Lisa’s Story: Comfort and Security

When Lisa, a kindergarten teacher in Ohio, began thinking about having children, she decided to purchase AF™ Disability Income Insurance.

She knew the policy could offer financial protection if she was unable to work due to a covered injury or illness, but Lisa couldn’t have predicted what the future would bring.

The Unexpected

In 2019, Lisa and her husband were ready to welcome their first child. Unfortunately, early in her pregnancy, they came face-to-face with the unexpected.

“My water broke in my second trimester,” Lisa said. “I got to take an ambulance ride down to Columbus, which ended up being roughly $2,800.”

After the ambulance ride, Lisa remained in the hospital on bed rest for six weeks and her daughter spent an additional six weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

In addition to the mental toll of a complicated childbirth, Lisa soon discovered her major medical insurance didn’t cover all the expenses they suddenly faced.

“What insurance didn’t cover was the ambulance ride, the $500 dollars in parking tickets to visit my daughter while she was there, the sanity of going out to eat at a restaurant just to get out of the hospital,” Lisa said.

Thankfully, her disability insurance began covering a portion of her salary earlier than Lisa had expected. And with the help of her American Fidelity representative, she was able to file claims quickly and conveniently.

“I emailed and had phone conversations, and it was crazy easy,” Lisa said. “I just felt like I was talking to a friend, which was really nice.”

Unanticipated Expenses

As a result of their extended hospital stay, medical expenses weren’t the only costs Lisa and her husband faced. Lisa said items like journals, nursing equipment, and robes were essential for meeting their everyday needs.

And because her disability insurance provided a portion of her salary while she was unable to work, Lisa was able to use the funds to purchase those essentials.

“They’re kind of luxury items because survival doesn’t depend on it,” she said. “But in that role, mental health is so much a part of survival that those luxuries do make a difference. And those aren’t covered by insurance.”

Comfort and Security

Today, Lisa’s daughter is a healthy, active toddler. And as she begins another school year, Lisa encourages her fellow teachers to consider disability insurance for their own families.

“There are things you just never anticipate,” she said. “I would’ve never anticipated $500 in parking tickets, would’ve never anticipated my insurance didn’t cover an ambulance ride… And, that’s the security you give yourself.”

Learn More About Disability Insurance

This blog is up to date as of September 2020 and has not been updated for changes in the law, administration or current events.