Permanent vs temporary disablement in GPA cover
Group personal accident cover pays for disability in three ways. Permanent total disability (PTD) and permanent partial disability (PPD) are lasting losses paid as a lump sum; temporary total disablement (TTD) is a recoverable injury paid as a weekly income benefit. All three draw from the same sum insured.
Key takeaway
Permanent disability pays a one-time lump sum — 100% of cover for total loss, a scheduled percentage for partial. Temporary disablement pays a weekly benefit while the employee recovers.
The three disability benefits
A personal accident policy separates disability by how lasting it is and how much earning capacity it removes. That distinction decides whether the employee receives a single lump sum or a stream of weekly payments — and how much of the sum insured is drawn.
| Benefit | Code | What it covers | How it pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent Total Disability | PTD | A permanent loss that stops the employee earning altogether — e.g. loss of both limbs, both eyes, or one of each. | 100% of sum insured (lump sum) |
| Permanent Partial Disability | PPD | A permanent loss of a specific limb, digit or sense — e.g. one finger, one eye, partial hearing. | Scheduled % of sum insured (lump sum) |
| Temporary Total Disablement | TTD | A temporary but total inability to work while recovering from an accidental injury. | Weekly benefit (e.g. 1% of SI/week), capped |
Percentages and caps shown are typical market terms; the exact benefit schedule is set by the policy wording.
A worked example
Take an employee with a GPA sum insured of ₹50,00,000. Here is how each kind of disability would be settled:
| PTD — loss of both hands (100% of SI) | ₹50,00,000 lump sum |
| PPD — loss of one thumb (e.g. 25% of SI) | ₹12,50,000 lump sum |
| TTD — 12 weeks off work (1% of SI/week) | ₹50,000 × 12 = ₹6,00,000 |
The permanent losses are settled once, at the scheduled percentage of the ₹50,00,000 cover. The temporary disablement pays week by week while the employee is unable to work — replacing income during recovery rather than compensating a lasting loss. Weekly benefits are usually capped in both amount and duration.
Why the distinction matters for employers
Disability, not death, is the more common accident outcome — and it is where families quietly slip into financial trouble because the earner survives but cannot work. A policy that only pays on death leaves that gap open. Making sure your GPA carries strong permanent and temporary disability benefits, not just a death benefit, is what turns accident cover into genuine income protection.
When comparing schemes, read the weekly disablement percentage and cap, the partial-disability schedule, and whether a medical-expense reimbursement is bundled in. Two policies with the same headline sum insured can pay very differently once someone is injured rather than killed.
How Onsurity handles it
Onsurity’s group personal accident cover includes permanent total, permanent partial and temporary total disablement benefits alongside the accidental death benefit — issued on a group basis with no individual medical underwriting and no waiting period. Employees can register and update nominees from the app, so families are never chasing paperwork at the worst possible time.
When a disability claim arises, Onsurity’s claims team helps collect the medical certification and supporting documents and tracks the claim to settlement. For teams with real accident exposure, we help design the sum insured and benefit mix so the disability side of the cover is as strong as the death side.
Related terms
- Accidental death benefit
The other core GPA payout — a lump sum on accidental death.
- Weekly disablement benefit
How the temporary-disability weekly income benefit is calculated.
- GPA sum insured
How the CTC multiple sets the ceiling every disability benefit draws from.
- Group Personal Accident cover
How Onsurity structures GPA disability benefits for teams.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between permanent total and permanent partial disability?
Permanent total disability (PTD) is a permanent loss that prevents the employee from earning at all — for example loss of both limbs, both eyes, or one limb and one eye. It usually pays 100% of the sum insured. Permanent partial disability (PPD) is a permanent loss of a specific body part or function — say a finger, a toe, or partial hearing — and it pays a fixed percentage of the sum insured set out in the policy’s benefit schedule.
How is temporary total disablement different from permanent disability?
Temporary total disablement (TTD) covers a period when an employee is completely unable to work because of an accident but is expected to recover — for example while a fracture heals. Instead of a one-time lump sum, it pays a weekly benefit (commonly 1% of the sum insured per week, subject to a cap) for the weeks the person is off work, usually up to 100–104 weeks. Permanent disability, by contrast, is a lasting loss paid as a single lump sum.
Who decides the percentage paid for a partial disability?
The policy carries a benefit schedule — a table that assigns a fixed percentage of the sum insured to each type of loss (for instance, loss of one thumb, loss of sight in one eye, and so on). A registered medical practitioner assesses and certifies the disability, and the insurer applies the scheduled percentage. This keeps partial-disability payouts objective rather than case-by-case negotiation.
Can an employee claim both disability and death benefit?
Not for the same event stacked beyond the sum insured. If a disability claim is paid and the employee later dies from an unrelated accident within the policy year, benefits are considered separately, but the total payable in respect of any one accident is capped at the sum insured. The policy schedule and terms govern how multiple claims interact — Onsurity’s team can walk you through the specifics.
Is there a waiting period before disability cover starts?
No. Group personal accident cover, including disability benefits, begins from day one of the policy for enrolled employees, and from the date of addition for new joiners. There is no waiting period as there is with some health-insurance conditions — accidents are, by definition, sudden and unforeseen.
Protect your team beyond hospitalisation
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