Disability Insurance for Dentists

As a dentist, you've made a significant investment in time and money to attain what you've accomplished. Your expertise and your ability to physically and mentally utilize your knowledge is how you make your income. More importantly, your family's continuing financial well-being is tied to being able to practice your expertise and skills of dentistry. You realize the vital need to protect your income with dentist disability insurance.

Occupational Specific Benefits

Insurance companies have different rates and policy features for different occupational classes. As a dentist, one of the most important policy features to have in your disability contract is an own-occupation definition of disability. This means that if you are unable to work in your specialty due to an injury or illness, the policy will pay you a benefit, even if you choose to work in another occupation. Suppose you get injured and can no longer practice as an orthodontist, you will be compensated even if you can earn an income in another gainful occupation. In contrast, other plans require you to be totally disabled and unable to perform any type of work in any occupation, in order to file a claim.

Financial Strength of the Insurer

The policy you are looking to buy should be from a financially strong insurance company. If your insurer lacks the fund to compensate you, should you become incapacitated, it would not make sense to have coverage with the company.

Business Overhead Expense Disability Policy

If you run your own practice, you may want to consider disability overhead expense. If you were to become disabled, this policy can provide funds to help cover ongoing expenses, such as rent and employee’s salaries, to keep the practice open during the period of your disability. An overhead expense policy is designed to give you coverage of expenses while you are on a disability claim and allow you to come back to an existing practice when you have recovered and physically able to.