Your Income Is YourMost Valuable Asset.It's Completely Unprotected.
Most professionals in their twenties and thirties assume they're covered. The policy language says otherwise. Find out exactly where your gap is — in three minutes, free.
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Four Questions.
Four Gaps You Haven't Priced.
Answer each honestly. By the end, you'll know exactly how exposed you are — and what it costs to fix it.
Do you know exactly what your employer's disability policy covers?
What most people assume
Most young professionals assume their employer's group plan will replace their full salary if they can't work. They've seen the benefits portal. It says "disability coverage." That feels sufficient.
What the policy actually says
Group policies typically replace 60% of your base salary — before taxes. Bonuses, equity, and overtime are excluded. The maximum monthly benefit is often capped at $6,000, regardless of your income. A software engineer earning $180K takes home about $3,400/month under their "coverage."
60%
of your base salary, pre-tax. After deductions, most professionals net 38–42% of their actual take-home pay.
The Real Replacement Rate
Group plans advertise 60% replacement. Here's what that actually means by income bracket:
90
days of zero income before most group disability policies pay a single dollar.
The Savings-to-Elimination Gap
How long savings actually last vs. how long professionals must wait:
How many months could you pay your rent without a paycheck?
What most people assume
Most people believe they'd receive disability benefits within a few weeks of a diagnosis or injury. They have some savings. They'd manage the gap.
What the policy actually says
The standard elimination period — the waiting period before benefits begin — is 90 days for most group policies. Some are 180 days. During that window, you receive nothing. The average American has 3.5 weeks of expenses in savings.
What are the odds you'll file a disability claim before age 65?
What most people assume
Disability means a catastrophic accident — a car crash, a spinal injury. It's a remote, visible event. Young, healthy professionals in knowledge work don't file disability claims.
What the policy actually says
The #1 cause of long-term disability claims is cancer, followed by musculoskeletal disorders (think: RSI, chronic back conditions), cardiovascular disease, and mental health diagnoses. All of these disproportionately affect professionals in high-stress, sedentary, or physically repetitive roles.
1 in 4
workers will experience a disability lasting 90+ days before they retire. For professionals under 35, the average claim lasts 34 months.
Top Causes by Professional Category
Disability isn't random. It correlates directly with your occupation:
67%
of long-term disability claims are denied or terminated within 24 months under any-occupation policy definitions.
Policy Definition Comparison
Own-occupation vs. any-occupation — the clause that ends most claims:
Does your policy define "disabled" the way you think it does?
What most people assume
If you can't do your job, you're disabled. The policy will pay. The definition seems straightforward.
What the policy actually says
Most group policies use "any occupation" definitions after 24 months: if you can perform any job at any wage, benefits stop. A surgeon with a hand tremor who can still work retail is no longer "disabled." Own-occupation definitions — which protect your specific role — are almost never included in group plans.
Not ready to share your info?
See what the audit finds.
Download a completed sample report for a composite profile: a 31-year-old hospitalist earning $195K with standard employer group coverage. The numbers will feel familiar.
Download Sample Report (PDF)Shield Coverage Audit
Sample Report — Dr. M. Chen
Your estimated monthly income gap (in dollars)
Your employer's effective replacement rate vs. your actual take-home
Your occupation's top 3 disability risk factors
Recommended own-occupation coverage amount
Estimated monthly premium range for your profile
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