Wendell England is the Director of Member Benefits for TMA Insurance Trust. He is responsible for reaching out to Texas physicians and medical students about the excellent services TMA Insurance Trust offers, both person-to-person and at larger events. Recently, we asked him a few questions about TMA Insurance Trust, and were happy to hear his unique perspective.
As a physician, you know how important preventive care and early detection is for your patients’ physical health. You likely use these terms so often that they begin to feel clichéd. Still, the truth remains: Health problems are best prevented, and if they can’t be prevented, they should be caught early.
It’s no secret that oral health has a sizable impact on your well being. If you’ve ever experienced a toothache while attending a conference far from home, or needed a crown repair just when you thought your teeth were in tip top shape, you know that dental care is of primary importance.
We value the life-saving work you do and understand that practicing medicine isn’t just a job. It’s a way of life - one that impacts you and everyone in your life. That’s why TMA Insurance Trust is continually looking for new ways to support member physicians and their families.
Life insurance may be the last thing on your mind, if you’re a medical student, resident or young physician just starting out. Since you have few, if any dependents, you may think it’s a waste of money. Yet young physicians like you, in Texas and around the country, are starting careers with more financial risks than any previous generation of physicians.
As a physician, protecting your family with the right amount of life insurance isn’t a simple point and click operation. Inputting an income amount into a calculator will give you the estimated coverage for that income level. But It won’t account for any debt, savings or other risks. And it doesn’t look at your unique lifestyle, your goals or your future income.
As a physician, your income puts you in the top 5% of all Americans. Your earning potential makes you a target for every financial advisor and insurance agent in the business. However, not all advisors have your best interests at heart. Insurance advisors do not take a Hippocratic oath and even many well-intentioned agents do not understand the unique needs of physicians. As a result, some physicians end up without enough coverage in the areas they really need and too much of the types they don’t need. How can you be sure if an agent is recommending what is really best for you?
Physicians are feeling pressure due to rising student loans burdens, lower compensation expectations and shrinking health care reimbursements. These factors can distract from their primary motivations for pursuing a career in medicine – helping others, contributing to advancements in the medical field, and promoting health in their communities.
