Free disability insurance quotes in minutes

Your information is kept secure.

Best disability insurance companies: Expert-reviewed in 2023

The best disability insurance company for you will depend on your income, age, and job, plus the rates and policy features that each company offers.

Headshot of Andrew Hurst

By

Andrew HurstSenior Editor & Licensed Auto Insurance ExpertAndrew Hurst is a senior editor and a licensed auto insurance expert at Policygenius. His work has also been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, USA Today, NPR, Mic, Insurance Business Magazine, ValuePenguin, and Property Casualty 360.

Edited by

Anna SwartzAnna SwartzSenior Managing Editor & Auto Insurance ExpertAnna Swartz is a senior managing editor and auto insurance expert at Policygenius, where she oversees our car insurance coverage. Previously, she was a senior staff writer at Mic.com, as well as an associate writer at The Dodo.
|

Reviewed by

Anthony HeAnthony HeDisability Insurance Operations Manager Anthony He is a disability insurance expert and a former Operations Manager at Policygenius. He has 10 years of previous insurance experience and is a licensed agent in the state of New York.

Updated|3 min read

Expert reviewedExpert reviewedThis article has been reviewed by a member of ourFinancial Review Council to ensure all sources, statistics, and claims meet the highest standard for accurate and unbiased advice.Learn more about oureditorial review process.

Policygenius content follows strict guidelines for editorial accuracy and integrity. Learn about our editorial standards and how we make money.

Disability insurance, which pays you if you can’t work because of illness or injury, can be essential financial protection. Take a look at our guide to the best disability insurance companies to help you find the right one for your needs.

Ready to shop for disability insurance?

Get started

Best disability insurance companies: Expert picks

award icon

2023 Policygenius award winner

Guardian

Guardian Life logo

Policygenius rating 

Our proprietary rating methodology takes multiple factors into account, including customer satisfaction, cost, financial strength, and policy offerings. See the "methodology" section for more details.

Full orange starFull orange starFull orange starFull orange starEmpty gray star

4.0

AM Best rating 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency that scores the financial strength of insurance companies on a scale from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor).

A++

Cost 

Using a mix of internal and external rate data, we grade the cost of each insurance company's premiums on a scale from least expensive ($) to most expensive ($$$$$).

NA

Why we chose itchevron icon

Guardian disability insurance is a good option for people with high incomes who don’t have a job with manual or physical duties.

Pros and conschevron icon

Pros

  • Non-cancellable rider built in

  • Offers a lifetime extended benefits rider

  • Lots of other optional riders

Cons

  • Not a top choice for people with manual jobs

More detailschevron icon

More about Guardian disability insurance

  • Definition of disability: Own occupation, and any occupation

  • Available waiting periods: 30, 60, 90, 180, 360, and 720 days

  • Available benefit periods: 2 years, 5 years, 10 years, to age 65, to age 67, to age 70

  • Built-in riders: Guardian’s disability insurance comes with a hospice care benefit, a non-cancellation/guaranteed premium rider, presumptive total disability benefits, an unemployed premium suspension, and a waived elimination period if you’re injured within five years after another disability.

  • Optional riders: Guardian offers an automatic increased benefits rider, a basic and enhanced partial disability benefits rider, a catastrophic disability rider, a cost of living adjustment, a lifetime extended benefits rider that allows you to collect benefits after your policy’s expiration date, a future increase option, a lump sum benefit rider, a severe disability rider for illnesses and cognitive impairment, a student loan repayment rider, and a supplemental disability insurance benefit.

  • Customer satisfaction ratings: Guardian has a company-wide complaint index of 0.80, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). That means Guardian receives about 20% fewer complaints than expected.

  • State availability: Available in all 50 states

award icon

2023 Policygenius award winner

Illinois Mutual

Logo for Illinois Mutual insurance company

Policygenius rating 

Our proprietary rating methodology takes multiple factors into account, including customer satisfaction, cost, financial strength, and policy offerings. See the "methodology" section for more details.

Full orange starFull orange starFull orange starHalf orange starEmpty gray star

3.5

AM Best rating 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency that scores the financial strength of insurance companies on a scale from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor).

A-

Cost 

Using a mix of internal and external rate data, we grade the cost of each insurance company's premiums on a scale from least expensive ($) to most expensive ($$$$$).

NA

Why we chose itchevron icon

Disability insurance from Illinois Mutual is a great choice if you work a specialized manual job, like construction workers, electricians, and truck drivers.

Pros and conschevron icon

Pros

  • Policies include a partial disability benefit

  • Comes with a rider that pays for home modifications

  • Offers coverage for mental health, substance abuse

Cons

  • Not available in every state

More detailschevron icon

More about Illinois Mutual disability insurance

  • Definition of disability: Total and own occupation

  • Available waiting periods: 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 180 days, 1 year, 2 years

  • Available benefit periods: 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years, to age 67

  • Built-in riders: Disability insurance from Illinois Mutual comes with an automatic increased benefits rider, a benefit if you’re disabled after a transplant, extra benefits after you lose sight or two limbs, partial disability coverage, a recurrent disability benefit in case past disability crops up again, a presumptive total disability benefit, a retraining and home modification benefit, a survivor benefit, an unemployed premium suspension, and waived premiums after you’re disabled.

  • Optional riders: Optional additions include cost of living adjustments, a future increase option until age 55, a non-cancellation/guaranteed premium rider, a residual benefits rider that makes up for your loss in income after you come back from a disability, a retroactive disability rider if you’re disabled within the first 30 days of another injury, a return of premiums rider, and a social insurance substitute which offsets your benefits from other disability payments.

  • Customer satisfaction ratings: Illinois Mutual has a company-wide complaint index of 0.28, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). That means Illinois Mutual receives much fewer complaints than expected.

  • State availability: Available in every state except Alaska, California, the District of Columbia, New York, and Vermont.

award icon

2023 Policygenius award winner

Petersen

A logo of Petersen, a company that offers disability insurance.

Policygenius rating 

Our proprietary rating methodology takes multiple factors into account, including customer satisfaction, cost, financial strength, and policy offerings. See the "methodology" section for more details.

Full orange starFull orange starFull orange starHalf orange starEmpty gray star

3.5

AM Best rating 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency that scores the financial strength of insurance companies on a scale from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor).

A

Cost 

Using a mix of internal and external rate data, we grade the cost of each insurance company's premiums on a scale from least expensive ($) to most expensive ($$$$$).

NA

Why we chose itchevron icon

Peterson disability insurance may be best for people who are considered high-risk, either because of their jobs or their medical history.

Pros and conschevron icon

Pros

  • Offers coverage for higher-risk shoppers

  • Comes with non-cancellable coverage

  • Covers disabilities from war and terrorism

Cons

  • Limited benefit periods

More detailschevron icon

More about Petersen disability insurance

  • Definition of disability: True own occupation

  • Available waiting periods: 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 180 days, and 365 days

  • Available benefit periods: 1 year, 2 years 3 years, 5 years and 10 years; to age 65, 67, or 70 only for executives, attorneys, accountants

  • Built-in riders: Petersen has a few features built into its disability insurance, including coverage for disabilities caused by wars and terrorism, a non-cancellation/guaranteed premium rider, presumptive disability coverage, and waived premiums after you’re disabled.

  • Optional riders: Petersen offers just two optional riders: a cost-of-living increase and residual disability coverage if your income is reduced by 15% or more.

  • Customer satisfaction ratings: Petersen doesn’t have complaint data with the NAIC available, but it has an A+ rating from BBB.

  • State availability: Available in every state except Maine, Montana, and Rhode Island

award icon

2023 Policygenius award winner

The Standard

A logo for The Standard disability insurance company

Policygenius rating 

Our proprietary rating methodology takes multiple factors into account, including customer satisfaction, cost, financial strength, and policy offerings. See the "methodology" section for more details.

Full orange starFull orange starFull orange starFull orange starEmpty gray star

4.0

AM Best rating 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency that scores the financial strength of insurance companies on a scale from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor).

A

Cost 

Using a mix of internal and external rate data, we grade the cost of each insurance company's premiums on a scale from least expensive ($) to most expensive ($$$$$).

NA

Why we chose itchevron icon

We recommend disability insurance from The Standard for high earners who don’t have a manual or high-risk job.

Pros and conschevron icon

Pros

  • Includes a family care benefit

  • Offers a student loan protection rider

  • Gets a lower-than-average number of complaints

Cons

  • Not a top choice for people with manual job duties

More detailschevron icon

More about The Standard disability insurance

  • Definition of disability: Own and modified own occupation

  • Available waiting periods: 60, 90, 180, and 365 days

  • Available benefit periods: 2 years, 5 years, 10 years, to age 65, to age 67

  • Built-in riders: Disability insurance from The Standard comes with a family care benefit that covers you if you have to take care of a sick family member, presumptive disability coverage, a recurrent disability benefit in case you become disabled again within 12 months after an earlier disability, a rehabilitative care benefit, a survivor benefit, and suspension of the policy while you’re on active military duty.

  • Optional riders: The Standard offers automatically increasing coverage for six years, basic and residual partial disability coverage, a catastrophic disability insurance rider, cost-of-living coverage increases, a future increase option, a non-cancellation/guaranteed premium rider, and student loan protection.

  • Customer satisfaction ratings:  The Standard has a company-wide complaint index of 0.25, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). That means The Standard receives much fewer complaints than competitors.

  • State availability: Available in all 50 states

Complete list of the best disability insurance companies

Here is our complete list of disability insurance companies, along with financial strength scores from trusted third-party A.M. Best, the relative number of complaints that each company receives, and Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings.

A.M. Best rating

NAIC complaint index

BBB rating

Ameritas

A

46% below average 

A+

Assurity

A-

56% below average

A+

Fidelity Security

A-

68% below average

A+

Guardian

AA+

20% below average

A+

Illinois Mutual

A-

72% below average

A+

Massachusetts Mutual

A++

96% below average

A

MetLife

A-

60% below average

A+

Mutual of Omaha

A+

52% below average

A+

Northwestern Mutual

A++

97% below average

A-

Ohio National

A

55% below average

A+

Petersen

A

N/A

A+

Principal

A+

80% below average

A+

RiverSource

A+

83% below average

A+

State Farm

A++

77% below average

A+

The Standard

A

75% below average

A+

Thrivent

A++

97% below average

A+

Unum

A

29% below average

A+

Collapse table

The average NAIC complaint index score is always 1.00. This means that a company with a complaint index score of 0.50 gets 50% fewer complaints than is average for the industry.

What is the best type of disability insurance?

The best kind of disability insurance is long-term disability insurance. A long-term disability insurance policy pays out if you get sick or hurt and can’t work, and will cover you for whatever benefit period you chose — anywhere from a couple of years or up through retirement age.

Many people can get short-term disability insurance through their jobs, but short-term disability insurance will only cover you for a few months before you lose the benefits. 

→ Read more about whether you should get long-term disability insurance

Best short-term disability insurance companies

Short-term disability insurance is usually offered as an employer benefit, sometimes for free. If you don’t get short-term disability coverage through work, you can buy a policy on your own, although the cost isn’t always worth the protection you get. 

You can sometimes get short-term disability insurance as an extra from the same company where you buy your long-term coverage.

Some of the most popular short-term disability insurance companies are:

  • Aflac

  • Humana

  • Mutual of Omaha

  • Metlife

Ready to shop for disability insurance?

Get started

What makes a disability insurance company the best?

The best disability insurance company for you is the one that matches your needs and budget. As you shop for disability insurance, pay attention to the  details of each policy, any extra coverages that are available, and the overall cost.

Basic disability insurance policy details

When you get a disability insurance quote, you’ll need to fill in some details about what you want in a policy. Here’s a glossary of basic terms to know when you’re shopping for disability insurance:

  • Benefit period: The length of time you’ll get payments. The best companies offer coverage that lasts until retirement age, but some even offer coverage that continues after your policy has expired.

  • Disability qualifications: The way a company defines what a disability is affects when you’d receive coverage. Some companies offer coverage only if you can’t work any job, while the best companies will let you continue to receive benefits even if you can still work after you’re disabled.

  • Elimination period or waiting period: The time after you have to wait before you’ll receive any of your benefits. A shorter waiting period means you’ll get paid out sooner, but it’ll be more expensive.

Built-in and optional disability insurance riders

You can think of a rider like the “perks” of your disability insurance. Riders may be automatically included in a disability policy or you may have to add them.

Riders play a big part in which insurance company will be the best for you. If you want more protection, you should consider companies that offer lots of riders instead of companies that only offer a few. Some common disability insurance riders include:

  • Automatic increase benefit: Automatically increases your policy’s benefits for a certain period of time.

  • Cost of living adjustment (COLA): Increases your monthly benefit to keep up with inflation.

  • Family care benefit: Offers coverage if you have to leave your job in order to take care of a seriously ill family member.

  • Good health rider: Lowers your policy’s waiting period for every year that you don’t make a claim (but not to zero).

  • Non-cancelable or guaranteed premium: Your disability insurance company won’t drop your coverage or raise your rate as long as you make regular payments.

  • Occupational rehabilitation: Covers the cost of a job-training or a rehabilitation center after a disability.

  • Option for future increases: Allows you to increase your disability coverage in the future without going through another medical exam.

  • Waiver of premium: You won’t have to continue paying your premiums once you’re disabled.

  • Presumptive total disability: Skips the waiting period for disability benefits if you lose one of your senses or a limb.

  • Survivor benefit or death benefit: You get a loved one’s disability benefits for a set period of time if they died while receiving disability benefits.

How much does disability insurance cost?

How much you pay for disability insurance will depend on your income — how much money you’d have to replace if you became disabled, but generally, disability insurance costs between 1% and 3% of your annual income.

The best disability insurance should balance solid protection with affordable rates. Here are some of the factors that will affect your disability insurance quotes:

  • Your monthly benefit amount

  • The maximum benefit period

  • The waiting time before you can start receiving payments

  • Any optional riders you add

  • Whether you’re billed monthly, semi-annually, or annually

  • Your age, gender, and overall health

  • The specifics of your job

Ready to shop for disability insurance?

Get started

The best disability insurance companies by profession

Most disability insurance companies factor your job into your rates. That means that you’re likely to see lower rates if you work in a corporate or desk job rather than one where you could be easily injured.

If you have a high-risk job, it’ll be harder for you to find the same type of disability coverage as someone with a lower-risk job. You may even have to rebuy a policy every few years because of the chance you’ll be hurt on the job.

But no matter your job, you likely be able to find a long-term disability insurance policy that meets your needs. Here are the best disability insurance companies for:

Frequently asked questions

Is disability insurance worth getting?

It’s worth getting disability insurance if you work in a high-paying or specialized job and you wouldn’t be able to support yourself or your family without an income.

Can you buy your own disability insurance?

Yes, disability insurance is available to buy just like any other type of insurance. If you buy your own disability insurance, you’ll get what’s called a private or individual policy. The coverage you’d get through an employer is called group disability insurance.

Who offers the best long-term disability insurance?

The best company for long-term disability insurance depends on your job, age, gender, medical records, and how much income you’d need to replace if you were injured. If you’re not sure where to start, a Policygenius agent can help you compare your disability insurance options for free.

Author

Andrew Hurst is a senior editor and a licensed auto insurance expert at Policygenius. His work has also been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, USA Today, NPR, Mic, Insurance Business Magazine, ValuePenguin, and Property Casualty 360.

Editor

Anna Swartz is a senior managing editor and auto insurance expert at Policygenius, where she oversees our car insurance coverage. Previously, she was a senior staff writer at Mic.com, as well as an associate writer at The Dodo.

Expert reviewer

Anthony He is a disability insurance expert and a former Operations Manager at Policygenius. He has 10 years of previous insurance experience and is a licensed agent in the state of New York.

Questions about this page? Email us at .