If You Can't Work, Your Income Shouldn't Disappear

Your paycheck funds everything — your mortgage, your groceries, your retirement contributions. Disability income insurance keeps that foundation in place when a serious illness or injury takes you out of work, whether for a few months or several years.

Book a Free Consultation

What Disability Insurance Actually Covers

Most people assume their health insurance handles everything after a diagnosis. It covers medical bills — not the income you stop receiving while you recover. Disability insurance fills that gap by replacing a portion of your earnings so your financial obligations don't fall apart while you're focused on getting better.


There are two main types of coverage, and they serve different needs:



  • Short-term disability replaces income during the early weeks of a disability — typically the first three to six months. It's designed to bridge the gap before a long-term policy or other resources kick in.
  • Long-term disability covers extended periods of inability to work — often defined as two years, five years, or through retirement age, depending on the policy. This is the coverage that matters most if a serious condition keeps you out of work for the long haul.
  • Own-occupation vs. any-occupation definitions determine how strictly "disabled" is defined in your policy. Own-occupation coverage pays if you can't perform your specific job. Any-occupation coverage is more restrictive — it only pays if you can't work in any capacity.
  • Elimination periods are the waiting period before benefits begin. A shorter elimination period means higher premiums; a longer one lowers your cost but requires more savings as a cushion.
  • Benefit amounts typically replace 60–70% of your pre-disability income, keeping the benefit tax-advantaged in most individual policy structures.

Who Needs Income Protection Coverage?

  • Independent broker — we represent dozens of carriers, not one
  • 25+ years of insurance experience across Michigan
  • We serve the full state, from the Detroit metro to the Upper Peninsula
  • Richard Duffield is your named agent — not a call center


Disability isn't a rare event. The Social Security Administration estimates that more than one in four workers will experience a disability lasting 90 days or longer before reaching retirement age.

If any of the following describes your situation, disability income insurance deserves a serious look:


  • You are self-employed or own a business with no employer-sponsored group plan behind you
  • Your employer offers no disability benefit, or the group coverage falls well short of your actual income
  • You carry a mortgage, support dependents, or have financial obligations that don't pause if you do
  • You are approaching or already in your peak earning years, when the financial consequence of a gap in income is highest
  • You are a Medicare client with a fixed income who cannot absorb an extended period without earnings


We work with clients across Michigan — including many who come to us for Medicare coverage and realize they have no income protection in place for the years before or alongside retirement.



  • Our guidance costs you nothing — we are compensated by the carrier you choose


How we help:

How We Help You Find the Right Policy

We are independent brokers, which means we are not contracted to push one carrier's product. We compare disability income insurance options across multiple carriers and match the structure — benefit period, elimination period, definition of disability, and monthly benefit amount — to your income, your occupation, and your existing coverage.

1.

Income and Coverage Review

We start by understanding what you earn, what you spend, and what your employer provides, if anything. This tells us the actual gap a disability would create.

2.

Policy Comparison Across Carriers

We pull quotes from multiple carriers and walk you through the differences in plain language — not insurance jargon. You will understand exactly what each policy pays, when it pays, and under what circumstances.

3.

Enrollment and Ongoing Support

Once you choose a policy, we handle the paperwork and stay available as your situation changes. If you later move into Medicare or need to revisit your coverage, we are already familiar with your full picture.

Disability Insurance and Medicare: How They Work Together

Many of our clients come to us for Medicare and discover they have a disability coverage gap they hadn't considered. Original Medicare — Parts A and B — covers hospital and medical costs. It does not replace income. If you are still working past 65 and relying on earned income, a disability policy can protect those earnings in a way Medicare is not designed to do.


For clients who are fully retired and drawing Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), we can help clarify how that benefit interacts with Medicare enrollment and whether any supplemental coverage makes sense for your situation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Disability Insurance

  • How much of my income does disability insurance replace?

    Most individual disability income policies replace 60–70% of your pre-disability gross income. The benefit is structured this way intentionally — keeping it below 100% of income preserves the incentive to return to work and, in most individual policy structures, keeps the benefit income-tax-free when you receive it.

  • Is disability insurance available if I'm self-employed in Michigan?

    Yes. Individual disability income policies are available to self-employed individuals and are often more important for them than for W-2 employees, since there is no employer group plan providing a baseline. We work with self-employed clients across Michigan to find coverage that reflects actual business income.

  • What's the difference between short-term and long-term disability coverage?

    Short-term disability covers the first weeks or months of a disability — typically up to six months. Long-term disability picks up where short-term leaves off and can extend benefits for years or through retirement age, depending on the policy. Many people carry both, though the long-term policy is generally the more critical of the two.

  • Does Social Security disability replace the need for a private policy?

    Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) provides a benefit, but the average monthly SSDI payment is modest — around $1,537 as of 2024 — and the approval process is lengthy, with most initial claims denied. A private disability policy pays faster, replaces more income, and applies a less restrictive definition of disability than SSDI.

  • When should I apply for disability insurance?

    The earlier the better. Premiums are based on your age and health at the time of application. A condition diagnosed after you apply can be excluded from coverage or make you uninsurable for that benefit. If you are working and dependent on your income, now is the right time to look at your options.

Talk to Us About Protecting Your Income

A disability doesn't announce itself. The time to put coverage in place is before you need it. We serve clients throughout Michigan — from the Detroit metro to Grand Rapids, Lansing, and beyond — and we are happy to review your current situation and show you what income protection options are available at your age and income level.

Schedule a Free Consultation