Online disability insurance has all the information and policy options available to those who talk personally with a disability insurance agent. Browse the Web site of each disability insurance carrier, take a break, go grocery shopping, and return to your computer library of information. You can digest the material at your leisure, think about the possibilities and options--and you don't even have to leave home!

Be sure to explore as many Web sites as you can because each one has different information, some more detailed than others. Find a site that has definitions and does a good job of clearly explaining all the variations among policies. Understanding the elements of a policy is important because they determine your benefits.

Important Elements of a Policy

Be cautious about policies that are sold along with automobile and bank loans, or from telemarketers, or in mass mailings. They are often very inadequate and will not provide much assistance in case of disability. If you compare them to online disability insurance, you will immediately see the differences.

Examine the benefit period. How long will the policy pay? Some will only pay benefits for a few months! Find a policy that will pay until you are 65, or for your lifetime. Think about how long an elimination period you can afford. This is the waiting period before you start collecting benefits. For many people on a budget, a period shorter than 90 days is too expensive. Absolutely crucial is the definition of "disabled." If you must be confined to a hospital in order to receive benefits, such a policy will not adequately assist you in tough times with a lesser disability.