partial disability

Disability that is not total. The definition of "partial disability" varies from policy to policy, but it is often defined as "the inability of the insured to perform one or more of the important duties of his or her occupation." When a disability income policy covers partial disability, the benefit is usually equal to a specified percentage, e.g., 50 percent, of the total disability benefit for a limited period of time, (e.g., 3, 6, or 9 months).