Long-Term Disability Insurance (LTD)

The Basics

Long-Term Disability (LTD) insurance is private insurance that helps people who can’t work because of a disability. If you have LTD insurance, it will replace some of the income you lose when you can’t work because of a disability.

Some people have LTD insurance from their employers. Others purchase it individually. For both types of policies, your medical history is important.

Each LTD policy will have different details about signing up for a plan and the benefit you will receive.

If you have LTD insurance and you are injured, contact your human resources manager or insurance agent as soon as possible. This early contact will make sure that you get help replacing some of your income as soon as possible.

Talk to your job's HR or to an insurance agent

Long-Term Disability (STD) Insurance is not a government benefit, and it is not connected to any public benefit program. It is private insurance coverage that you get through a private company.

To find out if you have LTD coverage through your employer, talk to your Human Resources person. To sign up for an individual policy, contact an insurance company or insurance agent.

Note: If you are looking for information about Social Security benefits for people with disabilities, see DB101's Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) article and DB101's Supplemental Security Income (SSI) article. If you want information about California's State Disability Insurance (SDI) program, see DB101's SDI article.

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