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Ask HN: Disability insurance for programmers?
I had a meeting with my insurance agent today, and they pushed disability insurance pretty hard. I know that's their job to sell, but it makes me think: is disability insurance for a programmer a good investment?
I work for a small company and it's not a benefit, and I work from home. The risks (relatively) are small: eye problems, debilitating hand injury, etc. But they are still real. Is disability insurance a good thing to have? I'm 28, but I don't have any notion of invincibility either. Are there any good options for a low risk job like sitting at home all day working from the computer?
- mattm 13y agoI have it. I pay about $500/year in premiums for it. Mine is professional-based (I forget the exact terminology) but if I were unable to do programming anymore, I could get another job while still keeping the insurance payout. I got it because I read a financial book that said you have a surprisingly high chance of being disabled for more than 6 months at some point in your life. Look into it more. RSI is quite common amongst programmers so it's not without its risks.
- mlwarren 13y agoI don't have it. I'd strongly consider getting it if it covered burnout.
- Pyrodogg 13y agoI currently have short & long term disability through my employer. I haven't had an occasion to enact either. So far it's just been a nice to have. If it weren't provided to me I'd probably be asking the same questions you are.