Missing work during and after pregnancy has become a common occurrence. According to a 2002 study, 29% of short term disabilities (180 days or less) and 12% of long-term disabilities are due to pregnancy. Maternity disability can turn what is otherwise a happy occasion into a financially harrowing experience when the mother is left unable to work for months before and/or after delivery. Disability Income insurance can be the answer to the unknown risk to a household’s cash flow due to pregnancy.

Many larger companies offer paid maternity leave to employees whereby the employee is granted full pay for a period of time (generally 3 months) while out of work with the newborn. Any complications that cause the employee to miss work before delivery or beyond the maternity leave period after delivery result in a loss of income for days or even months.

Individual short term disability insurance can provide up to 70% of regular income when you’re not able to work due to illness or injury for 3-6 months. Long-term disability insurance takes over after the short-term benefits period has passed and can provide income protection for up to five years or longer.

Mothers-to-be often rely on the group disability insurance offered by their employer. Group disability usually covers up to 60% of regular income. However, all benefits received from such a policy are taxed as regular income, lowering take home dollars to roughly 42% of regular income. Group policies are also commonly riddled with exceptions and limitations that further reduce or eliminate benefits altogether.

Women with a family history of troubled pregnancies may also consider catastrophic disability insurance. CDI is different in that it is intended to cover the costs of extended at-home care. For instance, if a pregnancy requires the mother-to-be to literally stay in bed for months, CDI can cover the cost of a nurse to help with daily living needs. Such care is not covered by any other type of insurance and will be very expensive. CDI will cover up to specified daily amount ($120, for instance) and can be purchased with an option to increase benefits annually based on inflation.

Mothers-to-be with group disability insurance can very affordably plug the holes in their policy with a supplemental disability insurance policy. Supplemental coverage can extend income protection to 100% of pre-disability cash flow and benefits paid from the supplemental policy are not taxed as income. The key to protecting a future mother’s income during pregnancy is to get disability insurance, be it individual or supplemental, before becoming pregnant. Once pregnant, the eligibility for additional disability insurance evaporates.

Future moms have several options to protect their income from a long-term or short-term pregnancy disability. Without this coverage, families take the risk of losing a good portion of their income for months, if not longer. Whether you participate in a group plan at work or not, maternity disability can be planned for in an affordable manner to help ensure a truly safe pregnancy where your family’s quality of life remains unaffected.