Specialist, LTCi, DI, Annuities, Life, Designs In Life, LLC, Utah
It depends on the carrier. Some carriers do not treat normal pregnancy as a sickness that keeps a woman from working and do not replace income during a normal pregnancy. However, to fully answer the question, request a "specimen policy" from the carrier you may be considering to find out the exact contract language about the replacement of income during pregnancy.
Here is a typical treatment of normal pregnancy from a highly-reputable carrier for DI:
"If the Elimination Period for Your Disability Benefit is less than 90 days, then normal pregnancy and normal childbirth are not covered Sicknesses. However, if the Elimination Period is equal to or greater than 90 days, then normal pregnancy and normal childbirth are covered Sicknesses subject to the definition of Disability."
Now, one has to refer to this carrier's specific definition of disability in the specimen policy:
"During the Your Occupation Period* you are not able to perform with reasonable continuity the substantial and material acts necessary to perform your occupation in the usual and customary way and you choose not to work at any occupation.
After the Your Occupation Period You are not able to engage with reasonable continuity in any occupation in which you could reasonably be expected to perform satisfactorily in light of your age, education, training, experience, station in life, and physical and mental capacity."
*Insurance-speak for the occupation you are in when you become disabled; you pick the period of this part of the definition of disability when you apply, typically 2 years up to age-67. The longer the “your occupation” period, the higher the premium. That’s because the risk to the company is higher to replace income for a longer period of time due to the fact that the choice to work in another position or not during this period is yours.
The key to the question is: does your condition of pregnancy restrict you from working? The insurance carrier will want to know that from your doctor before they will start the clock on the elimination period (90 days), after the fulfillment of which you will start to get income replacement checks. If you add a "partial disability rider', usually at extra cost, you might not have to be "totally" unable to work in your occupation to get a pro-rated replacement of income as you work part-time. Again, refer to the specimen policy.
Short Term Disability Insurance covers time taken off for a normal pregnancy and childbirth. No Disability Insurance would cover taking off the entire pregnancy for a normal pregnancy. Long Term Disability Insurance is the type of DI that covers long term absence due to complications of pregnancy and childbirth.
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Here is a typical treatment of normal pregnancy from a highly-reputable carrier for DI:
"If the Elimination Period for Your Disability Benefit is less than 90 days, then normal pregnancy and normal childbirth are not covered Sicknesses. However, if the Elimination Period is equal to or greater than 90 days, then normal pregnancy and normal childbirth are covered Sicknesses subject to the definition of Disability."
Now, one has to refer to this carrier's specific definition of disability in the specimen policy:
"During the Your Occupation Period* you are not able to perform with reasonable continuity the substantial and material acts necessary to perform your occupation in the usual and customary way and you choose not to work at any occupation.
After the Your Occupation Period You are not able to engage with reasonable continuity in any occupation in which you could reasonably be expected to perform satisfactorily in light of your age, education, training, experience, station in life, and physical and mental capacity."
*Insurance-speak for the occupation you are in when you become disabled; you pick the period of this part of the definition of disability when you apply, typically 2 years up to age-67. The longer the “your occupation” period, the higher the premium. That’s because the risk to the company is higher to replace income for a longer period of time due to the fact that the choice to work in another position or not during this period is yours.
The key to the question is: does your condition of pregnancy restrict you from working? The insurance carrier will want to know that from your doctor before they will start the clock on the elimination period (90 days), after the fulfillment of which you will start to get income replacement checks. If you add a "partial disability rider', usually at extra cost, you might not have to be "totally" unable to work in your occupation to get a pro-rated replacement of income as you work part-time. Again, refer to the specimen policy.