CTA-endorsed Voluntary Disability Insurance from The Standard
If you’re unable to work due to an injury, illness (including mental health conditions and substance abuse), pregnancy or childbirth – ask yourself how long you could go without your paycheck? Where health insurance pays your doctor – disability benefits are paid directly to you. You can use them for any expenses including rent/mortgage, groceries, utilities, etc.
CTA-endorsed Plan Highlights
- Replaces up to 80% of your regular daily contract salary, minus any deductible income.1
- Covers disabilities that occur on or off the job.
- Short preexisting condition exclusion period of 10 regularly scheduled work days.
- Includes Student Loan Benefit, Cancer Benefit and access to Summer Benefit2 at no extra cost.
- While you’re receiving disability benefits from The Standard, you do not need to pay premiums.
- Extra duty pay (such as coaching, after-school programs, summer-school sessions, advising or mentoring) is covered for the first two benefit years.
- If you’re able to continue to work while disabled, you may be eligible for partial disability benefits.
1 Examples of deductible income (if currently insured, see your certificate of insurance for a full listing and exceptions): substitute differential pay, personal leave pay, severance pay, catastrophic/extraordinary leave bank, salary continuation, workers’ compensation, work earnings, social security, state disability, CalPERS/CalSTRS benefits.
2 Summer Benefit is offered by CTA to eligible members who meet additional specific criteria. CTA provides this benefit at no extra cost, and The Standard acts as the claims administrator of this benefit. Summer Benefit is not provided under the Voluntary Disability insurance policy.
Additional Benefits at No Extra Cost
With CTA-endorsed Disability insurance, you may qualify for additional benefits on top of any other disability benefits:
- Student Loan Benefit: Active CTA members approved for a disability claim with an active Student Loan may be eligible for an additional benefit of up to $400/month (maximum of $2,400, not to exceed the balance of the student loan) to approved claimants with an active student loan.
- Cancer Benefit: Active CTA members approved for a disability claim due to cancer may be eligible for an additional benefit of up to $400/month (maximum of $2,400) for an approved disability claim due to cancer.5
- NEW Summer Benefit: $500 per week (maximum of $4,500) during the months of June and July for eligible members who become or continue to be Disabled with a Disability date on or after September 1, 2022.4
These benefits are paid directly to members on top of disability benefits from The Standard and can be used to pay for everyday expenses like student loans, rent/mortgage, or childcare.
Do I Really Need Disability Insurance?
Most school districts don’t provide Disability insurance to their employees and most CTA members aren’t eligible for California’s state disability insurance program. This means you may be left with only sick leave to protect you if you are unable to work due to illness, injury, pregnancy or childbirth. The CTA-endorsed Disability insurance plan was designed to help CTA members get quality paycheck protection at group rates.
How to Apply
CTA members can apply any time with satisfactory proof of good health.
There are multiple ways to apply:
- Apply online (you must be logged in to your CTA Member Benefits account to access)
- Call The Standard at 800.522.0406, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Friday
- Schedule a virtual appointment with a Benefits Consultant from The Standard
