Disability Income Calculator
Calculate your monthly income gap and recommended disability-insurance cover if you can no longer work.
Why Disability Income Insurance Matters
Most people insure their life, their home, and their car — but not the engine that pays for all of them: their ability to earn an income. A working adult is statistically more likely to suffer a disability lasting 90+ days during their career than to die before retirement. Despite this, disability insurance is the most under-bought protection product.
The three numbers that matter
- Monthly income gap — Your target replacement income (typically 60-70% of take-home pay) minus any existing benefits you already receive.
- Emergency-fund runway — How many months your existing savings can cover essential expenses while a claim is being processed (most policies have a 30-180 day waiting period).
- Lifetime gap to retirement — The total income you would lose if you were disabled today and could never return to work. This sets the upper-bound need.
How to buy disability cover smartly
Look for an own-occupation definition of disability rather than any-occupation — the former pays out if you can't do your specific job, while the latter only pays if you can't do any job at all. Choose a waiting period that matches your emergency fund (longer waiting period = cheaper premium). Stack a small individual policy on top of any group cover from your employer, because group cover usually ends when employment does.