Benefit Scenario: $45,000 salary, no cover

$45,000 salary, no cover: gross income $45,000, existing cover none, leaving a monthly gap of about $2,250. Closing that gap with an individual policy costs roughly $55–$95 a month.

The arithmetic

The gap is calculated on net income, not gross: group benefits are usually taxable, so a 60% group benefit replaces closer to 45% of take-home pay. That is why this profile still shows a $2,250 shortfall.

What to buy

• Size the individual policy to the net gap, not to a round percentage.
• Use a 90-day elimination period if savings cover three months; shorter periods cost materially more.
• Add residual disability so a partial return to work still pays proportionally.
• Confirm how the carrier offsets the existing group benefit.

Two smaller policies from different carriers can make sense above $10,000 a month of benefit, because individual carriers cap issuance by income tier.

Is it worth it

At $55–$95 a month, the annual premium is a small fraction of one year of the $2,250 gap. The comparison is not premium versus savings — it is premium versus the probability of an extended absence during your working years.

$45,000 salary, no cover: a $2,250 monthly gap, closed for $55–$95 a month. Fund the elimination period, then insure the rest.