CTA-endorsed Voluntary Disability Insurance from The Standard

Disability insurance helps protect your paycheck if you’re unable to work due to injury, illness (including mental health conditions and substance abuse), pregnancy or childbirth. Benefits are paid directly to you and can be used for expenses health insurance doesn’t cover.

• Replaces up to 80%¹ of your daily income²
• Starts paying benefits after you are out of work for 7 consecutive workdays³
• Covers any preexisting conditions once you are enrolled and work for 10 consecutive workdays
• Includes additional Student Loan and Cancer Benefits for eligible members
• Includes access to the NEW Summer Benefit⁴ provided by CTA

What is Disability Insurance?

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

Special Enrollment Opportunities

You may be eligible to apply for CTA-endorsed Voluntary Disability and Life insurance without answering health questions during these special enrollment opportunities:

• New Hire and District Transfer Enrollment
  Members new to their district have 270 days from starting work to apply for CTA-endorsed Disability insurance and, effective July 1, 2022, up to $400,000 of CTA-endorsed Life insurance⁶ with no health questions asked. If you had coverage with The Standard at your prior district, you must reapply at the new school district as the coverage doesn’t automatically transfer to the new employer. Learn More
• Family Status Change Enrollment
  Members can apply for CTA-endorsed Disability insurance and, effective July 1, 2022, up to $400,000 of CTA-endorsed Life insurance⁶ coverage within 60 days following the date of a family status change event, such as birth/adoption, marriage/domestic partnership, divorce/dissolution, loss of spousal employment or other qualifying event. Learn More
• Chapter Special Enrollment
  A special enrollment opportunity for eligible members of a local CTA chapter to apply without answering health questions – only available every 2-3 years. Talk with your chapter leader about your next special enrollment opportunity.

1 For Disabilities occurring prior to September 1, 2022, you will receive up to 75% of your regular daily contract salary, less any sources of deductible income, while you continue to be disabled. For disabilities occurring on or after September 1, 2022, you will receive up to 80% of your regular daily contract salary, less any sources of deductible income, while you continue to be disabled.

2 Daily income is based on your regular daily contract salary. Benefits will be reduced by deductible income. Examples of deductible income include: personal leave pay, severance pay, substitute differential pay, catastrophic/extraordinary leave bank, salary continuation, workers’ compensation, work earnings, social security, state disability, CalPERS/CalSTRS benefits.

3 Workdays means any Regular Day(s) of Required Attendance you are required to be actively at work based on the calendar dates of the school calendar and your employment contract in effect on the date you become disabled.

4 Summer Benefit is offered by CTA to eligible members who meet the Definition of Disability with a Disability date on or after 9/1/2022 who meet additional specific criteria. Summer Benefit is only payable during the calendar months of June and July, for up to two Benefit Years for each instance of qualifying Disability. Summer Benefit is not provided under the Voluntary Disability insurance policy. CTA provides this benefit at no extra cost and The Standard acts only as the claims administrator of this benefit.

5 Effective September 1, 2022. For disabilities occurring prior to September 1, 2022, Cancer Benefit is up to $200/month (maximum of $1,000).

6 Coverage reduces to 65% of the amount in force at age 70, 45% of the amount in force at age 75 and 30% of the amount in force at age 80. Offer not available to retirees.

For costs and further details of this offer and coverage, including exclusions, benefit waiting periods, any reductions or limitations and the terms under which the policies may be continued in force, please contact Standard Insurance Company at 800.522.0406.

GP190-LTD/S399/CTA.1     GP190-LIFE/S399/CTA.3

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