Barry walked away from his corporate IT job with benefits almost a decade ago. It was a big gamble, but he had to see if he could make something for himself. He opened a computer repair shop in the town he has called home his entire life.
Over the first two years, he ran as bare bones as possible. He didn't invest in his retirement fund, and he also didn't carry health insurance. He did what he had to do to get the business off the ground in a competitive Austin technology landscape.
Over time, he managed to add a couple of employees who count on him to run the business, fix the hard problems, and keep the lights on. As he added those employees, they did add health insurance, but he still ran lean on other benefits.
Barry’s a sharp guy. But like most Texas small business owners, he never really thought much about disability insurance. That is, until everything changed.
He went in for what was supposed to be a simple surgery. Nothing serious. But complications kept him out of the shop for almost six months. That was an eternity for his business.
During the six months he was out, there was a massive drop in customers which led to reduced revenue coming in and a lot of bills stacking up. His shop nearly went under. His employees almost had to find new jobs.
It was scary. But it didn’t need to happen. Barry could have avoided this with some simple risk mitigation using a disability insurance policy. What should Barry have known before his routine monthly expenses nearly cost him everything?
Three Big Things You Need To Know Right Now
If you are short on time, here are the three things you really need to know right now.
- If You Can't Work, The Business Doesn't Work
- Personal Finances Get Hit First
- Protect Your People, Too
If that isn't enough, here is a link to some quick FAQs for you. Now back to our regular story.
If You Can’t Work, The Business Doesn’t Work
Being your own boss and seeing a business grow comes with many emotions. It is incredibly rewarding. Barry felt that.
His computer repair shop worked because he showed up every day. He fixed laptops. He answered phones. He talked with customers. He did the marketing. Ran payroll for his employee salaries. Keep the books up to date.
When he couldn’t show up, everything started falling apart.
This is the first big thing to think about.
If your business needs you every day, what happens if you're not there?
Most small business owners think, "I’ll push through it." But not everything is that simple. A broken leg, a surgery gone sideways, or even an illness can put you on the sidelines longer than you think. When you’re the one making everything happen, there needs to be a plan in place for when life throws a curveball.
Disability income insurance helps cover income losses if you get hurt or sick. It can keep the bills paid and your business afloat while you focus on getting better.
Personal Finances Get Hit First
As the business income started to slow during his initial recovery, he relied on the cash savings his business had accrued to cover his office overhead expenses. He paid his people and not himself.
As a result, Barry didn’t have any money coming in while he recovered. But his bills didn’t stop. Mortgage, utilities, food, and medical expenses still needed to be paid.
So Barry did what a lot of folks do. He dipped into his personal savings. Then he maxed out a credit card bill. Before long, his financial safety net was gone.
If you’re like Barry, your personal finances are tied up in your business. You’ve invested time, money, and heart into making it work. But when your income stops because you can’t work, your savings disappear fast. Disability benefits help protect your paycheck, so your family doesn’t carry the weight while you recover.
It gives you time to rest, without the stress of bills piling up or your business folding under the pressure.
Protect Your People, Too
Fortunately for Barry, his employees stuck it out with him. But just barely. They took less pay for a period in a desire to help him out after being so good to them. But it was rough!
Without a clear plan, they didn’t know if the shop would fully reopen. One started looking for a new job. The other took on some freelance work to cover her rent. Barry’s absence didn’t just hurt him. It almost cost two people their jobs and savings.
If you have a small team that depends on you, your time off can affect them just as much as it affects you. Disability insurance is more than protecting yourself. A disability policy gives your team stability when they need it most. You’re telling them, “Even if something happens to me, we’ve got a plan.”
And that kind of leadership? That builds loyalty. That keeps people around.
You’ve Got Options, But You Need To Look At Them Now
Barry didn’t know what he didn’t know. He thought disability insurance was just for big companies with rich monthly benefits or high-risk jobs.
The truth is, there are group disability insurance plans built just for small business owners in Texas. You don’t have to spend a fortune, but you do have to take action. You have to look into it before something happens rather than after.
There are short-term disability policies that can cover you for a few months. This is what would have saved Barry from so much heartburn. They can even include business overhead expense insurance to make sure bills don't get missed.
There are long-term disability insurance plans as well. These are usually for years or even the rest of your life. Many small business loans require this coverage to protect them being paid back. Business protection can come in many forms where Texas disability insurance is concerned.
Don’t Wait For A Health Scare to Get Prepared
Barry got lucky. He recovered, and he was able to rebuild. But it took time. And it took a toll on him, his family, and his team.
If he had talked to an experienced and knowledgeable insurance agent about disability insurance before that surgery, the whole story would’ve played out differently. He would’ve had The Promise Of Certainty.
His team wouldn’t have been left guessing. His finances wouldn’t have taken such a hard hit.
If you’re the glue holding your business together, you need to protect yourself. Because when you go down, everything else goes with you.
Business Disability Insurance Doesn't Have To Be Complicated
At Insurance For Texans, we help small business owners like Barry every day. We know how hard you work. We know how much is riding on your shoulders. And we’re here to make sure that if something unexpected happens, your business doesn’t come crashing down.
You don’t need to figure this out on your own. We live and work right here in Texas. We understand the challenges you face, and we’ll walk you through your options in plain Texas English. True Texas Technology Insurance is about no fluff and no pressure.
Click the button below to see how you can protect your business and your future today.