Cancer
No. 1 long-term claim (17 percent)
Cancer has been the leading cause of long-term disability for over a decade. It's also a top-five cause of short-term disability and one of the most costly diseases in the United States.
Breast cancer is the most common malignant cancer among short-term disability claims and the second most common among long-term disability claims. As with any cancer, early detection is critical.
Disability benefits protect employees in the event of illness or injury, which can cause financial hardship for many. They are also a critical part of a benefits portfolio for any employer looking to offer a competitive package and help offset the rising costs of health care. Here are the top 10 claims in 2017.
Nervous/sensory
No. 10 overall
Neurological disorders affecting the nervous system includes multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington's disease, and epilepsy among others, and can impact memory and the ability to perform daily activity.
Diseases of the sensory organs are conditions that affect the brain's ability to send and receive information through the senses, and can affect one sense -- like hearing, sight, or touch -- or multiple senses. Macular degeneration, Bell palsy, vision or hearing loss are examples.
Digestive
No. 9 overall
No. 4 for short-term claims (7 percent)
Problems with kidneys, liver, esophagus or digestive tract appear at No. 4 in short-term disability claims. Fortunately, a relatively low percentage of digestive system claims transition to long-term disability.
Behavioral health
No. 8 for long-term claims
Behavioral health conditions are the No. 8 cause of long-term disability and incorporate both mental health conditions and addiction or substance abuse. While often not reported as the primary condition of a claim, behavioral health conditions can cause or exacerbate other conditions or slow down recovery.
The most common mental health issues seen in the workplace are depression, anxiety and substance abuse, and the World Health Organization estimates than 18 percent of adults, or one in five, are affected.
Thanks to a dedicated early intervention and preventative approach to behavioral claims, the percentage of short-term disability behavioral health claims that transition to long-term disability is down 15 percent.
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Musculoskeletal
No. 7 for long-term claims (8 percent)
No. 7 for short-term claims (6 percent)
Musculoskeletal conditions include injuries or pain in joints, ligaments, nerves, muscles, tendons and structures that the support back, neck and limbs. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common example.
Long-term disability claims for musculoskeletal conditions have increased 41 percent over the last 10 years, and short-term disability claims for the same conditions have increased 24 percent. This can be attributed to the aging workforce and wear and tear over the working years.
Musculoskeletal conditions are the No. 7 cause of both short and long-term disability, representing 6 percent and 8 percent of claims respectively.
Joint disorders
No. 5 for long-term claims (9 percent)
No 3. for short-term (8 percent)
Short-term disability claims for joint disorders have increased 29 percent, and long-term disability claims have increased 24 percent over the past 10 years. Joint disorders rank as the third leading cause of short-term disability and fifth among long-term disability.
"As people work longer and later in life, we're seeing the effects of an aging workforce," Breter said. "With advancing age, natural wear and tear on the body begins to take its toll."
The prevalence of these types of claims can also be linked to obesity, which is a top health concern in the U.S. Research is showing that obesity is contributing to a dramatic increase in knee replacement surgery and exacerbates other conditions like arthritis, back injuries and joint pains.
Cardiovascular
No. 4 for long-term claims (9 percent)
Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S., according to the American Heart Association, and the No. 4 cause of long-term disability.
"Recovering from a heart attack or stroke can result in significant medical and non-medical expenses, especially while one is out of work recovering," Breter said. "Benefits from disability coverage, paired with critical illness insurance, can provide crucial financial support and allow people to better focus on recovery."
Injury (excluding back)
No. 3 for long-term claims (12 percent)
No. 2 for short-term claims (11 percent)
Commonly assumed to be the leading cause, injury falls third in the list of long-term disability causes and second on the list of short-term causes of disability. Accident insurance or hospital indemnity coverage can help supplement expenses for injuries that may result in a hospital visit. More than three times as many injuries requiring medical attention happen off the job than at work, and workers' compensation only covers accidents or injuries that happen on the job.
Back disorders
No. 6 for short-term claims
No. 2 for short-term claims (13 percent)
Excluding injuries, back disorders rank high among both short and long-term causes of disability, as the second most likely cause of short-term disability and the sixth for long-term. Back disorders can be chronic. Years of wear and tear can cause problems with the nerves and spine, as well as degenerative discs and osteoarthritis. Inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis are also common in these claims.
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Pregnancy
No. 1 short-term claim (28 percent)
Pregnancy continues to be the top cause of short-term disability. Disability benefits are commonly used to support new moms during their time away from work recovering from childbirth.
"Short-term disability can provide critical financial support for young families," said Greg Breter, senior vice president of Benefits at Unum. "Many working women do not have this coverage, which can leave them vulnerable to financial risk as they step away from work to bond with and care for their newborn."
Fortunately, long-term claims for complicated pregnancies are down 47 percent; these claims accounted for almost 4 percent of total long-term disability claims in 2006, and now they represent about 2 percent.
Cancer
No. 1 long-term claim (17 percent)
Cancer has been the leading cause of long-term disability for over a decade. It's also a top-five cause of short-term disability and one of the most costly diseases in the United States.
Breast cancer is the most common malignant cancer among short-term disability claims and the second most common among long-term disability claims. As with any cancer, early detection is critical.
Disability benefits protect employees in the event of illness or injury, which can cause financial hardship for many. They are also a critical part of a benefits portfolio for any employer looking to offer a competitive package and help offset the rising costs of health care. Here are the top 10 claims in 2017.
Nervous/sensory
No. 10 overall
Neurological disorders affecting the nervous system includes multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington's disease, and epilepsy among others, and can impact memory and the ability to perform daily activity.
Diseases of the sensory organs are conditions that affect the brain's ability to send and receive information through the senses, and can affect one sense -- like hearing, sight, or touch -- or multiple senses. Macular degeneration, Bell palsy, vision or hearing loss are examples.
Digestive
No. 9 overall
No. 4 for short-term claims (7 percent)
Problems with kidneys, liver, esophagus or digestive tract appear at No. 4 in short-term disability claims. Fortunately, a relatively low percentage of digestive system claims transition to long-term disability.
Behavioral health
No. 8 for long-term claims
Behavioral health conditions are the No. 8 cause of long-term disability and incorporate both mental health conditions and addiction or substance abuse. While often not reported as the primary condition of a claim, behavioral health conditions can cause or exacerbate other conditions or slow down recovery.
The most common mental health issues seen in the workplace are depression, anxiety and substance abuse, and the World Health Organization estimates than 18 percent of adults, or one in five, are affected.
Thanks to a dedicated early intervention and preventative approach to behavioral claims, the percentage of short-term disability behavioral health claims that transition to long-term disability is down 15 percent.
Advertisement
Musculoskeletal
No. 7 for long-term claims (8 percent)
No. 7 for short-term claims (6 percent)
Musculoskeletal conditions include injuries or pain in joints, ligaments, nerves, muscles, tendons and structures that the support back, neck and limbs. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common example.
Long-term disability claims for musculoskeletal conditions have increased 41 percent over the last 10 years, and short-term disability claims for the same conditions have increased 24 percent. This can be attributed to the aging workforce and wear and tear over the working years.
Musculoskeletal conditions are the No. 7 cause of both short and long-term disability, representing 6 percent and 8 percent of claims respectively.
Joint disorders
No. 5 for long-term claims (9 percent)
No 3. for short-term (8 percent)
Short-term disability claims for joint disorders have increased 29 percent, and long-term disability claims have increased 24 percent over the past 10 years. Joint disorders rank as the third leading cause of short-term disability and fifth among long-term disability.
"As people work longer and later in life, we're seeing the effects of an aging workforce," Breter said. "With advancing age, natural wear and tear on the body begins to take its toll."
The prevalence of these types of claims can also be linked to obesity, which is a top health concern in the U.S. Research is showing that obesity is contributing to a dramatic increase in knee replacement surgery and exacerbates other conditions like arthritis, back injuries and joint pains.
Cardiovascular
No. 4 for long-term claims (9 percent)
Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S., according to the American Heart Association, and the No. 4 cause of long-term disability.
"Recovering from a heart attack or stroke can result in significant medical and non-medical expenses, especially while one is out of work recovering," Breter said. "Benefits from disability coverage, paired with critical illness insurance, can provide crucial financial support and allow people to better focus on recovery."
Injury (excluding back)
No. 3 for long-term claims (12 percent)
No. 2 for short-term claims (11 percent)
Commonly assumed to be the leading cause, injury falls third in the list of long-term disability causes and second on the list of short-term causes of disability. Accident insurance or hospital indemnity coverage can help supplement expenses for injuries that may result in a hospital visit. More than three times as many injuries requiring medical attention happen off the job than at work, and workers' compensation only covers accidents or injuries that happen on the job.
Back disorders
No. 6 for short-term claims
No. 2 for short-term claims (13 percent)
Excluding injuries, back disorders rank high among both short and long-term causes of disability, as the second most likely cause of short-term disability and the sixth for long-term. Back disorders can be chronic. Years of wear and tear can cause problems with the nerves and spine, as well as degenerative discs and osteoarthritis. Inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis are also common in these claims.
Advertisement
Pregnancy
No. 1 short-term claim (28 percent)
Pregnancy continues to be the top cause of short-term disability. Disability benefits are commonly used to support new moms during their time away from work recovering from childbirth.
"Short-term disability can provide critical financial support for young families," said Greg Breter, senior vice president of Benefits at Unum. "Many working women do not have this coverage, which can leave them vulnerable to financial risk as they step away from work to bond with and care for their newborn."
Fortunately, long-term claims for complicated pregnancies are down 47 percent; these claims accounted for almost 4 percent of total long-term disability claims in 2006, and now they represent about 2 percent.
Cancer
No. 1 long-term claim (17 percent)
Cancer has been the leading cause of long-term disability for over a decade. It's also a top-five cause of short-term disability and one of the most costly diseases in the United States.
Breast cancer is the most common malignant cancer among short-term disability claims and the second most common among long-term disability claims. As with any cancer, early detection is critical.
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