Since my husband earns about twice what I do, I always figured everything would be fine since he's properly insured. Big mistake, say most experts. Fla. We use both of our salaries to pay our mortgage and care for our two small children. If I became disabled and was underinsured, my husband would be in a financial bind. It made me realize that I didn't have enough insurance.
Every wage earner needs long-term disability coverage.
But the problem is, few of them are sufficiently covered. Many people, myself included, rely on a group disability policy offered through their employer. It's short-term because it covers me only for a total of 26 weeks, or six months. My employer also offers a supplemental long-term disability policy. The benefit is good for up to two years, and I'm eligible up to age 65, as long as my disability prevents me from doing any job for which I can be trained.