Story at-a-glance Government benefits won't cut it – SSDI is hard to qualify for and only pays a fraction of your physician-level income.Employer plans aren't portable – If you leave your job or your health changes, you may lose access to coverage.Medical insurance doesn’t cover long-term care

Story at-a-glance Pregnancy is the top cause of short-term disability claims, especially among millennial women—accounting for 64% of claims.Short-term disability typically replaces 60% of your salary for 6–8 weeks postpartum; some pregnancy-related complications may qualify for long-term

Story at-a-glance Physicians are high-risk, high-investment professionals, making disability insurance essential to protect income and career ROI."Own Occupation" policies offer the strongest protection, especially for specialists who can’t easily switch to lower-paying roles.Benefit periods

Story at-a-glance 1 in 4 workers will become disabled before retirement age, yet most think the risk is under 2%.Disability is more common than death before 50 and causes more financial devastation—yet most aren’t insured.The average disability lasts 2.6 years, but over half of Americans don’t

Story at-a-glance Riders can dramatically strengthen your disability policy, especially for physicians with evolving income and responsibilities.The Residual Disability Rider ensures you’re covered for partial disability and during your recovery—essential for medical professionals easing back

Story at-a-glance Disability insurance isn’t “set it and forget it.” Your life and income change—your policy should keep up.Riders can expire without notice. If you miss a deadline, you could lose the right to increase coverage without new medical underwriting.Life events = time to review.

Story at-a-glance Disability in med school is more common than we thought. New research shows up to 2.7% of med students are receiving accommodations—9x more than previous estimates.ADHD, learning disabilities, and mental health conditions are the most commonly reported issues—not just

Story at-a-glance Not all disability insurance is created equal. “Own occupation” policies pay if you can’t work in your medical specialty—even if you can still work elsewhere.Your specialty matters. Orthopedic or cardiac surgeons may be unable to perform surgeries but still capable of working