If you are injured to the point where you miss work, your disability insurance will pay out after the accident. If you have both short term and long term disability insurance, your short term coverage will kick in (after a brief waiting period) and then, if necessary, your long term insurance will pick up after your short term coverage ends. Waiting periods and benefit periods will be specific to your plan, so reach out to your insurance company for more information about what to expect with your policy.