Allsup Expands Disability Insurance Services With Financial Solutions


Businessman with spinal cord injury working on documents at a cafe

It’s not something anyone anticipates — experiencing a disability — and the financial impact is part of the life-altering experience. Allsup and its team of disability professionals has the express mission of making a difference for people with disabilities, including individuals with spinal cord injuries, through a range of services and solutions.

United Spinal Association reports that approximately 17,000 new spinal cord injuries occur each year, with vehicle crashes the leading cause, followed by falls, acts of violence and sports/recreation activities. Spinal cord injuries can result in temporary or permanent changes in the spinal cord’s normal motor, sensory or autonomic function, often causing permanent neurological deficits and disability.

When traumatic spinal cord injuries and other back-related conditions such as degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis or vertebrae fractures occur, it’s often a turning point for people’s career and financial circumstances. This is when Allsup and its team of disability experts become involved in people’s lives.

When You Need It – Disability Insurance Awareness Month

Allsup provides education and services to help people protect themselves from loss of income if they’re unable to work. With Disability Insurance Awareness Month this May, Allsup supports the importance of disability insurance through employers, private insurance carriers and the federal government — in the form of Social Security Disability Insurance. SSDI is a program administered by the Social Security Administration.

Private disability insurance plans typically provide monthly income following a serious illness or injury. Employers may offer both short- and long-term plans as a company-paid benefit, but some workers may be required to make a financial contribution toward these plans. Typically, disability plans replace roughly 40%-60% of previous income. While this is helpful, the average long-term disability claim is nearly 35 months, and emergency funds can shrink quickly, causing major financial hardships – even bankruptcy.

When employer-sponsored disability insurance plans are not available, workers can choose to protect their income by buying long-term policies individually or through professional or trade associations. Generally, these plans cost about 1%-3% of annual income.

When To Apply – Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits

woman in oowerchair using a laptop

Sometimes overlooked, applying for Social Security disability benefits is a vital step for people with spinal cord injuries and disorders or severe spinal conditions. In terms of timing, the best time to apply for SSDI is immediately upon learning of a long-term condition and that work will stop for at least 12 months or longer.

Many Americans are not aware of this Social Security benefit that they have earned while working. Yet, both employers and employees fund this federal program through the Federal Insurance Contributions Act payroll taxes.

SSDI benefits can be a financial lifeline when the unexpected strikes. Though the approval process can take months or longer, the benefits are significant:

  • Monthly income: the average 2023 benefit is $1,483, with a max of $3,627.
  • Medicare coverage: medical and prescription drug coverage begin 24 months after SSDI cash benefits start.
  • Dependent benefits for children under the age of 18.
  • Annual cost-of-living adjustments.
  • Return to work incentives through Social Security’s Ticket to Work Program.

As a nationwide provider of SSDI representation, return-to-work, veterans disability appeal and healthcare insurance services, Allsup helps people determine the likelihood of receiving SSDI benefits based on Social Security’s strict requirements, and also helps applicants navigate this complex federal program.

To be eligible a person must:

  • Have a medical condition, illness or injury that prevents working for 12 months or is terminal.
  • Have worked at least five of the last 10 years and paid FICA taxes.
  • Be between 21 and full retirement age.
  • Be under the care of a healthcare professional who can confirm the severity of medical condition(s).

T.J. Geist, Allsup principal advocate explains, “For more than 39 years, experienced and compassionate Allsup claims representatives have helped people with disabilities secure the benefits they deserve. In 2022 alone, nearly 18% of awards that Allsup experts helped customers receive were for spine-related conditions that met Social Security’s requirements.”

When You’re Waiting – Disability Financial Solutions

The financial toll of a disability can be crushing. A combination of medical expenses, housing costs, prescription costs and basic living expenses can be tremendously difficult for individuals and their families to manage.

Allsup now offers Disability Financial SolutionsTM inclusive with its SSDI representation assistance to help customers lower debt, pay their bills and find savings on household costs, utilities, health insurance, rent or mortgage payments, and other living costs. Disability experts connect customers with a nationwide network of more than 20,000 resources. Regardless of where people live, Allsup finds the right resources to help tackle stressful financial issues. These financial solutions are especially vital for individuals who experience wait times of 6-8 months and longer for their initial disability application to be decided by the SSA.

And When It’s Time – Free Help Returning To Work

Following approval for Social Security disability benefits, individuals with spinal conditions can find additional advantages from Social Security’s Ticket to Work Program. This program, which was authorized by Congress in 1999, provides a combination of incentives and free assistance to disability beneficiaries to attempt a return to work.

The Ticket to Work Program may be the best-kept secret of SSDI benefits. Many Social Security beneficiaries and U.S. workers aren’t aware of these significant free benefits.

“In decades of work helping people with all types of disabilities receive disability benefits, more than 50% of SSDI applicants say they would like to work again if they are medically able to do so,” Geist said.

Allsup Employment Services, a division of Allsup and a Social Security-authorized Employment Network, helps SSDI beneficiaries understand how Ticket to Work offers both protection and support. For example, beneficiaries will not lose their income or Medicare coverage during the Trial Work Period, which is the initial time period of working after benefits approval. As they test the waters again in the workplace, they can rest assured that those vital benefits will not be jeopardized during the transition back into work.

For several years, AES has supported United Spinal’s Pathways to Employment Program, including providing return-to-work experts in panel discussions and webinars. National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October also helps to bring visibility to United Spinal and AES’ efforts to help individuals with spinal conditions return to work.

AES case managers provide dedicated assistance to program participants, with an emphasis on helping make the transition back to work as seamless and stress-free as possible. Extensive free services range from job interview coaching and guidance about accommodations, to specific help with meeting the SSA’s Ticket requirements. When people are dealing with major spinal conditions and their path to work, they can count on AES to help them navigate this process.

Hispanic man with Spinal Cord Injury working in an office

Allsup Provides Full-Service Expertise And Assistance

When people with disabilities choose Allsup as they first seek SSDI benefits, they are supported by knowledgeable and experienced professionals. Allsup specialists understand the ins and outs of this complex government program and what is required to secure disability benefits sooner. Their experts advocate for claimants to ensure the most compelling case is presented the first time, resulting in an Allsup initial approval rate of 50% compared to the national average of 36%.

Disability Financial Solutions, Allsup’s newest offering, helps SSDI beneficiaries face and manage financial burdens so they can focus on their health and well-being. Then when they reach medical stability and find they are ready to return to work, AES case managers can guide them through Social Security’s Ticket to Work Program and help ensure they have a positive experience searching and preparing for work.

Through this combination of help, customers can “Trust Allsup to Tell Your StoryTM” each step of the way on their journey to a life reclaimed.


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