Disability Page

Members of California Teachers Association (CTA) get access to lots of great benefits like discounts on travel and entertainment, access to financial services and the opportunity to protect your income with CTA-endorsed Disability insurance from Standard Insurance Company (The Standard). 

Disability insurance replaces a portion of your income when an illness or injury keeps you out of work for an extended period of time.

Did you know:

• More than 1 in 4 of today’s 20-year-olds will become disabled during their career.¹
• Over half (52%) of American families have no emergency savings.²
• A recent survey of 600 CTA members showed only 30% have enough savings to pay their bills for 6 months or longer.³

That’s where Disability insurance can help. Disability insurance is a benefit that is paid directly to you when you are not able to work because of illness, injuries, pregnancy or childbirth. It can be used to pay expenses that medical insurance doesn’t cover – like rent or mortgage, utilities, groceries, child care or other bills. It can be helpful to think about it this way: health insurance pays your doctor, while disability insurance pays you.

CTA-endorsed Disability Insurance for Educators Highlights

CTA-endorsed Disability insurance from The Standard is designed especially for California educators. Here’s how it works:

• Replaces up to 75% of your daily income⁴ if you’re unable to work due to sickness, injury, pregnancy or childbirth.
• Starts paying benefits after you are out of work for 7 consecutive workdays⁵ — including a $25 per workday benefit on top of your fully-paid sick leave.
• Benefits are paid directly to you and can be used to pay for things health insurance doesn’t cover — your rent or mortgage, car payments, student loans, utilities, groceries, child care, etc.

New Student Loan Benefit⁶and Cancer Benefit⁶

Active CTA members approved for a Disability claim under the CTA-endorsed Disability insurance plans with The Standard with an active student loan may be eligible for an additional benefit of up to $200 per month while you remain disabled (maximum benefit $1,000) in addition to their Disability benefit from The Standard. Benefits are paid directly to you and can be used to help make your student loan payments.

Active CTA members approved for a Disability claim due to Cancer under the CTA-endorsed Disability insurance plans with The Standard with an active student loan may be eligible for an additional benefit of up to $200 per month while you remain disabled (maximum benefit $1,000) in addition to their Disability benefit from The Standard.

These new benefits are paid directly to you and can be used for everyday expenses that health insurance doesn't cover such as rent/mortgage, utilities, groceries or child care.

How to Apply for Coverage

As a CTA member in good standing, you can apply for CTA-endorsed Disability insurance at any time – no need to wait for an open enrollment opportunity in your chapter. Just complete a short Online Application and a Medical History Statement form. You can also apply over the phone or request an application packet to be mailed to you by calling The Standard’s dedicated CTA Customer Service Department at 800.522.0406 (TTY), Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time.

1 U.S. Social Security Administration, Facts. https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityfacts/facts.html. Accessed June 2, 2017.

2 U.S. Federal Reserve Board, Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2016, May 2017.

3 Based on the survey conducted by Standard Insurance Company in 2015.

4 Daily income is based on your regular daily contract salary. Benefits will be reduced by deductible income. Examples of deductible income include: personal leave pay, severance pay, substitute differential pay, catastrophic/extraordinary leave bank, salary continuation, workers’ compensation, work earnings, social security, state disability, CalPERS/CalSTRS benefits.

5 Workdays means any Regular Day(s) of Required Attendance you are required to be actively at work based on the calendar dates of the school calendar and your employment contract in effect on the date you become disabled.

6 Student Loan Benefit and Cancer Benefit are offered by CTA to eligible members on approved Disability claims under the CTA-endorsed Disability insurance plans who meet specific criteria. CTA provides these benefits at no extra cost, and The Standard acts only as the claims administrator of these benefits. Student Loan and Cancer Benefits are not provided under the Disability insurance policy.

For costs and further details of the coverage offered by Standard Insurance Company, including the exclusions, any reductions, benefit waiting periods or limitations and terms under which the policy may be continued in force, please view the sample Disability Insurance Certificate and Summary Plan Description or contact Standard Insurance Company at 800.522.0406 (TTY).

Standard Insurance Company, 1100 SW Sixth Avenue, Portland, OR 97204    GP190-LTD/S399/CTA.3

The CTA-endorsed Disability insurance plan was designed to meet the unique income protection needs of CTA members. The plan has many great features and benefits to help provide you with the protection and peace of mind that you deserve. Just ask any of the more than 77,000¹ CTA members who have chosen The Standard to protect their way of life and loved ones. Here’s how the plan works if you are disabled:

Other Key Features & Benefits:

• $50,000 Accidental Death & Dismemberment coverage.
• Covers disabilities that occur on or off the job.
• Covers extra duty pay such as coaching and tutoring for the first two benefit years.
• Pays $35 per day in addition to any other benefit payable when you are a registered, in-bed patient at a hospital (60 day maximum per disability) with no benefit waiting period.³
• No premiums are required while disability benefits are payable.
• Includes access to the CTA Advisory Panel on Endorsed Services.
• Dependent Education Benefit: You can receive a monthly benefit of $150 for each eligible student, with a maximum of $600 per month for all eligible students, if you have children or a spouse who are registered, and in full-time attendance, at a licensed or accredited educational institution beyond high school.
• Child Care Benefit: Your beneficiaries can receive up to $1,000 per year for three years for child care expenses in the event you suffer an accidental death.
• Reasonable Accommodations - The Standard may cover your employer's expenses toward work-site modifications (up to $25,000) to help you return to work following a disability.

1 As of 4/1/2019, based on data developed by The Standard.

2 Examples of deductible income (if currently insured, see your certificate of insurance for a full listing and exceptions): personal leave pay, severance pay, substitute differential pay, catastrophic/extraordinary leave bank, salary continuation, workers’ compensation, work earnings, social security, state disability, CalPERS/CalSTRS benefits.

3 For the first two benefit years only. Note, the definition of hospital does not include nursing homes, convalescent homes or extended care facilities.

For costs and further details of the coverage offered by Standard Insurance Company, including the exclusions, any reductions, benefit waiting periods or limitations and terms under which the policy may be continued in force, please view the sample Disability Insurance Certificate and Summary Plan Description or contact Standard Insurance Company at 800.522.0406 (TTY).

Disability Insurance Premium Amounts

1 How premiums are deducted (monthly, etc.) is determined by your employer.

For costs and further details of the coverage offered by Standard Insurance Company, including the exclusions, any reductions, benefit waiting periods or limitations and terms under which the policy may be continued in force, please view the sample Disability Insurance Certificate and Summary Plan Description or contact Standard Insurance Company at 800.522.0406 (TTY).

Standard Insurance Company, 1100 SW Sixth Avenue, Portland, OR 97204

GP190-LTD/S399/CTA.3    GP190-LIFE/S399/CTA.3