Planning ahead for your NJ disability can save you a huge financial nightmare were you to become disabled without having any coverage in place. Think about what could happen to your family if you were to have no disability coverage – bills would go unpaid, debt could not be satisfied, and the overall well being of those in your household would suffer. That needless pain and stress can be avoided by carefully preparing ahead of time.
The first thing you need to do to pre-plan for disability coverage is to determine whether your employer offers disability programs. If so, does your employer also fund your participation in those programs, or will you have to contribute part or all of the premiums? If your employer does not offer any coverage, or if you feel the coverage is not adequate to meet your needs, you will need to look into obtaining private disability insurance. Pay close attention to the covenants of the NJ disability program you invest in – various programs can last for different lengths of time and pay out different levels of your pre-disability income.
If you become partially or fully disabled, you will also need to look in other coverage that may be applicable to your situation beyond employer or private disability. If you have become disabled as a direct result of your employment, Worker’s Compensation may cover you. If you do not have access to adequate disability coverage for disability that is not related to your work, the State of New Jersey has programs available that may provide relief to your family.
No matter which options you choose for your own coverage ahead of time and the circumstances related to any disability you may suffer, careful planning and understanding of the programs you are entitled to can make a very unpleasant circumstance far more bearable for yourself and your family.
