Long-term disability insurance

Employer-paid and employee-paid long-term disability (LTD) insurance is offered to school employees and SEBB-participating employer groups that offer SEBB medical, dental, and vision coverage. LTD insurance is not available to employees eligible for benefits under WAC 182-30-130.

Note: Your SEBB long-term disability benefit is different from the state’s long-term care benefit, which is called The WA Cares Fund.

Employer-paid LTD insurance

LTD insurance protects a portion of your salary if you are unable to work due to serious injury or illness. When you enroll in LTD coverage, it pays you a percentage of your monthly earnings if you become disabled.

If eligible, you will automatically be enrolled in employer-paid LTD insurance, even if you waive medical coverage. You do not need to provide evidence of insurability (proof of good health).

There is no cost for this coverage.

Employer-paid LTD insurance provides
  • Benefit: 60 percent of the first $667 of your predisability earnings, reduced by any deductible income (like Social Security disability).
  • Minimum: $100/month or 10 percent of the LTD benefit before deductible income, whichever is greater.
  • Maximum: $400/month

Employee-paid LTD insurance

You are automatically enrolled in a plan that covers 60 percent of your insured income (your monthly insured earnings before you become disabled, up to $16,667). You do not need evidence of insurability. You pay for this coverage. See employee-paid LTD premiums.

Reduce or decline coverage

At any time, you can reduce to a lower-cost 50-percent coverage level or decline the employee-paid coverage using Benefits 24/7 or by submitting the Long-Term Disability Insurance Enrollment/Change form to your payroll or benefits office. If you later decide to enroll in or increase coverage, you will have to provide evidence of insurability and be approved by the insurer.

60-percent plan

The 60 percent coverage level provides:

  • Benefit: 60 percent of the first $16,667 of your predisability earnings, reduced by any deductible income
  • Minimum: $100/month or 10 percent of the LTD benefit before deductible income, whichever is greater
  • Maximum: $10,000/month
50-percent plan

The 50 percent coverage level provides:

  • Benefit: 50 percent of the first $16,667 of your predisability earnings, reduced by any deductible income
  • Minimum: $100/month or 10 percent of the LTD benefit before deductible income, whichever is greater
  • Maximum: $8,333/month

Benefit waiting period

Benefits start after the benefit-waiting period, which is the longer of:

  • 90 days;
  • The entire period of sick leave (excluding shared leave) for which the employee is eligible;
  • The "fractionated period" of paid time off (PTO) for which the employee is eligible, if your employer has a PTO plan, as those terms are defined in the policy;
  • The entire period of other non-vacation salaried continuation leave for which the employee is eligible; or
  • The end of Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave for which the employee is receiving benefits.

Benefits continue during disability up to the maximum benefit period. The maximum benefit period is determined by your age when disability begins.

What does employee-paid LTD insurance cost?

View employee-paid LTD premiums. To find your premium, use the premium calculator on Standard's website.

Terms and conditions apply

LTD insurance has limitations, including a 12-month preexisting condition exclusion. Please read your certificate of coverage carefully to understand this benefit.

What is considered a disability?

Disability is defined as being unable to perform with reasonable continuity the duties of your own occupation as a result of sickness, injury, or pregnancy during the benefit waiting period and the first 24 months for which LTD benefits are payable. During this period, you are considered partially disabled if you are working but unable to earn more than 80 percent of your indexed predisability earnings.

After the first 24 months, disability as a result of sickness, injury, or pregnancy means being unable to perform with reasonable continuity the material duties of any gainful occupation for which you are reasonably able through education, training, or experience. During this period, you are considered partially disabled if you are working but unable to earn more than 60 percent of your indexed predisability earnings in that occupation and in all other occupations for which you are reasonably suited.

What is the maximum benefit period?

For both employer-paid LTD and employee-paid LTD coverage, the "maximum benefit period" means the benefit duration, which is based on your age when the disability begins.

Age Maximum benefit period

61 or younger

To age 65, or to SSNRA* or 42 months, whichever is longest

62

To SSNRA* or 42 months, whichever is longest

63

To SSNRA* or 36 months, whichever is longest

64

To SSNRA* or 30 months, whichever is longest

65

24 months

66

21 months

67

18 months

68

15 months

69 or older

12 months

*SSNRA is Social Security Normal Retirement Age, your normal retirement age under the Federal Social Security Act as amended.

Contact

For help with enrollment and premium payments
Your payroll or benefits office

For help with benefits or plan details
Standard Insurance Company
Phone: 1-833-229-4177
Online: Standard for school employees