Disability Insurance
For Doctors, By Doctors
Recommended by Otherside Med founders Dr. Hannah Thompson and Chris Herring
Dr. Jimmy Turner
Founder of Money Meets Medicine
I’m Dr. Jimmy Turner – a practicing anesthesiologist and founder of Money Meets Medicine
When I was a 4th-year med student, I was talked into applying for disability insurance, which led to the largest financial mistake of my life… (and I don’t want you to make it, too!)
This framework (and story) is why I teach doctors about personal finance…
After our first kid, I wanted life insurance. Instead, the agent talked me into applying disability insurance (makes them more money it turns out). The problem? Independent disability insurance requires a medical history. My history included an essential tremor and a remote ADHD diagnosis.
So, when my agent pushed my application through, I got denied. No big deal right?
Wrong.
When you get to training most programs have a GSI (guaranteed standard issue) insurance policy. A GSI requires no medical exam, history taking, or bloodwork.
It is GUARANTEED.
The only stipulation, though, is that you cannot have been denied before.… oops. To this day, I cannot get disability insurance and if I lost my income, my family would be in a financial catastrophe.
I don’t want what happened to me to happen to others. Doctors deserve better. That’s why we created Money Meets Medicine – to provide doctors with financial solutions that you can trust.
Dr. Jimmy Turner
Founder of Money Meets Medicine
What Hannah and Chris have to say about MMM Disability Insurance:
“As I started my last year of residency and my second pregnancy, I began researching different types disability insurances. I quickly became overwhelmed with all of the nuances knowing and who to buy a policy from. I reached out to Mike at MMM and was blown away with the depth of information he was able to provide. Because of underlying medical conditions and previous pregnancy complications, I realized I would have never qualified for your standard DI policy. Because of MMM, I was able to secure a GSI policy without underwriting that would protect me and my family. I’m so grateful for MMM because had I applied for a typical policy, I would not have qualified, which would have made it impossible to qualify for a GSI policy. And the best part was that because I secured my policy prior to graduating residency, I was able to take advantage of all of the available discounts as a resident and secure a lower monthly payment before starting my new job as an attending later.”
Dr. Hannah Thompson, DO
OBGYN Physician
Founder Other Side Med
I’ve watched my wife work way too hard through medical school and residency for her future earnings not to be protected. So I knew getting DI was essential. But I was pleasantly surprised how easily it was with MMM DI. It was never a sell. It was all about making informed decisions. The MMM team just cared about us making the best decision for our family. They cared about ensuring coverage without denial. And they cared about us making this decision together. These were all things I cared about because I just want what’s best for my wife. MMM gave us that.
Chris Herring
Founder Other Side Med
Michael Kittner
President and Chief Insurance Officer
Hi, I’m Mike… and I’ve been there.
I remember when my wife Sarah, a practicing academic anesthesiologist, was in training how nerve-wracking it was applying for disability insurance.
Why? Because she had already been denied life insurance for a pre-existing health condition.
I didn’t know who to trust. The process was intimidating. And the price?!?! How was I going to afford that price while we were in training?
Yet, I knew that disability insurance is the #1 financial task for doctors. All that knowledge about investing or paying off student loans doesn’t matter if your most important asset – your hard-earned income – is not protected.
This is why our process at Money Meets Medicine is to provide multiple quotes from the Big 5 Insurance Companies that provide own-occupation disability insurance to physicians.
Including quotes that you can afford while in training.
We have been there. We get it. That’s why we built a process built for doctors, by doctors.
Mike Kittner
President and Lead Insurance Agent
Our Disability Insurance Process
Answer a few questions to get an insurance quote.
Schedule a call to discuss your quotes, and answer any questions.
Pick the best policy for you.
Receive ongoing help whenever you need it.
Money Meets Medicine is proud to be one of the endorsed agents for the
Guaranteed Standard Issue Disability Insurance Policy offered to the residents and fellows at:
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Baylor Medical Center
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Dartmouth Health
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Geisinger
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Lehigh Valley Health Network
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Mass General Brigham
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Mayo Clinic
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New York Presbyterian
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Wake Forest
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University of Arkansas
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University of Chicago (UofC)
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University of North Carolina (UNC)
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University of Rochester
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University of Virginia (UVA)
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University of Wisconsin (UW)
Learn More About Physician Disability Insurance:
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can Money Meets Medicine Help Me Get Disability Insurance?
At MMM, we operate as an independent insurance agent who can provide you insurance quotes from all of the Big 5 own-occupation companies. Right now this includes Ameritas, Guardian, Mass Mutual, Principal, and The Standard.
Whether or not you use us for your insurance needs, you will be best protected with a policy from one of the Big 5 companies.
What makes Money Meets Medicine different?
Well, let’s start here. Otherside Med has chosen to partner exclusively with MMM because Hannah and Chris have been through the process we use at MMM, which was founded by Dr. Jimmy Turner who – to this day – cannot get disability insurance because an insurance agent did not do what was best for him.
Since that day, Jimmy decided that what happened to him should never happen to another doctor. This is why we have a zero-tolerance policy for insurance denials caused by any insurance agent at Money Meets Medicine, and why our denial rate is a fraction of other insurance companies in the physician disability insurance space.
Note: This is also why you must disclose everything about your medical history, no matter how small when working with an MMM agent. We take denials very seriously and do everything we can to prevent them.
How does Money Meets Medicine get paid?
This is a great question. As Jimmy always says, “Always ask how someone gets paid if they are helping you with your finances!”
Like any insurance agent in the United States, our agents at MMM get paid by commission. This means that they will help you select the best policy – even when sometimes we get paid nothing – and if that policy provides a commission, we will get paid for the work we did for you, and for any ongoing support you may need after you obtain your insurance.
Are your policies true own-occupation?
Yes. All policies sold by any agent at Money Meets Medicine are true own-occupation policies, regardless of whether it is a Guaranteed Standard Issue (GSI) policy or a Fully-Underwritten policy.
Jimmy often talks about GSI policies. Do you sell these?
Yes! Guaranteed Standard Issue policies are offered exclusively by a single agent to residents and fellows of specific institutions. Because GSIs do not require medical underwriting, these policies can be godsends for physicians with pre-existing medical conditions.
Unfortunately, we have found that uninformed or financially conflicted agents withhold information about these policies from clients, including those with health conditions.
As an agent that puts physician interests ahead of our own, Money Meets Medicine will always assist all physicians in understanding if a GSI policy is available to them and, if we cannot offer the policy, connect the physician to an agent who can – even if that means we earn zero dollars. It is all about doing what is right for the doctors we serve.