your work state.
Check with your benefits administrator to find out if your company offers group disability insurance and if you are eligible. If so, your benefits administrator can provide you with plan details.
You may need written proof of your disability from your treatment provider(s) to be approved for a claim. You may also need to provide additional medical records concerning the details of your disability. Your insurer may also want you examined at their cost and/or may require financial information from you. Please see your company’s benefits administrator for details.
MetLife offers various ways to submit your claim based on your plan, including online, mail, phone, and fax options. Plus, you can count on MetLife to provide caring, compassionate, and accurate claims service if and when you experience a disability.
NEXT STEPS
Contact your employer for more information.
METLIFE’S SHORT TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE IS A LIMITED BENEFIT GROUP INSURANCE POLICY. The policy or its provisions may vary or be unavailable in some states. Short Term Disability policies offered by MetLife may include a preexisting condition exclusion. MetLife offers Short Term Disability on both an Attained Age and an Issue Age basis. Attained Age rates are based on specified age bands and will increase when a Covered Person reaches a new age band. MetLife’s Issue Age Short Term Disability is guaranteed renewable, and premium rates are based on age at the time of the initial coverage effective date and will not increase due to age; premium rates for increases in coverage will be based on the covered person’s age at the time of that increase’s effective date. Rates are subject to change for MetLife’s Issue Age Short Term Disability on a class-wide basis. For complete details of coverage and availability, please contact MetLife. Benefits are underwritten by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York, New York. In certain states, availability of the worksite Short Term Disability Insurance product is pending regulatory approval.
Like most group disability insurance policies, MetLife group policies contain certain exclusions, exceptions, waiting periods, reductions, limitations and terms for keeping them in force. Ask your MetLife sales representative for complete costs and details.