NEW YORK – American workers’ retirement could be at risk, a new survey points out.

Nearly half of those polled by Guardian said they’d likely stop contributing to their retirement plan if they suffered a disabling illness or injury.

"That's troubling, particularly because 401(k) plans are growing in popularity and are dependent on employee contributions,” said Larry Hazzard, Senior VP, Guardian. “If employees stop contributing to their accounts they also lose their company's match.

“This can be a huge retirement setback.”

Experts suggest workers make sure they’re getting the most out of the disability insurance. They should consider supplementing their disability insurance with retirement income protection, which helps maintain retirement savings while the employee is out of work.