The principle of long-term disability insurance is simple enough–you pay premiums and if you become disabled and are no longer able to work, you get regular payments to make up some of the lost income. 

Disability insurance replaces 60% to 80% of your income for a set period of time if you're unable to work. An illness, injury, or other condition, potentially including COVID-19, that prevents you from being able to do your regular job could qualify as a disability.

The chance of missing months or years of work because of an injury or illness may seem remote, especially if you’re young and healthy and you work at a desk. More than one in four 20-year-olds will experience a disability for 90 days or more before they reach 67.

There are two types of disability insurance — short-term and long-term - both replace a portion of your monthly salary up to a cap during disability. Certain long-term policies pay for additional services, such as training to return to the workforce.