Best Short-Term Disability Insurance Companies

Northwestern Mutual's "Best Overall" ranking derives from how long it's been around, how strong it is financially, and what options it has to cover policyholders. These factors earned it our top spot for the best short-term disability insurance for people and companies alike. Northwestern Mutual offers policies at a few price points. Each has its own set of options, benefits, and coverage levels. You can get a policy with benefits that won't change over time for a lower price.

It's a mutual company, meaning that policyholders own the company, rather than investors, so insured people may also receive money back in the form of dividends based on their policies. The company retains 97% of its clients from year to year. This measure shows how happy people are with its service.

Northwestern Mutual does not give disability insurance quotes online. The company requires that potential clients connect with an agent who can provide the options available for short-term disability.

Ameritas Life Insurance offers policies you can tailor to your needs. Available riders include cost-of-living raises, bumps in pay based on your income, and a catastrophic disability rider to help pay for living costs if you can't care for yourself. The company also offers you the choice of an "own occupation" disability standard, among other options. This makes it easier to make a claim because you can claim disability if you can't work in your field even if you could work other jobs.

Features of this policy include health care cost reimbursement, shorter elimination times for newly insured members in good health, and COBRA payment reimbursement if you're no longer covered for health care due to losing your job as a result of being hurt or sick.

The company's DInamic Fundamental policy provides insurance for workers who work at least 30 hours a week in low risk jobs. You must contact an agent for a quote.

Individuals must be unable to work for at least six weeks to make a claim to Aflac. Policies are guaranteed renewable up to age 75. The value rider adds $1,000 in payouts for every five years in a row that the policy is in force. Aflac short-term disability policies are only available through employer payroll deduction, however.

Aflac also makes it easy to process claims online and getting paid is fast. This makes Aflac both low cost and simple to use. These factors earned it our ranking for most affordable short-term disability insurer.

MassMutual has an A++ (Superior) rating from AM Best, its highest rating, and it has been in business since 1851. Both the company's longevity and its superior financial strength make it a very reputable and secure insurer.

The company offers income policies that will cover you if you're sick or hurt and can't work. You can also add a rider so that your coverage increases with your income. You can use the disability income calculator on the website to figure out how large a policy you need. But a medical exam may be required to get a policy. You can't get a quote online, but the robust and useful website can help you explore your options before you speak to an agent.

Mutual of Omaha offers a "Mutual Income Solutions" policy for short- or long-term income replacement. Coverage can start as soon as 30 days after a disabling event and pay up to $20,000 per month in benefits, depending on your plan and the premium. There are many options for your benefit period length: six months, one year, two years, five years, or 10 years, as well as benefits until age 65, 67, or 70.

The coverage includes several built-in benefits, including a premium waiver while you're disabled after your elimination period ends or 90 days and waiver of the elimination period if you suffer a new disability within 30 days or a recurring disability within six months.

You can add several riders, including residual disability coverage, mental or nervous and substance abuse extension, and return of premium, as well as "own occupation" coverage if you can't return to your original profession because of your disability. There's also a free option to automatically increase your monthly benefit by 4% each year for inflation protection.

You'll have to contact a Mutual of Omaha agent for a custom quote because the company doesn't offer them online.