If you have both disability insurance and a life policy you may realise that it is far less costly to die than to have a debilitating accident. This is because the chances of being injured in an accident are much higher than being killed.

When you die unexpectedly there is no ambiguity, you can?t be half dead. However when it comes to disability, there can be many interpretations of being disabled. So it's vital that you understand the steps you need to take to ensure a smooth pay out. Ensuring a stress-free payout at a time which is often emotionally taxing can be made easy if the right steps are followed, from when you take out your disability cover through to the claim stage.

Disability cover aims to provide financial support for you and your family when you become disabled and can no longer earn an income. Rodney Pritchard, Technical Manager Claims at Old Mutual, explains that a smooth payout involves three key steps.

Full disclosure

Firstly, full disclosure of medical details is vital when initially applying for cover. Full disclosure ensures that claimants receive appropriate cover and that, at the claim stage, the life insurer can promptly assess the claim without being hindered by the time-consuming exercise of verifying information disclosed in the original documents.

Send information all at once

Secondly, when submitting a disability claim, it is important that all the correct information is sent to the claims division. Forwarding all the required information together, as opposed to in drips and drabs, will ensure a smooth and quick claim process. The critical information that is needed upfront is the report from the treating specialist, the disability form from the employer as well as the disability form from the claimant.

Read the fine print

The third essential step for a smooth and timeous disability claim payout is the pre-requisite that, at the point of claim, claimants carefully read and understand the fine print of the conditions of the disability contract entered into with the insurer, says Pritchard. This is important as it ensures that claimants fully understand what the disability benefits actually cover.

Following the above three steps will help avoid time delays and frustration at a time when you're dealing with major lifestyle adjustments. It will also ensure that disability benefits provide what they are meant to provide: peace of mind, certainty and control.

Pritchard concludes: "A smooth disability payout relies on both the insurer and the claimant working closely together. This ensures that financial help is swiftly at hand at a time when claimants are making major decisions which will impact on the way they will manage the remainder of their lives after disability."