Research and data
Original analysis of group LTD plans, carrier contract language, and claim statistics. Every dataset lists its method, sample, and last update.
Datasets we maintain
Group LTD plan database
Benefit percentage, monthly cap, definition, bonus treatment, and tax status for employer plans, searchable by employer.
- Sample
- Group plans indexed as they are submitted
- Updated
- July 2026
Contract language index
Specimen wording for total disability, residual, mental nervous limits, and future increase riders, tracked edition by edition.
- Sample
- 9 carriers, 2019 to 2026
- Updated
- August 2026
Specialty premium benchmarks
Median quoted premium per $1,000 of monthly benefit by specialty, age band, and sex, from quotes run on this site.
- Sample
- 2,140 quotes
- Updated
- September 2026
Findings from the group LTD database
Plan summaries from health systems, law firms, and national physician groups, collected 2024 to 2026.
| Plan feature | Health systems | Law firms | Physician groups |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median replacement of base salary | 60% | 60% | 60% |
| Median monthly cap | $10,000 | $15,000 | $12,000 |
| Own-occupation period before any-occ | 24 months | 24 months | To age 65 |
| Bonus or production counted | 8% of plans | 31% of plans | 22% of plans |
| Benefit taxable (employer paid) | 91% of plans | 64% of plans | 78% of plans |
Method: Medians of plan summaries submitted by readers and collected from public benefits pages, verified against the certificate where available. Plans with fewer than 10 records per category are excluded. Full methodology
How we work
We quote contract specimens, not marketing summaries. Where carriers differ, we show the wording side by side and withhold carrier names on public pages so that no one reads a comparison as a recommendation.
Statistics come from primary sources: the Social Security Administration, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Council for Disability Awareness. We do not cite secondary summaries or other insurance sites.
Collect
Plan summaries, certificates, and carrier specimens, dated and archived.
Verify
Two advisors read each document independently and reconcile differences.
Anonymize
Employer names remain; employee identifiers and carrier names on public pages are removed.
Review twice a year
Every page shows its review date. Corrections are logged at the bottom of the page.
Add your employer’s plan
Upload a plan summary or certificate. We strip identifying details, verify the terms, and add it to the database within two weeks. You receive the gap analysis for your own plan in return.