New sales in the US individual disability insurance market climbed 2.7% to $491.8 million in 2025, while in-force premium reached $5.6 billion – a 1.9% increase from the prior year – according to a report released Wednesday by Gen Re, a Berkshire Hathaway company.
The reinsurer’s annual US Individual Disability Market Survey drew participation from 16 carriers and covered Non-Cancelable (Non-Can), Guaranteed Renewable (GR), Buy-Sell, and Guaranteed Standard Issue (GSI) product lines for 2024 and 2025. The survey represents $5.6 billion in in-force premium.
More than 285,000 new policies were issued in 2025, a 0.7% increase from 2024, while total policies in force remained roughly flat at 3.0 million, edging down 0.2%.
Results were mixed across product lines. Non-Can – the largest segment at 86% of total new sales premium – grew 3.8%, while GR fell 4.3% and accounted for 13% of new sales. Buy-Sell posted a 10.4% rebound after a 23.9% decline in 2024, though it represented less than 1% of total new sales premium.
On the in-force side, Non-Can grew 2.0% to $4.7 billion, representing 85% of total in-force premium. GR rose 2.2% to $793.7 million. Buy-Sell declined 7.0% to $41.8 million, marking its 17th consecutive year of decline.
Medical and 4A & Above occupations drove the bulk of new sales, accounting for 44% and 46% of new sales premium, respectively. Combined, 3A and 2A & Below occupations accounted for the remaining 10%.
The GSI segment recorded its strongest performance. Total new GSI sales premium surged 30.9% to $105.5 million from $80.5 million in 2024, with employer-paid GSI up 3.8% and employee-paid GSI jumping 70.4%. The total number of new GSI policies issued rose 33% to nearly 46,000.
Source: Gen Re
GSI in-force business also expanded, with total premium growing 8.2% to $545.3 million in 2025. Employer-paid in-force premium increased 4.9%, while employee-paid premium rose 10.5%. Total GSI policies in force climbed 5.3% to approximately 279,000.
Source: Gen Re
