With our World ever changing and the seasons flying past us with a blink of an eye, it seems like we can never be too prepared for what comes ahead.  My husband and I have our fair share and then some of aches and ailments and I’m always worried that when the time comes should we need to take time off of work due to surgery or injuries, that we are never fully prepared for such an event.  My husband suffers from an injury to his spinal chord and there is a possibility that he may need a spinal fusion sometime in the future.  Along with an injury he has to his wrist, we are always looking at the challenges we’ll have to face with and without short term disability insurance and how it could benefit us in the long run.  Between the much needed protection that we will need for ourselves and our family, there are so many reasons why we look at outside insurance for assistance.  One important reason for us is not only protection, but also so that we have a little something that can help us – especially since we have our three littles.

Short Term Disability Insurance can benefit anyone and let’s face it, there are those “rainy days” we can’t avoid and accidents we have no control over.  While the insurance through our employers may be beneficial for our needs, there can always be situations we have no control over where an outside insurance will help us out.  Today I’m going to share with you a little about Aflac’s Short Term Disability Insurance and their Fall 2015 Open Enrollment.

For most U.S. companies, fall marks open enrollment season, a time when workers can review their employer-sponsored benefits offerings and choose the health insurance policies that best meet their financial and health care needs.   Selecting the right health care benefits may be one of the most important decisions Americans will make all year (for my family it surely is) and an Aflac survey found that many workers do very little research to learn which plans and products really work best for them.  In fact, 34 percent of employees spent 15 minutes or less researching their benefit options in 2014.  Those who don’t set aside time to research their insurance options often end up with inadequate health care protection for themselves and their families.

Let’s face it, you have absolutely no idea when you’ll need insurance to fall back on or rely on.  There may be a time when you’ll need to take care of yourself or a loved one – especially if you have a family and you may need the extra help.  It’s a smart decision to have insurance there to help you during a time when you need it most.  When an unforeseen medial event occurs, many people are often faced with paying copayments, deductibles or treatment costs not covered by major medical insurance, as well as other daily living expenses – all while paying increasing health insurance premiums.  According to a recent Aflac survey, 66 percent of workers would not be able to adjust to the large financial costs associated with a serious injury or illness, and 49 percent have less than $1,000 on hand to pay out-of-pocket medical expenses.  Voluntary policies, which complement major medical coverage, are specifically designed to help pay for out-of-pocket expenses that can be associated with an unexpected illness or injury.  In addition, the cash benefits can be used to help pay rent, gas, groceries, child care or any other out-of-pocket expenses that continue to roll in even if someone is too sick or injured to work.

Many people mistakenly believe that the Social Security Administration will provide adequate financial assistance if they become disabled, but that’s not true in all cases.  In fact, more than 59 percent of disability claims are denied by the Social Security Administration.

• In addition, workers’ compensation only covers on-the-job injuries and disabilities, and considering that off-the-job injuries are three times more common than on-the-job injuries, having disability insurance can help you avoid devastating financial situations resulting from an unexpected accident that may leave you unable to work.¹
• Short-Term Disability insurance pays a percentage of your income if you are unable to work due to a covered illness or injury. Benefits are paid directly to you, unless otherwise assigned, to help cover things like deductibles, car payments, utility bills and more.
• Those who should consider this product –
  1. Parents with young children and/or other dependents.
  2. Those who agree they should take better care of their health (feel stressed or need more sleep and a better diet).

While selecting the right insurance can be intimidating, it’s best to be prepared.  Aflac offers a variety of different insurance options for you like Accident, Cancer, Hospital and Life Insurance.  Aflac also offers short term disability and you have options that are available to help relieve some of the stress from those unexpected life changes and events that may occur.  With a growing family and my husband in a law enforcement field, there are so many things that can occur that can change our lives in a heartbeat.  You can never be too prepared and helping relieve some of that worry could be beneficial for you and your family.   Take a look at Aflac’s Fall 2015 Open Enrollment and see if there is something that could be beneficial for you.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.