Supplemental Individual Disability Insurance for Eligible Officers

Beginning Monday, November 4 until Friday, November 29, you have the opportunity to purchase individual disability insurance to supplement your Columbia University Optional Long-Term Disability (LTD) coverage.

Protect more of your income if you become disabled. In partnership with Unum, a leading disability insurance provider, now you can purchase an individual disability insurance (IDI) policy to supplement your current LTD plan and protect your earnings over $300,000 up to a maximum of $471,429.

During this special enrollment period, you have the opportunity to take advantage of several unique features including:

• Discounted Premiums – Premiums are lower than what you would pay if you purchased this coverage on your own.
• Tax-free Benefits – Any benefits you receive from this supplemental coverage are tax-free.
• Guaranteed Issue – If you’ve been actively at work for the past six months, no medical or financial underwriting is required.  Your benefit offer may be impacted by the amount of individual disability insurance you already have in place, if any.
• Guaranteed Coverage and Premiums – Unum cannot change your coverage or increase your cost before you reach age 67 as long as you pay your premium on time.
• Portable Coverage – You can take this coverage with you, at the same benefit amount and cost, if you leave Columbia.
   

What You Need to Know

The Columbia LTD plan provides income protection through a basic or optional long-term disability insurance policy that covers 60% of your total pay to a maximum benefit of $15,000 per month. However, coverage under the current benefit is capped at $300,000 of income which means that you have income that is at risk in the event of a disability. This new IDI program allows you to protect more of your income in the event of a disability. During this unique enrollment period, you can purchase a policy on a guaranteed acceptance basis as long as you have been actively at work for the past six months.

The IDI plan can increase your level of income protection up to 70% of your total income with an additional benefit of up to $12,500 per month. This means you may gain an additional 10% of benefit on income under $300,000 and 70% protection on income over $300,000 (subject to plan maximums and other coverage details). And if a catastrophic disability leaves you unable to work, an additional benefit of up to $12,500 per month is available. Note that age restrictions apply to the catastrophic benefit feature.

If you have never enrolled, or were previously denied optional LTD coverage, you have a one-time opportunity to elect the Columbia optional LTD coverage without having to provide Evidence of Insurability. To elect optional LTD or to confirm your current LTD coverage available to you from the University, follow the steps below:

1. Go to humanresources.columbia.edu
2. Click CUBES to access Columbia University’s Benefits Enrollment System
3. Log in with your UNI/password and confirm your access using multi-factor authentication (DUO)
4. Click the My Benefits Summary (top menu bar), then select ‘View My 2025 Benefits Dashboard’

You may also contact the Columbia Benefits Service Center at 212-851-7000, or email [email protected] to review your current Long Term Disability coverage.

Enrolling in the Columbia University Supplemental Individual Disability Insurance program will only take a few minutes and can be done either online or by calling the Unum call center*:

• Online at the Unum website
• Telephone – Call 1-866-274-3707 to reach a Unum enroller who can assist you

A sample application including the necessary information for enrollment can be found here.

*Note: Premiums will be deducted through a monthly automatic bank draft. Please have your bank information available when ready to enroll.

Want to learn more?

A representative from the plan administrator, Risk Strategies, will be hosting several informational webinars about the Supplemental Individual Disability Insurance Program. The schedule, with unique links to join each webinar, is below:

Additional resources:

• Go to the Unum website for a full description of the IDI program and your specific offer.
• Review the enrollment materials being mailed to your home address.
• Contact the plan administrator, Risk Strategies, at 877-321-4427 or [email protected].
• Watch a short overview of the program. 

Personalized enrollment material that includes detailed information on your plan options and cost will arrive at your home shortly. Please take time to review the information contained in that packet and to reach out to the plan administrator, Risk Strategies, at [email protected] or 1-877-321-4427 if you have any questions.