Many times I have seen the wear indicator just on one pad. If the sliding pins don't function correctly you may have uneven pad wear which could result with the metal pad backing coming into contact with your rotor and ruining it. It is always good practice to keep an eye on the pad wear once or 2x/year.
Happy motoring;D
RE: @nolnocluap's What Upsets Me About Series - #1: Modern Car "Servicing"