Most insurers offer several optional benefits (called riders) to enhance disability income coverage. Common riders include:

Cost of Living Adjustments. COLA provides for an annual increase in benefits (generally after you have been disabled for a year), usually based on a Consumer Price Index or a predetermined percentage. This helps your benefits keep pace with inflation, and is particularly important if you are disabled for a long time.

Future Purchase Option (Guaranteed Insurability Option). This rider allows you to purchase additional disability income insurance as your income increases, without providing proof of medical insurability. Even if you develop a condition that would normally prevent you from obtaining additional coverage after you purchase your original policy, you could still increase your benefits.

Residual Benefit. This pays you a portion of your monthly disability benefit if you have a drop in income due to a disability (e.g., if you are working part time). In most cases you need to satisfy a minimum percentage loss in earnings (e.g., a 20 percent loss) to qualify.

Social Security Rider. If you are disabled, these riders pay you additional benefits if you are not able to receive Social Security disability benefits because of the Social Security Administration’s definition of disability. Usually, an individual disability policy with this rider will pay after the waiting period for the policy and during the five-month period (sometimes up to a year) while you are waiting for Social Security to kick in. If Social Security denies your claim, this rider will continue to pay benefits for the duration of the benefit period. Before purchasing a rider to your policy, ask yourself if you would be able to pay for the benefits provided by this rider out of your own pocket.