| Short term disability insurance is a great way to create | | | | any missed work due to pregnancy complications will |
| maternity leave pay, while also protecting your income | | | | not be covered. Avoid missing both of these important |
| in case of complications, accidents, and illnesses. Your | | | | benefits by applying for coverage before conception. |
| benefit for normal delivery can greatly exceed the | | | | Don't wait until it's too late. |
| premium you pay when you time the start of | | | | Another nuance that many women overlook is the |
| coverage properly. Unfortunately, most women wait | | | | possibility of pre-term labor and delivery. As mentioned |
| until it's too late to apply for coverage, and miss out on | | | | above, most policies contain an exclusion for normal |
| a golden opportunity. Consider your projected date of | | | | delivery during the first nine months of the policy |
| conception, the possibility of pre-term labor, and the | | | | effective date. It is possible for your policy to begin |
| chances of suffering an accident or illnesses. | | | | before getting pregnant, but for your normal delivery to |
| Use Disability to Create Maternity Leave Pay | | | | occur inside the nine month exclusion. If this happens |
| Short term disability insurance is a great way to create | | | | you may miss out on your benefit. For example, you |
| maternity leave income. It pays a six week benefit for | | | | conceive during the first week after your policy |
| your normal vaginal delivery, and an eight week benefit | | | | becomes effective, and you deliver two weeks early. |
| for your normal c-section delivery - less the elimination | | | | Your normal delivery just occurred inside the nine |
| period. Your benefit for normal delivery can greatly | | | | month exclusion - no maternity leave benefit. Avoid this |
| exceed the premium you pay, thereby creating | | | | dilemma by applying for coverage several months |
| maternity leave income. For example, a woman | | | | before your expected date of conception. Your return |
| earning $54,000 per year qualifies for a $3,000 per | | | | on premium paid will still be well into the positive range. |
| month benefit. Her benefit for a c-section delivery | | | | Remember Accidents and Illnesses |
| would be $4,100 compared to a monthly premium | | | | The amazing part of buying short term disability |
| around $150. A pretty sweet insurance bargain for | | | | insurance to cover your pregnancy and maternity |
| something you were planning to do anyway: have a | | | | leave is that it also protects your income in case of |
| happy healthy pregnancy and new baby! | | | | accidents and illnesses. You could get sick or hurt at |
| Apply for Coverage at the Right Time | | | | almost any time. Should this happen, you will be very |
| Coverage needs to begin before getting pregnant in | | | | happy that you applied for coverage. |
| order to qualify for the benefit for normal delivery. | | | | So if you think you may be getting pregnant anytime |
| Most policies contain a nine month exclusion for normal | | | | soon, apply for coverage now. An accident or illness |
| delivery. Plus, pregnancy is considered a pre-existing | | | | could occur to any of us at any time. Don't wait until |
| condition. If you wait until you are already pregnant to | | | | after getting sick or hurt. Not only will you miss out on |
| apply for coverage you will miss out in two ways: you | | | | the income protection benefit, you may no longer |
| will not qualify for the benefit for normal delivery, and | | | | qualify for coverage. |