PRODUCT: Short-term disability insurance through Breeze

COMPANIES: Breeze, Assurity

BEST RATING: A-

AVAILABILITY: Available to agents, brokers and other insurance distributors who partner with Breeze. Agents can use their customizable landing page and the Breeze Agent Portal to instantly quote disability insurance for their clients.

FOCUS: Breeze now offers an individual short-term disability insurance product. With the new addition, Breeze has bolstered its online income protection platform already featuring multiple long-term disability insurance products, critical illness insurance and paid parental leave insurance. The product launch also means Breeze now offers the only individual short-term disability plan with a 100% online experience and benefits for family medical leave.

“For our partner agents and brokers, they get a turnkey short-term disability insurance product with a fully online experience and benefits for family medical leave," says Colin Nabity, CEO and co-founder, Breeze. “They not only have the ability to offer a unique product that they can sell efficiently, but they now have cross-selling opportunities for their clients that already own long-term disability insurance."

COVERAGE DETAILS: Short-term disability insurance through Breeze can replace up to 60% of a policyholder's weekly income when they suffer a qualifying physical injury, medical illness or mental health issue.

W-2 employees can get up to $1,000 a week for qualifying disabilities, while 1099 employees can get up to $600 a week. Benefit periods can be 13 weeks, 26 weeks, one year or two years. Waiting periods range from zero to 90 days. The product is guaranteed renewable to age 65 or 67 and conditionally renewable to age 75. Issue ages range from 18 to 60. Accident & sickness coverage is available and accident only may also be purchased.

UNDERWRITING: Health history, age, pre-existing conditions, lifestyle, occupation and income impact the premium. Depending on the rating factors, the monthly premium could be a few dollars a month or over $100 per month.

TARGET: The ideal client is in the middle market and is best suited to insure individuals or couples between the ages of 30 and 50 that could be recently married, new parents, family-orientated or just have something to protect, whether it be a home, a family or a self-run business.

COVERAGE AVAILABILITY: Available in all U.S. states except New York and California.

CONTACT: Mike Brown, director of communications, Breeze; 908-456-1729.

Will Jones is IA editor-in-chief.