As you near the conclusion of your medical residency, you can rightly be proud of your accomplishments, and have reason to look forward to a successful career. But the world has changed, and the face of medicine looks strikingly different than when you began this journey. No one can say with certainty what the future holds. Because the unexpected does happen, proper insurance coverage is vital for helping you successfully meet the unknown.

What type of insurance should you carry as a resident or fellow? For those who aren’t sure where to start, we have created a package of the most essential insurance products for physicians who are starting out in their careers.

The Essentials Package: Protect Your Income, Your Family, and Yourself

Still in Residency?

Protect Your Income with Disability Insurance – Early in your career as a physician, you have clear financial goals. If a serious illness or injury prevents you from working, your benefit can help replace your lost income so you can continue to pay for your monthly living expenses and your student loan payments. Sixty percent of your salary should be insured since this amount will roughly replace your salary net of taxes and career-related expenses.

Protect Your Family with Life Insurance – Why does term life insurance make sense for new physicians? It is an economical choice because it has no added features or savings components which increase the cost of your premium. Young physicians who are married and/or have children should especially have life insurance because:

• Your beneficiary will have immediate protection from the time your policy is issued.
• Based on the term you select, your coverage can last for the time it takes to raise a family, pay off education loans, and establish a solid financial footing.
• You can get a sizable death benefit for a reasonable cost.

When you are young and healthy, premiums are at their lowest, so the time to act is now.

Leaving Residency in the Near Future?

Protect Yourself with Health Insurance – As an employee at a hospital or medical center, you likely have health insurance through your employer. When you do leave residency, you may lose access to that coverage. If you will be staying in Texas but not moving immediately into a position with benefits, TMA Insurance Trust can help you secure a health insurance policy of your own.

Why Secure Coverage Now

As a resident, you likely already have health, life and disability insurance as paid benefits from your current employer – so why look into coverage now? Your insurance coverage will end along with your current employment. At the beginning of your career, you likely cannot guarantee that you will always continue to work in an employee setting, or if you’ll choose to be self-employed as a practice owner or partner. Carrying your own insurance policy will provide protection, no matter how your circumstances change.

Consider some circumstances that may unexpectedly leave you with inadequate coverage:

• If there is a gap of time after your residency and before your next position begins, you may be without health, life, and disability insurance.
• The amount of your employer-provided disability benefits may not be enough to provide the proper coverage for your family.
• If your employer pays for your disability coverage, your benefits may be taxed as income, which may leave your family with less income than you planned during a very critical time.

As you navigate the road of life, there will be bumps in the road - but these don’t need to drive you off course. Though you now face more uncertainties than ever in your career, you can be financially prepared for the unexpected by securing essential protection.

TMA Insurance Trust wants to protect your future - and the future of every physician in our beloved state of Texas. With decades of experience, our trusted advisors can help you make the right choices so your financial future stays bright. Contact us today.

For over 60 years, TMA Insurance Trust advisors have been serving Texas physicians, their families and staff. TMA Insurance Trust prides itself on offering unbiased information and strategies to members, along with exclusive group rates on a range of the highest-rated plans in the industry.