Chances are you already purchase home and auto insurance to protect against the loss of or damage to property. So what steps have you taken to help shield yourself and your loved ones from an unexpected loss of income? Would you be able to meet your financial obligations if you became disabled and unable to work?

The State of Nevada PEBP provides you with the opportunity to purchase Voluntary Short Term Disability (STD) insurance, which is designed to pay a benefit to you in the event you cannot work because of a covered illness, injury or pregnancy. This benefit replaces a portion of your income, thus helping you meet your financial commitments in time of need.

The risk of disability is greater than most people think. If you're like most people, you probably think disability is something that only happens to someone else. Here are the facts:

• On the average, about 2,330 disabling injuries occur every hour during the year.¹
• 21.3 million or 11.9 percent of all Americans aged 16 to 65 have a disabling condition that affects their ability to work at a job or business.²
• Nearly one person in five, about 49.7 million Americans, has some type of long lasting condition or disability.²

If you participate in the State of Nevada's PEBP sponsored medical plan, you have the opportunity to help protect yourself and your family by purchasing Voluntary STD coverage through The Standard via convenient payroll deduction.

Choice of Benefit Plans to Fit Your Needs

The plan provides three options to choose from:

If you enroll when first eligible, and your STD claim is approved by The Standard, STD benefits become payable at the end of an elected Benefit Waiting Period for disabilities caused by accidents, physical disease, pregnancy or mental disorder. No benefits are payable for or during the Benefit Waiting Period.

If you do not apply for Voluntary STD coverage when you are initially eligible, then during the first year you are insured under the Voluntary STD plan, the Benefit Waiting Period for disability caused by physical disease, pregnancy or mental disorder will be 60 days from the date of your disability. This is known as Late Enrollment Penalty. Late Enrollment Penalty does not apply to a disability resulting from an accidental injury.

It's Easy to Enroll

To apply for Voluntary STD coverage, simply complete the Enrollment Form and mail it to:

State of Nevada Life Insurance Team
Mestmaker Insurance Services
P.O. Box 2302
Bakersfield, CA 93303-2302

Important Note: To enroll in The Standard's Voluntary STD plan you cannot be currently enrolled in another STD plan, such as Colonial or AFLAC. If you are, simply contact your Agency Representative or PayCenter (e.g., Central Payroll, NDOT) and request them to stop the payroll deduction. Then, complete The Standard's enrollment form and submit it to us.

For answers to commonly asked questions, costs, exclusions, limitations and reductions, please review the Group Voluntary Short Term Disability Booklet and Certificate of Insurance.