Under an individual policy, an insured who cannot perform the duties of his/her own occupation for a specific period of time is:

In the context of individual disability insurance, the concept of total disability typically refers to a condition in which an insured individual is unable to perform the essential duties of their own occupation. This means that if the insured is unable to carry out the responsibilities and functions associated with their specific job, they are considered totally disabled.

This classification is important because total disability benefits often provide a higher level of income replacement than partial disability benefits, which only cover a situation where the insured can still perform some duties related to their occupation but not all. It is crucial for individuals to understand the definitions and implications of these terms in order to appropriately assess their policy coverage and benefits during incapacitation.

The other terms—partially disabled, temporarily disabled, and long-term disabled—represent different levels or types of disability that do not specifically align with the situation described in the question. Partially disabled typically denotes a condition where some duties can still be performed. Temporarily disabled implies that the condition is expected to resolve in a short time frame. Long-term disability refers to a prolonged condition but does not define the inability to perform one’s own occupation outright. The distinction among these definitions plays a vital role in determining eligibility for benefits under an insurance policy.