• What can disability insurance do for you?Crutches image by Megan van Dyck from Fotolia.com
  
  Short term disability insurance can be one of the most advantageous types of policies you can buy. Many employers offer short term disability insurance as part of a larger employee benefits package, but you can also purchase a policy individually. Most short term disability insurance policies can be structured to pay benefits for injuries sustained both on and off the job, protecting you and your family from the financial danger that could result from a temporary inability to work.
  
  

Your Own Occupation

• Policies will pay if you can't do your job.construction 2 image by Vladimirs Koskins from Fotolia.com
  
  Most short term disability insurance policies are designed to begin paying benefits if an injury prevents you from doing your job. The "Own Occupation" provision of disability policies makes it easier to collect money because you do not have to be completely disabled, but rather simply unable to complete the normal tasks associated with your own occupation.
  
  

Income Replacement

• Your income can be replaced with disability insurance.money wallet on red image by Pix by Marti from Fotolia.com
  
  The primary purpose of short term disability insurance is to replace your income while you are disabled. Even though you may eventually return to work, for the duration of your disability you will not receive your ordinary salary. Short term disability insurance will pay a portion of your normal gross salary, typically a maximum of sixty percent, while you are disabled. You can use this money to continue paying bills until you are well enough to return to work.
  
  

Medical Bills

• Benefits can be used to pay medical bills.Expensive medicine image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
  
  A common problem that occurs after an injury is the inability to pay insurance policy deductibles and associated treatment costs. Benefits from a short term disability policy can be used to offset these costs and provide necessary funds that would otherwise be unavailable and leave you with large outstanding medical bills.