IES Blog

Group disability insurances benefits economy, workers and businesses

Posted on August 11th, 2011 Read time: 1 minutes

A human resources administration has a number of tasks on its agenda, from managing payrolling services to hiring practices to employee benefits, such as insurance.

Group disability insurance is one benefit that some employers may find cost-prohibitive. However, a recent study from life and long-term care insurance company Unum finds disability coverage can result in direct savings of up to $4.5 billion per year for the government and taxpayers.

The report, called "Financial Security for Working Americans: An Economic Analysis of Insurance Products in Workplace Benefits Programs," looks at group disability insurance plans and their effect on consumers, businesses and societal value.

For example, currently, employers spend $21 billion on group life insurance, which ultimately gives the economy and its 75 million participants a $3.5 trillion boost.

"Employer-sponsored financial protection benefits provide a critical financial safety net for individuals and families, particularly lower- and middle-income Americans," said Unum CEO and president Tom Watjen.

Workers may come to rely even more on employer-provided insurance plans, especially when the U.S. federal government is forced to make approximately $2 trillion in cuts as part of the debt ceiling plan. 

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