Compare the top income protection providers in United States — see cover, features and typical rates side by side.
Live offers
25 live offers compared from 16 providers, from $0. Updated daily.
Breeze Disability Insurance Breeze
$0
100% online long-term disability insurance. No agent required. Fast quotes in minutes.
- Monthly Benefit: Up to $20000/mo
- Elimination Period: 30-90 day elimination period
- Benefit Period: 2 years to age 65
- Definition of Disability: Own-occupation available
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$50/mo (35yo $3000/mo benefit)
Guardian Disability Insurance Guardian Life
$0
Industry-leading individual disability insurance. True own-occupation definition. Strong financial ratings.
- Monthly Benefit: Up to $30000/mo
- Elimination Period: 30-180 day elimination period
- Benefit Period: 2 years to age 65 or 67
- Definition of Disability: True own-occupation definition
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$75/mo (35yo $5000/mo benefit)
Principal Financial Disability Insurance Principal Financial
$0
Comprehensive individual and group disability. Own-occupation coverage for professionals.
- Monthly Benefit: Up to $25000/mo
- Elimination Period: 30-365 day elimination period
- Benefit Period: 2 years to age 67
- Definition of Disability: Own-occupation for most professionals
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$70/mo (35yo $5000/mo benefit)
Unum Disability Insurance Unum
$0
America's #1 group disability insurer. Employer-sponsored and individual plans available.
- Monthly Benefit: Typically 60% of salary (group)
- Elimination Period: 7-180 day elimination period
- Benefit Period: 2 years / 5 years / to 65
- Definition of Disability: Any occupation (group standard)
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$60/mo (group plan estimate)
Mutual of Omaha Disability Insurance Mutual of Omaha
$0
Well-known individual disability insurance with flexible benefit periods. No medical exam for some.
- Monthly Benefit: Up to $10000/mo
- Elimination Period: 30-90 day elimination period
- Benefit Period: 2 years to age 65
- Definition of Disability: Own-occupation available
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$55/mo (35yo $3000/mo benefit)
MetLife Group Disability MetLife
$50 /month
MetLife Group Disability — employer-sponsored, largest group insurer in the US.
Prudential Disability Insurance Prudential Financial
$50 /month
Prudential DI — broad group disability coverage, own-occupation definition.
Nationwide Business Overhead Disability Nationwide
$50 /month
Nationwide DI — business overhead + personal disability combo for self-employed.
Allstate Short-Term Disability Allstate
$50 /month
Allstate Workplace Short-Term DI — 13–26 week benefit period, fast approval.
State Farm Disability Income State Farm
$50 /month
State Farm Disability Income — flexible benefit periods, residual benefit rider option.
Breeze Disability Income Breeze
$50 /month
- Monthly Benefit: 60-70% of income
- Elimination Period: 30-90 days
- Benefit Period: 2-5 yrs or to 65
- Definition of Disability: Own occupation
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$80/mo (35yr M)
Guardian Disability Income Guardian Life
$50 /month
- Monthly Benefit: 60-70% of income
- Elimination Period: 30-180 days
- Benefit Period: 2 yrs to age 65
- Definition of Disability: Own occupation
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$120/mo (35yr M)
Principal Financial DI Principal Financial
$50 /month
- Monthly Benefit: 60% of income
- Elimination Period: 30-180 days
- Benefit Period: 2 yrs to age 65
- Definition of Disability: Own occupation
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$110/mo (35yr M)
Unum Short-Term DI Unum
$50 /month
- Monthly Benefit: 50-70% of income
- Elimination Period: 7-14 days
- Benefit Period: 3-26 weeks
- Definition of Disability: Any occupation
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$30/mo (35yr M)
Mutual of Omaha DI Mutual of Omaha
$50 /month
- Monthly Benefit: 60-70% of income
- Elimination Period: 30-90 days
- Benefit Period: 2 yrs to age 65
- Definition of Disability: Own/Any occ
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$100/mo (35yr M)
The Standard DI The Standard
$50 /month
- Monthly Benefit: 50-70% of income
- Elimination Period: 30-365 days
- Benefit Period: 2 yrs to age 65
- Definition of Disability: Own occupation
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$115/mo (35yr M)
Assurity DI Advantage Assurity Life
$50 /month
- Monthly Benefit: 50-70% of income
- Elimination Period: 30-90 days
- Benefit Period: 2 yrs to age 65
- Definition of Disability: Own occupation
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$90/mo (35yr M)
Ameritas DI ProVider Plus Ameritas Life
$50 /month
- Monthly Benefit: 60-70% of income
- Elimination Period: 30-180 days
- Benefit Period: 5 yrs to age 65
- Definition of Disability: Own occupation
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$105/mo (35yr M)
Sun Life DI Sun Life Financial US
$50 /month
- Monthly Benefit: 50-70% of income
- Elimination Period: 30-180 days
- Benefit Period: 2 yrs to age 65
- Definition of Disability: Own occupation
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$110/mo (35yr M)
Northwestern Mutual DI Northwestern Mutual
$50 /month
- Monthly Benefit: 70% of income
- Elimination Period: 30-180 days
- Benefit Period: 2 yrs to age 65
- Definition of Disability: Own occupation
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$150/mo (35yr M)
Prudential DI Prudential Financial
$50 /month
- Monthly Benefit: 60% of income
- Elimination Period: 30-180 days
- Benefit Period: 5 yrs to age 65
- Definition of Disability: Own occupation
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$125/mo (35yr M)
New York Life DI New York Life
$50 /month
- Monthly Benefit: 60-70% of income
- Elimination Period: 30-365 days
- Benefit Period: 2 yrs to age 65
- Definition of Disability: Own occupation
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$130/mo (35yr M)
Unum Long-Term DI Unum
$50 /month
- Monthly Benefit: 50-66% of income
- Elimination Period: 90-365 days
- Benefit Period: 2 yrs to age 65
- Definition of Disability: Any occupation
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$70/mo (35yr M)
Allstate DI Allstate
$50 /month
- Monthly Benefit: 50-60% of income
- Elimination Period: 30-90 days
- Benefit Period: 2 yrs
- Definition of Disability: Any occupation
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$60/mo (35yr M)
MetLife Group DI MetLife
$50 /month
- Monthly Benefit: 60% of income
- Elimination Period: 30-180 days
- Benefit Period: 2 yrs to age 65
- Definition of Disability: Own/Any occ
- Sample Monthly Premium: ~$80/mo (35yr M)
What is Income Protection in the US?
Income protection in the United States is provided through disability insurance, which replaces a portion of your income if illness or injury prevents you from working. It comes in two forms: short-term disability, covering a few weeks to several months, and long-term disability, which can pay until retirement age for serious conditions. Because your ability to earn is often your largest financial asset, disability coverage protects the paycheck that funds your mortgage, savings and daily life.
How the US market works
Many workers get some coverage through employer group plans, but these often replace only around 60% of base salary, are capped, and the benefits are taxable if the employer pays the premium. Individual policies, bought directly, offer higher, portable coverage with benefits paid tax-free when you pay premiums with after-tax dollars. A few states, such as California and New York, run mandatory state short-term disability programs. Policies define disability as either own-occupation or any-occupation, which materially affects claims.
Benefits
Income replacement — Replaces a large share of your paycheck if you cannot work due to illness or injury.
Tax-free benefits — Individually paid policies pay benefits free of income tax.
Portability — An individual policy stays with you if you change jobs, unlike group coverage.
Own-occupation cover — Strong policies pay if you cannot do your specific job, even if you could do another.
How to choose
Decide how much monthly benefit you need to cover essential expenses, then check the definition of disability—own-occupation coverage is more protective than any-occupation. Compare the elimination period (the wait before benefits start, often 90 days for long-term policies) and the benefit period (how long payments last, ideally to retirement age for long-term coverage). Look at whether the policy is non-cancelable and guaranteed renewable, and add riders like cost-of-living adjustments or residual benefits for partial disability.
Leading providers in the US
Unum, Guardian Life, Principal Financial and Mutual of Omaha are leading writers of both individual and employer group disability insurance, known for strong long-term policies and own-occupation options. MetLife and Prudential Financial are large national carriers offering group and individual disability coverage. Breeze is a digital-first insurer that streamlines buying individual long-term disability online, and Allstate provides supplemental disability and workplace coverage.
What it costs
Individual long-term disability premiums typically run about 1% to 3% of your annual income, with the exact cost depending on your age, occupation class, health, benefit amount, elimination period and riders. Supplemental and short-term policies can cost as little as a few dollars a month up to the low tens of dollars. Riskier occupations and richer benefit features raise the premium, while longer elimination periods lower it.
Protections and regulation
Disability insurance is regulated by state insurance departments coordinated through the NAIC, which oversee policy forms, claims practices and insurer solvency; state guaranty associations backstop benefits if an insurer fails. Employer group plans are generally governed by the federal ERISA law, which sets claims and appeals procedures. A few states operate their own mandatory short-term disability insurance programs funded through payroll.
Common questions
Isn't Social Security enough? Social Security Disability is hard to qualify for and modest, so private coverage fills the gap. Is employer coverage sufficient? Often not—it is capped, taxable and lost when you leave, so a supplemental individual policy is wise. What is own-occupation coverage? It pays if you cannot perform your specific profession, which is stronger than any-occupation definitions.
The cheapest Income Protection in United States is $0 from ~$50/mo from Breeze.