Besides retirement income, Social Security provides survivor and disability benefits that can be drawn upon tomorrow if needed. In 1999, Social Security awarded new survivor benefits to over 800,000 people, including 470,000 widows and widowers. Disability benefits were approved for over 620,000 people, ranging from teenagers to the elderly.
Many people automatically receive disability insurance coverage from their employer.
If you don't have employer coverage and you don't have the necessary earnings record to qualify for Social Security coverage, you should consider buying disability insurance from a commercial insurer. Social Security shouldn't be viewed as a substitute for other life insurance because it has definite limitations. But Social Security's importance as a supplement to other insurance coverage should not be underestimated. Your Disability Benefits One of the most valuable parts of the entire Social Security program is the protection against the loss of income caused by total disability. In classifying a particular case, considerable leeway is allowed within this range and sometimes even outside of it.