Your paycheck is your biggest asset. Insure it like one.

Most Arizonans pay roughly 1–3% of their annual income — often $50 to $250 per month depending on occupation class, age, health, benefit amount, elimination period, and benefit period. A Phoenix office professional in their 30s typically pays far less than a 50-year-old roofer for the same monthly benefit. The free quote survey on this page shows your real numbers with no obligation.

No. Unlike California's SDI program, Arizona has no state-mandated short-term disability insurance. Social Security Disability (SSDI) exists, but most initial applications are denied, approval takes months or years, and the average benefit replaces only a fraction of a working income. Private disability insurance is the primary income safety net for Arizona workers.

True own-occupation disability insurance pays benefits if you can't perform the duties of your specific occupation — a Scottsdale dentist who can no longer practice dentistry collects benefits even if she could teach. Any-occupation coverage only pays if you can't do any job you're reasonably suited for, a much harder standard to meet. Physicians, dentists, attorneys, and other Arizona professionals should insist on own-occupation definitions.

For most Arizona physicians and dentists, the best coverage is a true own-occupation, specialty-specific individual policy with residual disability and future-increase riders, layered on top of any employer group LTD. The right carrier varies by specialty and health history, which is why we compare multiple A-rated carriers side by side rather than pushing one company's product.

Yes. While many mainstream carriers decline CDL drivers, specialty markets offer occupational accident and disability income coverage designed for owner-operator truckers, hotshot haulers, and other high-risk driving occupations. As an independent Peoria-based agency, we shop those specialty markets for drivers other agencies turn away.

Yes. Tow truck and recovery operators, heavy equipment operators, and similar high-risk occupations can obtain 24-hour accident and sickness disability income coverage through specialty carriers. Flexible income documentation — tax returns, 1099s, or bank statements — makes these plans workable for cash-flow businesses.

No. Arizona workers' compensation only covers injuries and illnesses that happen on the job. Most long-term disabilities — cancer, heart disease, back and joint conditions, mental health conditions — are not work-related and fall entirely outside workers' comp. Private disability insurance covers you 24 hours a day, on duty and off.

Yes. Self-employed Arizonans — contractors, consultants, owner-operators, and small business owners — can qualify using tax returns, 1099s, or bank statements to document income. Self-employed workers arguably need income protection most, since there's no employer sick pay or group plan backing them up.

Short-term disability typically pays benefits for 3–24 months with waiting periods as short as 0–14 days, covering injuries and illnesses that heal. Long-term disability starts after 30–180 days and can pay until age 65 or 67, protecting against career-ending conditions. Many Arizona workers pair both: short-term bridges the gap until long-term benefits begin.

The elimination period is the waiting time you choose before benefits begin — commonly 30, 60, 90, or 180 days for long-term policies, and as short as 0–14 days for some short-term and accident plans. Shorter waits cost more, so we help you match the elimination period to your emergency savings.