Who Should Have Short Term Disability Insurance? 
Short Term Disability Insurance pays cash to persons who are temporarily unable to perform their jobs . Benefits can start as soon as day one , or you can choose a longer elimination period -LRB- up to several months -RRB- to lower your premium . You can choose a benefit period of months to years , with two years being the longest most Short Term Disability Insurance can last . People who have enough savings to tide them over if they are unable to work for several months , do not need Short Term Disability Insurance . However , if you are offered it at a low price , it could certainly be worth having . Those who need it at nearly any cost are those who could not survive even a month without their paycheck . Long Term Disability Insurance is the policy that kicks in after being off of work for several months , and can last many years . This is the type of coverage most people purchase if they are not offered Disability Insurance through their employment . 