What type of insurance benefits are typically less than a worker's previous earnings?

Partial disability benefits are typically designed to provide compensation when an individual is unable to perform some or all of their job duties due to an injury or illness, but is not completely unable to work. These benefits are generally calculated as a percentage of the individual's previous earnings, reflecting the reduced capacity to earn income as a result of the disability. This means that the payments will be less than their original earnings since they are only compensating for the portion of their income that is lost due to the disability.

In contrast, full disability benefits cater to those who can no longer work at all due to their condition, which may provide a higher compensation equivalent to their pre-disability earnings. Temporary disability benefits can include full or partial payments depending on the severity and duration of the disability; however, when someone qualifies for partial disability, the benefit will typically be less than what they were earning prior to the disability. Total disability generally implies a complete inability to engage in any work, hence those benefits may align more closely with the person's previous earnings or be structured differently based on specific policy terms.