The odds of becoming disabled depend on a number of factors, including age, health condition, and type of occupation. For many people, disability presents a much greater likelihood at their current age than does death. For example, at age 42 you are three times more likely to become disabled than die.

The chance of becoming disabled decreases somewhat with age, but the average duration of a disability insurance tends to increase with age. Most disabilities last from a few weeks to a few months. At age 40, the average length of disabilities, lasting more than 90 days, is 5.5 years. At any age, however, there is a chance of becoming totally and permanently disabled.