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Tanya L. Burns & Associates is a financial services and employee benefits provider in Orlando.

With the primary insurance focus on healthcare and the escalating cost of health insurance, Voluntary Disability Income and Group Disability Income benefits have taken a back seat with the small employer.

Approximately three in 10 Americans will suffer a disability lasting three months or longer prior to age 65. Nearly one in five will be disabled for one year or longer during their working years. How will they be able to pay their everyday living expenses (rent, utilities, food) - let alone the cost of their health insurance?

Fifteen percent of employers in companies with fewer than 50 employees have Group Disability Insurance according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. One reason is until recently insurance carries weren't focusing efforts on the small employer.

We are very happy to report that is changing dramatically. Nothing brings more value to our employee benefit services than to be able to provide a quality product on a guaranteed issue (no medical underwriting) basis by A+ rates insurance carriers. Insuring the uninsurable risk — Yes We Can — is very gratifying. We recently placed coverage on the HR director of a medical practice who was treated within the past 12 months for a cardiac condition — otherwise uninsurable. Carriers are not offering these products to the small employer (fewer than 10 employees).

Many small businesses are unable to pay for all or part of the cost of disability income. Carriers are now offering these benefits on a guaranteed issue, voluntary basis. They will require participation from a certain number of employees. The employee pays the premium with no employer contribution. Depending on the carrier, these benefits may be portable upon the employee's termination of employment. This cost could remain the same and — in many cases — premiums could remain level with age and claims history.

Without this most important benefit — most employees would not be able to protect "Their Golden Egg."

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