An investment that paid off, big time.

I work for myself. There is no such thing as paid time off if I get injured. As a massage therapist, injury can easily take me out of the office for days if not weeks at a time. This is why I signed myself up for a short and long-term disability policy through Allstate Workplace Division.

I've only had to use it once, but it gives me incredible peace of mind. And, it paid off big time. I had the policy for exactly 24 months when I needed to use it. As per doctor's orders I stopped doing massage on October 25. I got paid from Nov 1 - Feb 2 at $1044/month; just over $3000. My investment had thus far been just over half of that.

I get paid for hospital stays, dislocations, dismemberments, illnesses, and all kinds of other things that I really hope don't happen! I even get a check for $50 for my wellness visits!

Some people say that it's better to save the insurance premium each month and have an emergency savings instead. I think, however, that this is the best policy for me because it can pay quite a bit more than my premium if something were to happen.