Pilot Disability Coverage Calculator
A medical event can end a pilot's career in 24 hours — but most airline group plans replace only 60% of base salary under an "any occupation" definition that pays nothing when the FAA revokes your Class 1. This calculator quantifies the exact gap between what you'd receive and what you actually need, and what it would cost to fill it with an individual loss-of-license policy.
Your Numbers
Why "60% of Base" Usually Isn't Enough
Problem 1: Profit-sharing is excluded from group LTD
At major carriers, profit-sharing has averaged $30K–$80K+ per year in strong cycles. Group LTD is calculated on base salary only. If your W-2 shows $340K total but your base is $200K, your group LTD maximum is 60% × $200K = $120K/yr — not 60% of what you actually earn.
Problem 2: "Any occupation" definition after 24 months
Most group long-term disability policies shift from "unable to perform your own occupation" to "unable to perform any occupation" after 24 months. A former 777 captain grounded for atrial fibrillation can clearly perform desk work. Under any-occupation, the policy pays nothing — even though the condition permanently ends the aviation career.
Own-occupation loss-of-license policies pay regardless of whether you can work elsewhere. This is the critical difference between a policy that protects pilots and one that merely sounds like it does.
Problem 3: Union plans have hard caps
ALPA and airline-specific union supplemental plans typically cap benefits at $10,000–$15,000/month — regardless of your actual income. A mainline captain at $400K+ total comp is already underinsured within the union plan alone. The individual policy fills the remaining gap.
Layer 1 — Employer group LTD (often employer-paid, keep it regardless)
Layer 2 — Union/ALPA supplemental (loss-of-license language, take the maximum)
Layer 3 — Individual own-occupation LOL policy (fills gap, portable across employers)
See the complete loss-of-medical disability insurance guide for carrier comparisons, rider details, and underwriting considerations by age and health profile.
How Individual Premiums Are Structured for Pilots
| Age at Purchase | Relative Premium Level | Key Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| 25–34 | Lowest | Lock in rates before any medical history builds; longest coverage period to 65 |
| 35–44 | Moderate | Still cost-effective; most pilots have income worth protecting now |
| 45–54 | High | Shorter period to 65 narrows benefit window; underwriting scrutinizes more |
| 55–64 | Highest | Very high cost relative to remaining years; often the hardest to underwrite |
Premiums are level (do not increase annually) once issued. Buying at 38 vs. waiting until 48 typically saves 30–50% in annual premiums for the same benefit amount. The future increase option (FIO) rider lets you add coverage later without new underwriting — critical for regional FOs who expect a major income jump when they upgrade.
Carriers that specialize in aviation disability
- AFIT (Aviators Financial Services Insurance Trust) — union-adjacent, competitive rates, well-regarded among ALPA pilots
- Starr Aviation — Lloyd's-backed, flexible benefit structures for high-income pilots
- Harvey Watt — long-established, pilot-specific products
- Berkley Aviation — commercial aviation focus
A fee-only advisor who works with pilots regularly will have quote access across multiple carriers and can help you structure coverage that stacks cleanly with what you already have.
Get Matched With an Advisor Who Can Pull Real Quotes
Premium estimates in the calculator above are illustrative. A pilot-specialist advisor can obtain actual quotes from aviation disability carriers, help you audit your existing coverage for definition gaps, and structure the three-layer stack to fit your carrier, income level, and years to mandatory retirement.
Related Tools
More Pilot Financial Calculators
- Retirement-at-65 gap calculator — how much you need to save given the mandatory retirement timeline
- Pension lump-sum vs. annuity calculator — NPV break-even analysis for your pension election decision
- Social Security bridge calculator — compare claiming at 65 vs. 67 vs. 70 with portfolio bridge analysis
Sources
- FAA — Class 1 Medical Certification Standards and Requirements
- DOL ERISA — Group Long-Term Disability Plan Requirements
- ALPA Financial Planning Resources for Airline Pilots
- SSA Publication No. 05-10024 — Understanding the Benefits
Premium estimates reflect 2026 market-rate ranges for individual own-occupation / loss-of-license policies from aviation specialty disability carriers. Values verified based on publicly available carrier guidance and industry data; actual quotes vary significantly by individual underwriting factors.