Guardian Introduces Enhanced DI Benefits

NEW YORK, Oct. 16, 2017 —The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), a leading provider of employee benefits and disability income (DI) insurance, introduced enhanced DI insurance benefits that provide greater financial security and help employees focus on their recovery rather than on their financial obligations.

The average American household with debt owes $134,643, including mortgages¹. The inability to meet financial obligations because of a disability can have negative financial repercussions for decades. Guardian’s enhanced DI benefits address many of the common financial concerns faced by employees with disabilities that prevent them from working. Guardian’s Loan Payment Protection rider, for instance, provides additional income to cover mortgage expenses, and car and student loan payments.

Under another new rider, an employee faced with a common injury, such as a broken bone, can receive a Specified Injury Benefit that provides one convenient lump sum claims payment for a guaranteed minimum number of weeks, ensuring maximum income replacement when it is needed most.

Also, Guardian’s enhanced DI insurance benefits now offer a Retirement Income Protection Benefit that will make a monthly contribution to an employee’s pension plan or annuity, ensuring that retirement savings continue to grow during a long-term disability.

Additional plan enhancements help to further ease and encourage an employee’s transition back to the workplace after experiencing a disability, such as return-to-work and rehabilitation incentives, as well as worksite modification assistance for employers. Guardian’s DI plans also do not have a cap on the number of trial work days an employee can take during the elimination/waiting period before benefits begin.

“Employees facing a disability that prevents them from working encounter many immediate and long-term financial challenges,” said Michael Estep, Second Vice President, Group Product Development at Guardian. “We’ve updated and strengthened our group DI coverage to give our customers some financial security regarding their financial obligations, while also providing them with the support they need to transition back to the workforce as quickly and safely as possible.”