Reviewed by: Licensed Insurance Professional. This content has been reviewed for accuracy and compliance with current insurance standards.
Why Buy Disability Insurance?
Disability insurance helps protect your income if an illness or injury keeps you from working. It can help pay everyday expenses like your mortgage, utilities, groceries, car payment, and medical bills. Since your ability to earn a paycheck is often your biggest financial asset, disability insurance provides important peace of mind.
Many people think that disability insurance is only for the extreme: skydivers, lion tamers, and Evel Knievel impersonators. But the truth is that accidents can happen at any time and to anyone. That’s why it’s important to protect your ability to earn a living with disability insurance, no matter how slim your chances of having an accident may seem. If you don’t believe us, take a look at the 10 strangest accidents we’ve heard about.
10. Frozen Stiff
During a skiing trip in 2009, Dr. Ana Bagenholm lost control on the slope and got stuck in the only hole in a frozen stream. Her body was underwater for 40 minutes until the rescue team arrived. She managed to breathe using a tiny air pocket below the ice. Needless to say, doctors were surprised when her heart started beating again.
9. Bouncy Castle of Doom
While romping through a giant bouncy palace of fun, 13 people were swept away by this giant installation in Britain as the wind started to pick up. Two people died as they were thrown from the bouncy castle, while the rest endured serious injuries all over their bodies. Good thing it was made of inflatable panels.
8. Waves of Molasses
Tanks of molasses swept over hundreds of unsuspecting pedestrians in Boston’s North End one afternoon. The sticky liquid formed a fifteen-foot-high wave that injured 150 people and killed 21. A class-action lawsuit finally repaid the victims a sum of $10.7 million in settlements.
7. Hit By a Pigeon
A pigeon hit Matthew Brealy in the face while he was riding his motorcycle, knocking him unconscious. Brealy accidentally stepped on the throttle, pushing his speed to upwards of 200 km per hour. He finally hit a tree and flew off of his bike, landing on the pavement. He received multiple injuries, including a broken leg and several fractures to his skull.
6. Attack of the Drill Bit
Ron Hunt was on a construction job when he fell off his ladder and landed on his drill! The bit went through his right eye and into the back of his head. After a long, painful procedure, the doctors managed to remove the entire drill bit. Although blinded in one eye, Hunt is doing relatively well. However, his insurance didn’t cover this type of accident, leading him to create the Ron Hunt Medical Fund.
5. Exploding Toilet
Michel Pierre flushed his toilet one day. But instead of flushing, the water pressure caused the bowl to explode into a thousand tiny shards of flying porcelain. Pierre was badly injured, receiving 30 stitches all over his body. You might think twice the next time you flush.
4. Killer Rod
While enjoying a serene fishing trip with his friends, Yasser Lopez was hit with a 3-foot-long fishing spear that struck him in the middle of his head. Rushed to the hospital, Lopez remained awake throughout the agonizing pain. The doctors found the rod touching the back of Lopez’s skull. Against all odds, Lopez made it through alive.
3. Assault with a Steel Beam
James Crawford was driving to work one day when a crane-operated steel beam drifted midair over a line of traffic. The beam collided with Crawford’s car, ripping away everything except the driver’s seat. With some amazing luck, Crawford survived the accident. He might have a lifetime full of aches and pain, but at least he’s still breathing.
2. Caught in a Train
Truman Duncan fell off of a train one day and landed on the tracks. His legs got sucked under the train, dragging him a total of 75 feet. He lost the majority of his lower half. Let’s assume that Duncan prefers to fly these days.
1. Chainsaw Massacre
As an expert lumberjack, Forthman Murff was accustomed to cutting down trees. However, as he cut down his latest victim, it knocked down another tree with it. Murff was knocked unconscious and fell on top of his chainsaw. He woke up to the blade cutting away at his neck. He somehow managed to walk back to his truck and drive to a neighbor’s house. Despite it all, he’s still alive.
Whether you’re driving to work or using the bathroom, accidents are always possible, even if they aren’t probable. Purchasing disability insurance will protect your income when an accident strikes. Let’s face it, stranger things have happened.
Reviewed and written by: Richard Reich, CEO and Life Insurance Broker 25+ Years Experience
This content has been reviewed for accuracy and compliance with current insurance standards.
Frequently Asked Questions about Disability Insurance
What is long-term disability insurance?
Long-term disability insurance helps replace part of your income if you become too sick or injured to work for an extended period. Benefits usually begin after a waiting period and may continue for several years, or even until retirement age, depending on the policy.
Who needs long-term disability insurance?
Anyone who depends on a paycheck should consider long-term disability insurance. This includes employees, business owners, self-employed workers, and families with ongoing financial obligations. If losing your income would make it difficult to pay bills, this coverage can provide important financial protection.
How much does long-term disability insurance pay?
Most long-term disability policies replace a portion of your income, often around 50% to 70% of your regular earnings. The exact amount depends on the policy, your income, and whether the coverage is purchased individually or provided through an employer.
When do long-term disability benefits begin?
Benefits do not usually start immediately. Most policies have a waiting period, also called an elimination period, before payments begin. This period may be 30, 60, 90, or 180 days. Short-term disability or savings may help cover expenses during that time.
Is long-term disability insurance worth it?
Long-term disability insurance can be worth it because a serious illness or injury may keep you out of work for months or years. It helps protect your income and gives you a way to continue paying everyday expenses while you focus on recovery.
Last Updated on June 2, 2026 by Richard Reich
