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Assurity disability insurance review 2021
The insurer’s flagship product, Century+, caters to all Americans with broad occupation classes.
finder.com’s rating: 4.0 / 5.0
★★★★★
- Consider Assurity if… You want long-term disability insurance, and work in a gray- or blue-collar occupation.
- Look elsewhere if… You need short-term disability insurance, or want to apply for coverage online.
No
Short term disability
Yes
Long term disability
Details
| Benefit period | 1, 2, 5 and 10 years, and to age 65 or 67 |
|---|---|
| Waiting period | 30, 60, 90, 180 or 365 days |
| Coverage amount | $500–$20,000 |
| Individual credit | |
| Available states | Not available in New York |
| Policy riders |
No info available |
| Simplified issue |
No |
Pros
- Own occupation definition of disability
- Accepts high-risk applicants
Cons
- Lower than average financial ratings
- Short-lived non-cancelable rider
Review by
Katia Iervasi
katia.iervasi@finder.comKatia Iervasi is a staff writer who hails from Australia and now calls New York home. Her writing and analysis has been featured on sites like Forbes, Best Company and Financial Advisor around the world. Armed with a BA in Communication and a journalistic eye for detail, she navigates insurance and finance topics for Finder, so you can splash your cash smartly (and be a pro when the subject pops up at dinner parties).
Expert review
Assurity stands out for its broad occupation classes and covering a wide range of health- and work-related risks. But its financial ratings aren’t as strong as its competitors, and you’ll have to add non-cancelability to your policy for an extra fee.
To get the best possible policy, compare disability insurance companies.
Assurity’s disability insurance for business owners
Assurity offers business overhead expense (BOE) coverage, a type of disability insurance for businesses. As a business owner, if you’re unable to work due to a disability, your BOE policy will kick in to cover the lease, payroll and company-related expenses.
Built-in benefits and available policy riders
Built-in benefits
- Presumptive total disability. Waives the elimination period if you lose your sight, hearing, speech, hands or feet. You’ll get your full benefit — whether you’re employed at the time or not.
- Waiver of premium. Once your claim is approved your premiums will be dropped.
- Home modification benefit. Pays an additional benefit if you need to modify your home to cater to your disability.
- Organ donor benefit. Assurity will pay benefits if you become disabled after transplant surgery.
- Vocational rehabilitation benefit. If you voluntarily participate in a vocational rehabilitation program, you’ll receive an extra benefit.
- Survivor benefit. Pays a lump sum to your beneficiaries if you die during a claim.
Riders
- Residual disability benefit. Pays a partial benefit if you’re able to return to work on a limited or part-time basis after a disability.
- Guaranteed insurability. Allows you to increase your coverage on an annual basis to match your income.
- Catastrophic disability benefit. Pays an additional monthly benefit if you’re severely disabled and can’t perform two of the six activities of daily living (ADLs).
- Critical illness benefit. If you’re diagnosed with a serious illness listed on your policy, Assurity will pay an extra benefit.
- Automatic benefit increase. Boosts your monthly benefit by 5% every year until your benefit has doubled, to keep up with inflation.
- Non-cancelable. Ensures your premium remains the same.
Pros and cons of Assurity disability insurance
Pros
- Own occupation definition of disability. Assurity uses an own occupation definition of disability for most of its disability policies, which means you’re eligible for benefits after a disability, even if you can return to work at a different job.
- Accepts high-risk applicants. Assurity’s graded benefit disability plan covers high-risk applicants with a history of conditions that many competitors won’t accept, like heart attacks or cancer.
Cons
- Lower than average financial ratings. Assurity has an A- financial rating with AM Best, a tad lower than most of its competitors, which means it might not be as financially stable.
- Short-lived non-cancelable rider. This company’s non-cancelable rider is only available for the first five years of your policy, after which, Assurity is free to raise your premiums.
Assurity disability insurance reviews and complaints
Assurity is accredited with the Better Business Bureau and has an A+ rating for customer service, as of October 2020. There are no customer reviews on the site and three complaints, which is a good sign given the size of the company. During business hours, the insurer aims to answer 90% of calls within 30 seconds.
Assurity’s financial strength
An insurer’s financial strength is important because you might not file a claim for many years. Assurity scores an A- (Excellent) rating from AM Best, which is the fourth-highest rating the agency awards. It currently manages $2.6 billion in assets, so it’s likely to have the resources to pay claims.
| Agency | Rating |
|---|---|
| A.M. Best | A- (Excellent) |
| Moody’s | N/A |
| Standard & Poor’s | N/A |
| Fitch | N/A |
| J.D. Power | N/A |
Compare alternatives to Assurity
How do I sign up for Assurity disability insurance?
Start the process online. These are the steps:
- On Assurity’s homepage, click Get a Quote.
- Choose Century+ Disability Income.
- Enter your state, age, gender and whether you use nicotine products.
- Select your occupation from the dropdown list.
- Type in your monthly income.
- The system will generate a range of quotes. If you see one you like, click on it.
- A list of coverage options will pop up, and you can opt in or out of various riders. Your premium price might change as a result.
- Enter your full name and contact details, and a local agent will get in touch within one to two business days.
If you want to skip the quote and speak directly to an agent, call 800-869-0355 between Monday to Thursday, 7 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. and Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
More about Assurity
Assurity is a mutual life insurance company specializing in life and disability insurance as well as annuities. Headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, it was formed in 2007 through a merger of three companies: Modern Woodmen Accident and Life, Security Financial Life and Lincoln Direct Life. It sells policies through a network of independent agents.
In 2015, Assurity became a Certified B Corp — and is the largest insurance company to do so. Its business practices are guided by sustainability and environmental ethics, and it’s committed to giving back to the community.
Frequently asked questions
Disability insurance ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Our experts analyze disability insurance companies to help you find the best income protection policy for you.
We assess each company’s financial strength and customer satisfaction, as well as policy features, benefit and elimination periods and available riders. We then give each insurer a score between one and five stars that reflects available options and industry reputation.