Own Specialty Disability Insurance for Medical Professionals


Own Specialty Disability Insurance
Own Occupation Disability Insurance (Specialty Specific or Regular Occupation) It provides a replacement of income if a sickness or injury prevents you from working in your “Regular Occupation.” You will still be considered “Totally Disabled” and eligible to receive your “full” benefit even if you elect to work in another occupation.
When you decide to purchase your insurance policy through an independent agent, you gain access to quotes and packages from various providers. InsuranceMD can help you compare policies and choose the one that best suits your needs and budget.
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Disability Insurance for Physicians
True Own Specialty disability insurance gives you financial protection from any illness or injury that prevents you from working in your medical specialty, while still allowing you to collect your full benefit even if you elect to work in another occupation.

Disability Insurance for Dentists
True Own Specialty Disability insurance gives you financial protection from any sickness or injury that prevents you from working in your dental specialty, while still allowing you to collect your full benefit even if you elect to work in another occupation

Business Overhead Insurance
Don’t let a disability put you out of business. Ensure your expenses are covered should an injury or illness impact your ability to work.

Disability Insurance for Residents
As a medical resident, you can protect future earnings by purchasing true-own specialty disability coverage.

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We offer life insurance solutions designed specifically for physicians.
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The Value of True Own Specialty Disability Insurance
1 in 4 physicians will suffer a disability lasting more than 90 days prior to their age of 65. If you rely on your income to support your lifestyle then your most valuable asset is your ability to earn an income and you must take the proper steps to protect your income.
Protecting your most valuable asset with ‘True Own-Specialty Disability Insurance.’
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Own Specialty Disability Insurance FAQs
What Is True Own Specialty Disability Insurance?
True Own Specialty disability insurance defined in the definition section of your policy under "Total Disability" or "Totally Disabled" and this is the language the carrier uses to determine when, or if, they consider you disabled and eligible to receive your benefit payments.
Being disabled should not be simply defined as a sickness or injury that prevents you from "working." Based on your education and experience in becoming a physician, it is going to take a lot to prevent you from "working" in some capacity.
Your disability insurance policy must define you as disabled if a sickness or injury makes it so you are no longer able, or you are no longer comfortable, working as a physician – and it should not penalize you if you engage in another occupation.
As with many important decisions; the devil is in the details… This is very true when it comes to disability insurance, and the carriers make the details and specifics of their policies a challenge to understand.
Does your policy say: "We will consider you disabled when you cannot perform the duties as a physician, and you prove to us that you cannot perform the duties of any other reasonable occupation?"
This definition is offered by some group policies and is not desirable.
Does your policy say: "We will consider you disabled when you cannot perform the duties as a physician, so long as you are not gainfully employed in any other occupation from now until the age of 65".
This definition is offered through some group policies, the AMA and other professional medical association plans, and is also not desirable.
Your policy should say: "You are considered totally disabled when you are unable to work as a physician, and we will still consider you totally disabled even if you work in another occupation".
This definition of disabled is the only one considered TRUE Own Specialty, and the type of coverage you should have. This means if you cannot continue working as a physician, you can do something else AND collect your tax-free disability benefit.
Where Can I Get True Own Specialty Disability Insurance?
True Own Specialty Disability Insurance can only be purchased indivdiually. It is not offered through Group Sponosored Long Term Disaiblity plans or professional Associaiton plans through associations like the AMA - ADA - ACOG - ACP - AAP - ACS, etc.
Currently the only six disability carriers that offer True Own Specialty Disability Insurance are Ameritas - Guardian - MassMutual - Ohio National - Principal - and The Standard.
Is My Employer's Disability Plan True Own Specialty?
Employer-sponsored group disability insurance does not offer the same level of coverage as Indivudal Own Specialty Disability Insurance. With your employer plan:
- You could lose your benefit if you change jobs or if your employer switches the group benefits they offer.
- Your policy is subject to changes by the insurance carrier and your employer.
- The Definition for Total Disability prevents you from collecting your full disability benefit if you are working or earning an income in another occupation.
- Benefits are often taxable since your employer is paying the premium.
When Should I Buy Disability Insurance?
The best time to buy disability insurance is when you don't need disability insurance. In order to qualify for disability insurance, you must first apply for the benefit, so the earlier the better. We encourage that you start with a plan early during your residency when you are at your healthiest. Securing a plan during residency and adding a future purchase option protects your future insurability as your income increases regardless of your health.
What Is the Most Important Feature of a Disability Policy?
The most important feature of your disability insurance policy is the definition of Total Disability. Total Disability defines when the insurance carrier considers you to be totally disabled and eligible for your full monthly disability benefit. Physicians are advised to obtain a policy with a definition of Total Disability that does not contain language that prohibits you from working in another occupation. Physicians refer to this plan as an Own Specialty Disability policy because the definition of Total Disability will consider you totally disabled even if you elect to work in another occupation. Currently, only six carriers offer such a policy to physicians: Ameritas - Guardian - MassMutual - Ohio National - Principal - The Standard.
How Much Disability Insurance Should I Purchase?
If you pay for your own private disability policy, your benefits will be paid to you Tax-Free. During your residency, the maximum benefit you are eligible for is $5,000 per month. If you add a Future Purchase Rider you will be permitted to increase your benefit as your income increases regardless of your health. As your income increases so should your disability benefit and the amount you qualify for is based on your income at the time you apply for a new policy or an increase in coverage. The more income you earn, the more disability you should have. As a physician, the maximum combined individual own specialty benefit you can own is $30,000 per month.
How Much Will Disability Insurance Cost Me?
What Carriers Should I Consider?
You should Consider carriers that offer a True Own Specialty Definition of Total Disability. Only Six carriers remain that offer this benefit: Ameritas - Guardian - MassMutual - Ohio National - Principal - The Standard.
Despite what you read or what a captive agent may tell you, carriers like Northwestern Mutual or plans sponsored through your employer or professional medical association like the AMA - ACP - ACOG, etc. do not offer a True Own Specialty Definition for Total Disability because their definition restricts your ability to collect your full benefit if you are working or earning another income in another occupation.
Are There Any Exclusions?
What Carriers Should I Consider?
When Can I Cancel My Disability Policy?
You can cancel your disability policy at any time. It’s recommended that you keep your disability policy until you retire or until you have reached a point of 100% financial independence and your income is no longer needed to sustain your standard of living.
Who Should I Buy A Policy From?
You will want to buy your policy from an independent agent. Shopping the rates and discounts from all 6 carriers is the best way to ensure you are getting the most value from the money you are spending.
The majority of agents will quote between 1 and 3 carriers and try to convince you that 1 of those carriers is best for you. However, the best is different for everyone and every carrier offers virtually identical Own Specialty Plans. So long as you are comparing quotes with the same riders and definitions then the carrier that’s offering you the best price wins.
Here at Insurance MD, we provide you with side by side quotes from all 6 carriers so you can rest assured that you are getting the best policy at the best price. We also shop to make certain you are receiving all the discounts you may be eligible to receive based on your Hospital Affiliation or Professional Association Affiliations.
How Much Does Own Specialty
Disability Insurance Really Cost?
GROUP DISABILITY INSURANCE
IS NOT OWN SPECIALTY!
Never Cancel your Individual Coverage because your employer is offering Group Long Term Disability.