Insurance companies offer many choices when it comes to how soon you want your benefit payment to begin after disability occurs, and how long you want the benefits to continue if your disability is long term. The longer you wait to receive benefits and the shorter the term that you receive benefits for, the cheaper the premium.  They also vary on how they define disability.  The definition of disability could mean the inability to perform the duties of your own occupation, a job in your field, or any job at all.

Whereas life insurance proceeds are usually payable in a lump-sum which ends the contract, disability benefits are almost always payable on a monthly basis while disability continues (up to the benefit period in the contract). Upon recovery from a disability, the policy continues and will protect you should you suffer subsequent disabilities or in the event that a prior disability reoccurs.