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Prudential disability insurance review 2021
Sold through the workplace, these disability policies are backed by one of the biggest insurers in the game.
finder.com’s rating: 2.5 / 5.0
★★★★★
- Consider Prudential if… You qualify for a policy through your employer.
- Look elsewhere if… You want an individual disability insurance policy that can be customized to your needs.
Yes
Short term disability
Yes
Long term disability
Details
| Benefit period |
Short-term: 3, 6 or 12 months
Long-term: Up to ages 65, 67, or 70, or 2 or 5 years |
|---|---|
| Waiting period |
Short-term: 30, 60 or 90 days
Long-term: 90, 180 or 365 days |
| Coverage amount |
Short-term: $100–$3,000
Long-term: $300–$6,000 |
| Individual credit | |
| Available states | All 50 states |
| Policy riders |
No info available |
| Simplified issue |
No |
Pros
- Mobile claims tools
- Extra resources long term disabilities
Cons
- Only available through your employer
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
Offered through the workplace, Prudential’s disability policies cater to both short- and long-term needs. Policy features vary between employers, but you can expect your coverage to be less customizable than an individual policy.
If you’re interested in taking out an individual disability policy, compare disability insurance companies.
Built-in benefits and available policy riders
Built-in benefits
- Partial disability. If you return to work part-time after a claim, you’ll continue to receive monthly benefits based on the percentage of income you’re losing due to your disability.
- Non-cancelable and guaranteed-renewable. As long as you pay your premiums on time, Prudential can’t change your coverage or rates.
- Waiver of premium. If you lose your sight, hearing, speech, hands or feet, the insurer will waive your premiums.
- Survivor benefit. Pays a lump sum to your beneficiaries, equal to three times your monthly benefit, if you die during a claim.
- Voluntary vocational rehabilitation program. If you voluntarily participate in a vocational rehabilitation program, you’ll receive an additional 10% of your benefit up to six months.
Riders
- Residual disability rider. Pays a partial benefit if you’re still able to work on a limited or part-time basis.
- Cost of living adjustment (COLA). Boosts your monthly benefit while on a claim. The increase is capped at 3%.
Pros and cons of Prudential disability insurance
Pros
- Mobile claims tools. This insurer allows you to provide any required documentation for claims through text. Most competitors don’t yet offer this capability.
- Extra resources long term disabilities. Prudential offers extra help for people filing a long term disability claim, like in-house clinical resources or behavioral health resources. The extra help covers both medical and non-medical obstacles to your healing, an added benefit you won’t find with every insurer.
Cons
- Only available through your employer. If your employer doesn’t offer Prudential disability, you won’t be able to get it individually.
Prudential disability insurance reviews and complaints
Prudential has been in the insurance industry for over 140 years, though it’s not accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The BBB has awarded the insurer a D rating while it responds to complaints, as of October 2020. Speaking of complaints, the BBB records 126 in the last three years — but we couldn’t find any directly related to disability insurance.
Customers award Prudential 1 out of 5 stars on the BBB, and 1.5 stars on TrustPilot. But again, these reviews reflect the company as a whole.
Prudential’s financial strength
An insurer’s financial strength points to its ability to pay out claims. Prudential scores top ratings from the major agencies and currently manages $1.4 trillion in assets. With these stats, it’s safe to say it has the cash reserves to pay out claims.
As for customer satisfaction, Prudential earned an “about average” score in J.D. Power’s latest life insurance study — so there’s room for improvement.
| Agency | Rating |
|---|---|
| A.M. Best | A+ (Superior) |
| Moody’s | Aa3 (High quality) |
| Standard & Poor’s | AA- (Very strong) |
| Fitch | AA- (Very strong) |
| J.D. Power | 3 out of 5 circles |
Compare alternatives to Prudential
How do I sign up for Prudential disability insurance?
Since Prudential sells disability insurance through the workplace, you’ll need to ask your employer to explain your coverage options.
If you have questions, you can call Prudential’s disability insurance department at 800-842-1718. Agents are available on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET.
More about Prudential
Founded in 1875, Prudential Financial is one of the largest life insurance companies in the US, with over 3.8 million policyholders and $2 trillion in active premiums. It also has offices in Asia, Europe and Latin America.
Insurance aside, Prudential offers annuities, mutual funds, investment management services and retirement plans.
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.