Breeze announces its launch of the first API-driven disability insurance product with a digital application and underwriting process provided by Assurity Life. Breeze, which has already helped thousands of consumers apply for disability insurance coverage, is on a mission to help the 51 million working Americans without sufficient income protection in place.
Individuals can request a personalized disability insurance quote and complete a secure application process online in 10-15 minutes. By using existing data from health records and other sources, Breeze allows eligible applicants to skip the medical exam often required by manual underwriting. Policies from the Omaha-based company are issued by underwriting partner Assurity Life, which is rated “excellent” by AM Best for financial strength. Coverage is available in 49 states and the District of Columbia; it is not yet available in New York.
Breeze CEO and Co-Founder, Colin Nabity, believes this innovation comes at a time when the need for income protection is abundantly clear.
“In the midst of a global pandemic, we are proud to launch an insurance product that makes it easier to protect your income in the event you become too sick or hurt to work,” said Nabity. “Our streamlined online experience provides consumers a quick, convenient way to find coverage without enduring high-pressure sales tactics or archaic processes that have plagued the insurance industry in the past.”
“Breeze is an ideal partner for providing disability insurance to working Americans,” says Jared Carlson, Vice President of Individual Sales and Ventures at Assurity. “We’ve long believed modern technology can help an underserved market access vital protection, and Breeze’s system streamlines and simplifies what can otherwise be a complicated process. It’s the right service at the right time, and Assurity is proud to underwrite this revolutionary new platform.”
As the COVID-19 pandemic sheds light on the vulnerabilities faced by a changing workforce, it is a reminder that an unexpected disability can happen to anyone. The Social Security Administration reports that one in four of today’s 20-year-olds will experience a disability that prevents them from working for at least one year before reaching the normal retirement age.
“With independent workers expected to be the majority of the workforce by the end of this decade, portable benefits for individuals are more important now than ever before,” said Nabity. “We are excited to make affordable income protection insurance more accessible to business owners, freelancers, and gig economy workers.”
