Protecting What Matters Most

Term life insurance is the preferred choice of life insurance coverage for many physicians. It offers a straightforward and uncomplicated approach, providing immediate protection to your loved ones upon approval. Compared to whole life or permanent life insurance, term life plans are less complicated and more economical.

The advantages of term life insurance extend beyond safeguarding your family and leaving them a legacy should something happen to you. Consider some ways term life insurance can help provide more security in other aspects of your life.

The loss of a family member can have both emotional and financial implications. If your family lost you to a sudden tragedy, would they also lose financial stability? Without adequate planning, your surviving family members may face difficulty covering daily expenses, mortgage payments, or education costs.

Term life insurance is a valuable financial tool that can help shield your family from economic distress in the event of your passing. It has many other uses too. For example, life insurance can help you meet other financial needs. Use life insurance to protect those who co-signed your education loans. It can be used as collateral to secure a loan to open a practice. If you’re practicing with partners, it can help protect your business interests. Life insurance can even help defray estate taxes and ensure you leave your family the financial legacy you intend for them.

Women physicians need disability insurance to help protect their income. In fact, they may need it more than their male colleagues. Statistically, women are more prone to become disabled than their male counterparts, thus disability insurance rates are higher.¹ Research shows that over 22.3% of all disabilities for women are related to pregnancy.² Consequently, disability insurance premiums for an individual policy are typically 40-50% higher for women compared to the rates for men.³

It is often strongly recommended by experienced physicians that newly practicing physicians obtain a disability insurance policy as soon as possible. Establishing this coverage early in one's career is essential for safeguarding their income.

As years pass and your salary and income grow, your disability insurance coverage needs to keep pace or you could face risks to your financial stability. The policy you started your career with may not sufficiently protect your current income.

No physician likes to think that a serious illness or tragedy could happen to them at any moment. But if it does, a greater tragedy would be not being prepared. Your livelihood may be affected if you are too sick or injured to practice and your income stops.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Benjamin Franklin’s wise proverb is one you likely reiterate to your patients in some form. As a physician, you understand that taking preventive measures to protect against illness or disease is far better than spending time and resources addressing a medical issue after it has already occurred.

Many physicians employed by a medical center, research facility, or large practice may receive benefits from their employer. That can bring a sense of security, knowing that your basic insurance needs are covered. This is especially true when you believe your income is protected with employer provided disability insurance benefits. However, this article will point out that there may be hidden risks, so your sense of security may not be well founded.

Protecting the ones you love is instinctive. It is so inherent, planning for potential situations that could harm your family is synonymous with common sense. Keeping a first aid kit in your home or car, having fire drills with your kids, learning CPR – nearly everyone protects their family every day in some way.

Life insurance can help protect all the days your family has ahead of them if you are suddenly unable to.