Supporting employees when they need it most can mean everything – especially when the unexpected occurs. Guardian believes that disability insurance should put people first, by managing the logistics of each claim quickly, efficiently, and with compassion.
Claims are holistically reviewed, managed, and supported by our team of seasoned professionals, who each bring their own knowledge to make the employee experience a positive one, especially during a time that may be difficult for the employee.
A claim case manager handles a claim from start to finish, and is trained to identify if and when additional support is needed from our clinical and vocational rehabilitation teams.
The Guardian in-house clinical team includes specialists in orthopedics, cardiology, gastroenterology, obstetrics and gynecology, oncology, general surgery, neurosurgery, and more. This team can help evaluate each employee’s individual needs, then make supportive recommendations for the best possible outcome in collaboration with the employee’s physician.
Guardian’s Masters-level or PhD level nurse case managers and behavioral health case managers may also be asked for their perspective on recommendations for next steps.
Vocational rehabilitation counselors are engaged if needed to help determine accommodations and transitional work arrangements.
A network of board-certified practicing physicians is also available to the team to provide independent review when needed.
A claim case manager handles a claim from start to finish, and is trained to identify if and when additional support is needed from our clinical and vocational rehabilitation teams.
The Guardian in-house clinical team includes specialists in orthopedics, cardiology, gastroenterology, obstetrics and gynecology, oncology, general surgery, neurosurgery, and more. This team can help evaluate each employee’s individual needs, then make supportive recommendations for the best possible outcome in collaboration with the employee’s physician.
Guardian’s Masters-level or PhD level nurse case managers and behavioral health case managers may also be asked for their perspective on recommendations for next steps.
Vocational rehabilitation counselors are engaged if needed to help determine accommodations and transitional work arrangements.
A network of board-certified practicing physicians is also available to the team to provide independent review when needed.
Disability insurance that works with other benefits and leave types
Your employees deserve to receive every support available to them when they need to go on leave. When you trust Guardian with employee benefits and absence management, we ensure that our disability insurance works in lockstep with each employee’s leave requirements and Guardian benefits – without a lot of work from the employee, or you.
Disability insurance is an excellent complement to PFML plans – but PFML does not replace disability insurance. Remember:
PFML offers a set amount of weeks of leave per year. Once that is used, it does not reset until the next leave year. Disability insurance allows for multiple instances of leave in one year and is not bound by a set number of weeks.
Unlike PFML, short-term-disability insurance policies can offer additional services, such as rehabilitation and survivor benefits, and can seamlessly integrate with long-term-disability should the need arise.
When you choose to apply for a private plan exemption from a state PFML program, Guardian's, PFML and statutory disability offerings can be combined with our short-term disability plans to help provide more comprehensive protection.
Guardian's supplemental health benefits are an excellent complement to our short-term disability insurance, because they provide financial protection in situations that often accompany the need for short-term leave.
When employers offer mental wellness benefits through Guardian, care is approached holistically for the employees and their families. We integrate mental wellness services into your Guardian disability offerings, so disability claims automatically trigger a series of mental wellness services.
Disability insurance is an excellent complement to PFML plans – but PFML does not replace disability insurance. Remember:
PFML offers a set amount of weeks of leave per year. Once that is used, it does not reset until the next leave year. Disability insurance allows for multiple instances of leave in one year and is not bound by a set number of weeks.
Unlike PFML, short-term-disability insurance policies can offer additional services, such as rehabilitation and survivor benefits, and can seamlessly integrate with long-term-disability should the need arise.
When you choose to apply for a private plan exemption from a state PFML program, Guardian's, PFML and statutory disability offerings can be combined with our short-term disability plans to help provide more comprehensive protection.
Guardian's supplemental health benefits are an excellent complement to our short-term disability insurance, because they provide financial protection in situations that often accompany the need for short-term leave.
When employers offer mental wellness benefits through Guardian, care is approached holistically for the employees and their families. We integrate mental wellness services into your Guardian disability offerings, so disability claims automatically trigger a series of mental wellness services.
Versatile disability insurance options to meet the needs of you and your employees
We offer a wide variety of traditional and voluntary short- and long-term disability plans to meet your company’s unique needs and offer employees more choices:
Guardian Disability Income Select™ – Employers can customize benefit amount, benefit duration, elimination period and more. Employees select the level of income replacement protection for their needs.
New rider available on Short-term disability policies! The maternity “elimination period” waiver – Employers can choose to remove the “benefit waiting period” (also known as the “elimination period”) on maternity claims, providing new mothers with access to their STD benefits from the first day of childbirth.4
Guardian Supplemental Individual Disability Income insurance – Employers can offer as a voluntary benefit to keep costs down, as an employer-paid benefit, or a combination of both to complement a Group Long-Term Disability plan. Employees can obtain a higher level of income protection, with highly flexible terms.
Administrative Services Only (ASO) and Advice-to-Pay-services are available for employers who choose to self-fund their short-term disability plan. Our ASO and Advice-to-Pay options offer a variety of flexible plan, billing, and reporting solutions, with funding arrangements such as ASO direct billing that allow employers to hold on to their cash longer.
1 “95+ Disability Insurance Stats & Disability Facts (May 2023),” Simply Insurance, https://www.simplyinsurance.com/disability-statistics/
2 Integrated Benefits Institute, 2018 Health and Productivity Benchmarking, Long-Term Disability
3 “95+ Disability Insurance Stats & Disability Facts (May 2023),” Simply Insurance, https://www.simplyinsurance.com/disability-statistics/#tve-jump-1764e16e24f
⁴ This optional rider is not available in all states. Certain exclusions apply, contact your broker or Guardian consultant for additional details.
[This advertising content is not currently intended for anyone in the state of New Mexico.]
Links to external sites are provided for your convenience in locating related information and services. Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents and employees expressly disclaim any responsibility for and do not maintain, control, recommend, or endorse third-party sites, organizations, products, or services and make no representation as to the completeness, suitability, or quality thereof.
Guardian’s Group Long Term and Short Term Disability Insurance is underwritten and issued by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, NY. Products are not available in all states. Policy limitations and exclusions apply. Optional riders and/or features may incur additional costs. Generic Policy Form #s GP-1-LTD-15 and GP-1-STD-15. The state approved form is the governing document.
1 “95+ Disability Insurance Stats & Disability Facts (May 2023),” Simply Insurance, https://www.simplyinsurance.com/disability-statistics/
2 Integrated Benefits Institute, 2018 Health and Productivity Benchmarking, Long-Term Disability
3 “95+ Disability Insurance Stats & Disability Facts (May 2023),” Simply Insurance, https://www.simplyinsurance.com/disability-statistics/#tve-jump-1764e16e24f
⁴ This optional rider is not available in all states. Certain exclusions apply, contact your broker or Guardian consultant for additional details.
[This advertising content is not currently intended for anyone in the state of New Mexico.]
Links to external sites are provided for your convenience in locating related information and services. Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents and employees expressly disclaim any responsibility for and do not maintain, control, recommend, or endorse third-party sites, organizations, products, or services and make no representation as to the completeness, suitability, or quality thereof.
Guardian’s Group Long Term and Short Term Disability Insurance is underwritten and issued by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, NY. Products are not available in all states. Policy limitations and exclusions apply. Optional riders and/or features may incur additional costs. Generic Policy Form #s GP-1-LTD-15 and GP-1-STD-15. The state approved form is the governing document.