When you chose to become a physician, you accepted tremendous responsibility. In many ways, you allowed yourself to become accountable for others’ lives, while at times putting your own health and safety at risk. Though there is an inherent risk in your profession - particularly now due to the Coronavirus - serious illness or injury could happen to any person in their day-to-day life.
The long hours of study, the grueling night shifts, the heavy burden of student loans. As a female physician it’s obvious that you have paid your dues to get where you are today. And it goes without saying that you have worked just as hard as your male counterparts to achieve your goals.
So if you were told that your rates would be higher for long term disability insurance than those paid by male physicians – for the same level of coverage – you might be somewhat surprised and more than a little disappointed.
As a physician, you see the importance of having disability insurance in place. Whether you are an independent physician and must purchase your own disability insurance, or you are employed and only receive coverage through your employer, you see the value in protecting your income.
Still, some physicians (whether independent or employed) may not have enough disability insurance to adequately protect their finances. If you become sick or injured and are unable to work, will your current disability coverage adequately protect you? Will your family have enough income to sustain the standard of living that you have achieved together?
It takes a lot of planning, dedication, time and money to make a medical practice work efficiently and profitably. But if a disability should strike, you might be unable to work for an extended period of time. Without the right disability insurance, everything you have worked so hard to achieve could be lost.
According to statistics, illness is the cause of 90% of all disabilities with 10% due to injuries.* As a physician in private practice, you’re responsible for purchasing your own disability coverage. If you become disabled, you’ll need enough personal disability income to pay out-of-pocket medical costs and living expenses, while also covering your share of the business overhead expenses.
As Texans, we treasure our independence, and it shows. In Texas, 63% of physicians are independent, either in a solo or small practice of no more than three physicians. But as the saying goes, ‘responsibility is the price of freedom.’ The burden of financial responsibility can be a heavy one for physicians, especially independent or solo practitioners.
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.
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?
