Total Disability

What Does Total Disability Mean?

A total disability refers to an injury or illness that is so severe it prevents the individual from returning to their normal work. This type of disability persists even after the person has fully recovered from the condition. Medical practitioners are responsible for determining whether a disability is total, partial, or not a disability at all. Insurers rely on these medical assessments because the classification directly affects whether a claim pays out, which is why anyone shopping for disability insurance should pay close attention to how each policy defines total disability.

Insuranceopedia Explains Total Disability

Under many disability insurance policies, total disability is required for the policyholder to receive full disability benefits. However, some policies may deny coverage if the individual switches to another occupation. For example, if a carpenter falls off a building and breaks his back, becoming paralyzed and unable to return to his work, this would likely qualify as a total disability. However, depending on the policy, if he were to take a job as a clerk, he might no longer be entitled to disability benefits. Workers hurt on the job may also have a separate claim through workers’ compensation, which can run alongside private disability benefits depending on state rules and the policy’s terms.