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What are elimination periods in disability insurance?

An elimination period is the amount of time you have to wait between a disabling illness or injury and when you start getting payments from your disability insurance company.

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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.

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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.

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You usually get to pick an elimination, or waiting, period when you buy a disability insurance policy. For long-term disability insurance, you can sometimes choose elimination periods of up to two years.

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A longer elimination period means cheaper rates, but don’t make your elimination period too long, because it may mean going months or even years without an income. Remember that the best way to find affordable disability insurance is by comparing quotes from multiple companies.

What is an elimination period for disability insurance?

An elimination period, which is also called a “waiting” or “qualifying” period, is the amount of time that you have to wait before you can receive benefits from your short-term or long-term disability insurance.

Elimination periods for long-term disability insurance range from 30 days to two years, and seven days for a short-term policy.

Your elimination period begins on the day of your disabling event, not when you file a claim. So for an illness, that would mean the first day your symptoms keep you from working. Once your elimination period is up, and as long as your condition lines up with your policy’s definition of a disability and your claim is accepted, your benefits will start.

How do elimination periods work?

Elimination periods work like this: You can file a claim as soon as you have an illness or injury that keeps you out of work, but you won’t start receiving payments until the elimination period is up. So if your elimination period is 6 months, you won’t start getting payments until 6 months from the date of your disabling event.

But elimination periods can sometimes be tricky. Depending on how you choose to receive your benefits (meaning your payments), they might not arrive right after your elimination period ends, and you may have to live on your savings for longer than expected.

You only have one elimination period per injury or illness, so if you try to go back to work after a few weeks off but can’t, your elimination period won’t restart.

It’s also possible to skip your elimination period altogether if you have a serious disability, are permanently disabled, or if you have to submit more than one disability claim.

How to you choose an elimination period

When you’re choosing an elimination period, consider how long you can afford to live without a paycheck, and any other coverage you have that can pay out while you’re waiting. 

These steps can help you decide on an elimination period for your disability insurance policy:

  • Do the math: Calculate your monthly expenses and divide the total by the money you have saved. This will tell you how many months’ cushion you have to rely on your savings alone.

  • Account for other forms of income: If you don’t have much in savings, but you have a partner who earns enough money to keep you both afloat while you’re out of work, or you have short-term disability insurance that will pay out right away, you may be able to opt for a longer elimination period for your long-term disability coverage. 

  • Talk to a licensed expert: A licensed insurance expert, like the ones at Policygenius, can help you work out your expenses and savings and recommend an elimination period that works best for your financial situation.

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How do different elimination periods affect disability insurance rates?

Your elimination period is just one of the factors — along with the amount of coverage you get, your benefit period, and your age — that determines your disability insurance rates. In fact, your elimination period can affect your rates by quite a bit. 

We found that the average cost of disability insurance with a 30-day elimination period is almost double the cost of a policy with a 90-day waiting period. An even longer 720-day elimination period is about one third cheaper than a policy with a 90-day waiting period.

Elimination period

Average rate

30 Days

$1,667

60 Days

$1,358

90 Days

$843

180 Days

$713

365 Days

$604

720 Days

$575

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Average monthly rates for own-occupation long-term disability insurance with a benefit period through age 65.

Remember that you still have to be able to cover your expenses while you’re out of work and not receiving any benefits or income from another source, so don’t just choose the longest elimination period you can to get affordable disability coverage.

Elimination period vs. probationary period

An elimination period isn’t the same as a probationary period in insurance. A probationary period is a set amount of time during which you can’t file a claim.

Long-term disability insurance usually doesn’t have a probationary period — most disability policies don’t. Other types of insurance, like health insurance, typically have probationary periods, but you could file a disability claim the day after your policy starts if you need to, as long as it’s not for a pre-existing condition.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the elimination period?

You choose the length of your elimination period when you buy disability insurance. Most of the time insurance companies let you choose an elimination period that lasts between 30 days and two years.

Is elimination period the same as waiting period?

Yes, the waiting period is the same thing as the elimination period. Both refer to the amount of time that you have to wait after a disability to receive any benefits.

What is the point of an elimination period in disability insurance?

Elimination periods are kind of like deductibles — the amount of money that you have to pay out of pocket before you receive any coverage from your insurance policy. Elimination periods keep you from making a claim for any short-term injury or illness that keeps you out of work.

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.

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