The University's Long Term Disability Plan is available to benefit-eligible faculty and staff in the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÙÍø¿ª½± System to provide replacement income in the event of a medical disability. It is not available to retirees. Certain benefit-eligible employees are eligible for the completely voluntary, employee-paid supplemental individual disability insurance.
If you are unable to work due to a serious illness or accident, and expect to remain unable to work for more than 147 days, your Long Term Disability benefits may replace a portion of your lost income to help you maintain financial independence.
For plan providers or health care provider information, visit our plan contacts page.
Administrator Information for Claimants
- If you first became unable to work on or after January 1, 2024, you will file a disability claim with MetLife. If approved, your disability claim will remain with MetLife for the duration of the claim.
- If you first become unable to work between January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2023, you will file a disability claim with Unum. If approved, your disability claim will remain with Unum for the duration of the claim.
Core Plan (Option A)
The Long-Term Disability (LTD) Core Plan (Option A) is 100% paid by your employer, and you are automatically enrolled.
? Plan Features
- The maximum annual base salary covered is $150,000.
? Eligibility
- You will be automatically enrolled in the Core Plan (Option A) when you first become benefit eligible.
- If you choose to waive this free coverage when you are first eligible, a Statement of Health form will be required should you decide to enroll at a later date.
- If you wish to opt out of this coverage, you must contact your the HR Service Center to complete a separate form.
You must be actively at work on the effective date of coverage. Otherwise, coverage will begin when you return to active work. Consult the LTD Summary Plan Description (SPD) for more information.
? Premiums
- $0
- The Core Plan (Option A) is 100% paid by the university.
Buy-Up Plan (Option B)
The Long-Term Disability (LTD) The Buy-Up Plan (Option B) allows you to cover more of your eligible earnings for an additional premium.
? Plan Features
- When combined with other deductible sources of income, this option allows you to receive up to 85% of your eligible earnings (paying the lesser of 66.67% or 85% of monthly earnings less any deductible sources of income).
- If you enroll in the Buy-Up Plan after-tax, the portion of the benefit that you receive from your after-tax premiums would not be taxable.
- The maximum annual base salary covered is $150,000.
? Eligibility
- If you are newly benefit eligible, you will have the opportunity to enroll in the Buy-up Plan (Option B) without providing a Statement of Health form.
- Statement of Health is required if you choose to enroll in the Buy-Up Plan (Option B) after 31 days of initially becoming eligible.
You must be actively at work on the effective date of coverage. Otherwise, coverage will begin when you return to active work. Consult the LTD Summary Plan Description (SPD) for more information.
? Premiums
- $0.133 per $100 of monthly income*, up to $12,500 per month.
*Premiums for faculty on a nine-month contract paid over nine months are different. For more information, visit the Premiums for 9-month faculty paid over 9 months webpage.
Statement of Health Requirements (Evidence of Insurability)
If you elect or increase disability coverage you may be required to submit a Statement of Health form for evidence of insurability. The Statement of Health form is only available online for a limited period of time after your application for coverage. Please complete it as soon as possible.
To access your customized form, login to myHR (myhr.umsystem.edu). Once logged in, click on the ¡°myBenefits¡± tile, select ¡°Statement of Health Form (MetLife)¡± from the left-hand menu and click the ¡°Statement of Health¡± link to connect to MetLife.
If you have questions about your customized SOH form, please contact MetLife customer service. See the webpage for additional information.
Supplemental Individual Disability Insurance
Some employees are eligible for Supplemental Individual Disability (IDI), a completely voluntary plan offered to highly-compensated faculty and staff. It can help replace more of your income¡ªup to 75%¡ªif you have a covered disabling illness or injury.
? Plan Features
The LTD plans offered above allows you to cover up to 66.67% of your eligible earnings, up to a monthly maximum of a $8,333 benefit. Supplemental Individual Disability Insurance (IDI) can help replace more up to 75% if you have a covered disabling illness or injury. Other features include:
- Catastrophic coverage, which can replace 100% of your pre-disability earnings in the event of a more severe disability.
- A 25% discount on premiums, which are guaranteed not to increase before age 65.
- Choice of maximum benefit or a reduced benefit.
- The ability to keep your policy with the same rate and benefits if you leave the University in the future.
Check out the (PDF, 248KB) for additional information.
? Eligibility
IDI is a plan offered to eligible faculty and staff earning $150,000 or more total income who financially qualify for a minimum benefit of $300.
Unum conducts a separate enrollment period each year; you will not enroll in this plan as a new hire, or during the regular annual enrollment period. If you are eligible, Unum will contact you in the spring, generally April, with enrollment details. This is a completely voluntary plan with one opportunity to enroll.
? Premiums
All plan premiums are paid by the employee. Premiums are paid through after-tax payroll deductions.
* In the event of a difference between this webpage and the plan document or summary plan description, the plan document and plan description prevail.
Reviewed 2024-09-23
