I have heard this phrase many times when broaching the subject of disability insurance with a client.  I always pull out a chart that shows the leading causes of disabilities.  My clients are always surprised to see that accidents are not at the top of the list of disability causes.  And, not surprisingly, the number of accident-related disabilities is dropping.

According to the 2010 CDA (Council for Disability Awareness) Long-Term Disability Claims Review, accident-related claims dropped rather significantly as a cause of new disability claims from 2008 to 2009.  This may be related to lifestyle changes, possibly driven by the economy.

Musculoskeletal/connective tissue disorders continue to rank as the leading cause of disability, according to the study.  This category includes claims caused by neck and back pain; joint, muscle and tendon disorders; foot, ankle and hand disorders; etc.

Cancer is the second leading cause of new claims but is the fourth leading cause of existing claims.

Cardiovascular/circulatory problems have increased slightly in 2009 as a cause of new claims after three years of declines, and are the third leading cause of new and existing disability claims.  Examples in this category include claims caused by heart and circulatory disorders, strokes, etc.

So, while you should protect your income from disabling accidents, there are other causes of disability you should be protected from.