Disability Insurance for Physicians (continued)

Click for previous page

A quality doctor's disability insurance policy should include the following:

Disability insurance for physicians should have residual (partial disability) definition properly defined
Many physicians are aware that when choosing disability insurance for doctors that an occupation and a specialty definition of disability is important but may not be as aware of the differences of how a claim is paid during recovery and when there is still a residual disability after a doctor returns to their profession on a partial basis.

To simplify this part of a doctor’s disability insurance policy: One should get a disability insurance policy for a doctor that covers loss of income during recovery versus one that defines residual disability as "time and duties." An example of a more beneficial doctor disability insurance policy may be helpful in demonstrating this aspect.

Doctor Smith physicians insurance and has been receiving income payments for total disability and has recovered to the point where she has returned to her practice but is there any cash flow? Likely not for awhile. Even though Dr. Smith is seeing patients and working full time it may be quite awhile, if ever, before her practice builds up again and she has the same income as before disability occurred.

So how do two different disability insurance companies treat this? The physicians insurance through Company A with a time and duties definition of residual disability would say after three months of Dr. Smith being full time at work that Dr. Smith has recovered and benefit payments would end. The physicians insurance through Company B with an income definition of disability would pay pro rata payments to Dr. Smith until she had gotten to 80% of her pre disability income.

Your Protectyourincome.com representative can tell you more about these riders and how the programs differ among companies. Contact us or

Click here to go to the quote page and we’ll get you the right disability insurance for you

If you’re a resident physician or first year in practice click here for special program information