Becoming mentally or physically disabled can mean not being able to work. To avoid financial difficulties that can arise because of disability, people can get disability insurance. This type of insurance gives workers a portion of the income they earned before disability. It can be a financial safety net for those whose livelihoods are dependent on the income they get from work. How Disability Insurance Works When an individual becomes disabled and has disability insurance, they may be eligible to receive monthly payments that can be used to cover daily expenses. The ‘may’ is because every policy has different definitions in terms of what they classify as disabled. Reading the fine print before commiting to a policy is imperative for this reason. Before payments can begin, you typically have to file a claim proving you’re disabled and eligible for benefits. If you do meet the minimum requirements, payments should kick in once your elimination period (the timeframe between your injury and benefit payments) is up. At that time, you receive payments directly and can spend the money as you wish. Government disability benefit programs, such