Why you should consider disability insurance while in training:
Individual disability insurance is important, and relying solely on your employer-provided coverage is not recommended. Group disability benefits are often taxable, subject to change, and oftentimes do not fully protect your income, especially for high-wage earners such as physicians. Individual coverage is a supplement to stack on top of any group benefits.
Disability insurance is also beneficial when purchased while in residency or fellowship. Carriers offer significant training discounts that are applied for the life of the policy and many GME training programs have special access to guaranteed-issue programs. Guaranteed-issue programs do not require any medical screening, so it is a quick and easy process with simple eligibility requirements.
COMMON CONDITIONS THAT RESULT IN EXCLUSIONS, RATINGS, OR DECLINES
- Stress, Anxiety, or Depression
- Build / BMI
- Chiropractic History
- Pregnancy
- Recent Needle Stick
- Diabetes
- Cancer History
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS TO GUARANTEED ISSUE DISABILITY INSURANCE
- In addition to pre-existing medical conditions, Special GSI policies can be issued without consideration of potentially dangerous avocational activities such as rock climbing, motor sports, scuba diving, skydiving, and martial arts.
- Height and Weight (build) are not taken into consideration.
- Optional Catastrophic Disability Benefits (CAT) and Student Loan Riders (SLR) are available.
- This unique benefit is available to individuals who have not been declined or given a modified offer of individual disability insurance through a carrier other than Guardian more than nine months after their hire date or in the past five years, whichever is shorter.
WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER APPLYING WITH GUARDIAN FIRST
Should you apply with another company before Guardian, it could prevent you from being eligible for Guardian's Guaranteed Standard Issue (GSI) offer. Obtaining personal disability insurance without a pre-existing condition exclusion or rating is difficult without a GSI offer. Should you apply with another company first, and that application results in an exclusion rider, extra rating, or decline, you would not be eligible for the Guardian GSI offer. Applying with another company when you know a GSI offer exists is gambling with your financial future. It is never a good idea.
OTHER HOSPITALS WITH GUARDIAN GSI DISABILITY INSURANCE OFFERS
Guardian is one of the premier disability insurance companies for physicians nationwide. There are Guardian GSI disability insurance offers for Residents and Fellows at Duke Health and 120+ other premier hospitals nationwide.
CONTACT INFORMATION
I am an independent insurance broker who manages the Guardian GSI Disability program at Duke. With over 30 years of experience in academic medicine and over 18 years working with the Duke House staff, I understand the unique challenges you face as a trainee and take pride in helping clients secure their financial future. I am even a Duke grad myself (Trinity '83 and Fuqua '92). Please feel free to email, call, or text me anytime.
