Best Disability Insurance for Physicians (2026)

Our picks for surgeons, residents, mental health coverage and more, from the policy terms Ameritas, Guardian, MassMutual, Principal and The Standard publish themselves. No carrier publishes premiums, so this review doesn’t invent them.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFJoshua Dunigan, DO

Sources cited

Updated October 17, 2026

MedMoneyGuide is committed to editorial integrity.

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Key takeaways

•Our picks: Guardian for surgeons and residents, Ameritas for mental health coverage, The Standard for finishing residents with a contract, and MassMutual for employer groups. Each pick rests on the carrier’s own published terms.
•Guardian and Ameritas publish own-occupation definitions that keep paying while you work elsewhere. MassMutual and The Standard require an extra Own Occupation Rider for that.
•Guardian, Ameritas, and MassMutual publish a 15% residual trigger; The Standard’s is 20%.
•Ameritas is the only one that publishes a choice to cover mental health claims for the full benefit period. MassMutual and The Standard default to 24 months.
•Residents: Guardian publishes up to $8,000 a month with no medical underwriting; Ameritas and The Standard publish 15% resident discounts.
•No carrier publishes premiums, and Ohio National no longer sells new policies.

Disability insurance is the one policy most physicians buy before they understand it, usually in residency and usually from whoever visits the program. What separates a good policy from a bad one is contract language: how the policy defines disability, what it pays if you can work part-time, and what it excludes. Those terms are published, at least in part, by the carriers themselves. Prices are not.

So that is what this review compares. On September 23, 2026 we read each carrier’s own product pages, brochures, and guides, and recorded only what they state. Where a carrier leaves something out, we say so. Our picks below come from those terms, not from star ratings or commissions, and we don’t list premiums because none of these carriers publishes them.

Our picks

The best policy is the one with the strongest contract for your specialty that you can get at a price you can keep paying. On published terms alone, these are the carriers to quote first for each situation. Get at least three quotes either way.

Best for surgeons and proceduralists

Its Enhanced True Own-Occupation definition, for MDs and DOs only, asks whether more than half your income came from surgery or hands-on patient care. Full benefits continue if you work elsewhere, and its partial disability rider pays from a 15% income loss.

Watch for: Guardian doesn’t publish its mental and nervous limit or how much its Future Increase Option adds.

Guardian’s terms Full Guardian review

Best for residents

The highest published guaranteed standard issue offer for residents: up to $8,000 a month with no medical questions or exams, plus a residency discount that carries into coverage after training.

Watch for: The discount percentage isn’t published. Compare it with Ameritas’s and The Standard’s published 15%.

Guardian’s terms Full Guardian review

Best for mental health coverage

The only carrier here that publishes a choice to cover mental and nervous claims for the full benefit period. It also lets you pick from three definitions of disability and offers a 15% residual trigger with a recovery benefit.

Watch for: AM Best A (Excellent), a notch below Guardian’s and MassMutual’s A++.

Ameritas’s terms Full Ameritas review

Best for finishing residents with a contract

The Standard

Within six months of finishing training: up to $7,500 a month with no medical exam or income documents, and later increases up to $30,000 with an employment contract. Its Benefit Increase Rider is included at no cost.

Watch for: Add the Own Occupation Rider and the Noncancelable Policy Rider; the base policy has neither, and its residual trigger is 20%.

The Standard’s terms

Best for groups and unisex rates

Publishes multi-life discounts of 10% to 25%, plus association and spousal discounts, and unisex rates for employer-endorsed groups, which matters most for women physicians.

Watch for: Needs the Own Occupation Rider to pay while you work elsewhere. Not sold in California.

MassMutual’s terms Full MassMutual review

Principal isn’t a pick because it publishes the least contract detail of the five, not because its policy is weak. It may price well for your specialty; ask for the specimen policy and rider pages before you compare it on terms. Ohio National no longer sells new disability policies.

Five carriers, side by side

Tick up to 3 carriers to compare them side by side.

AM Best A (Excellent)Own occ for the full benefit period availableCompare

AM Best A++ (Superior)Built for MD/DO: source-of-earnings test, then specialty dutiesCompare

AM Best A++ (Superior)Rider needed to work elsewhereCompare

AM Best A+ (Superior)Two own-occ options; wording not publishedCompare

The StandardAM Best A (Excellent)Rider needed to work elsewhereCompare

Carrier	Own occupation	Residual trigger	Mental health limit	AM Best
Ameritas	Own occ for the full benefit period available	15% income loss (Enhanced Plus rider)	Choice: 2 years or full benefit period	A (Excellent)
Guardian	Built for MD/DO: source-of-earnings test, then specialty duties	15% income loss (rider)	Not published	A++ (Superior)
MassMutual	Rider needed to work elsewhere	15% income loss (rider)	24 months; removable for a fee	A++ (Superior)
Principal	Two own-occ options; wording not published	Enhanced; trigger not published	Rider with discount; terms not published	A+ (Superior)
The Standard	Rider needed to work elsewhere	20% income loss (rider)	24 months; mandatory for some classes	A (Excellent)

Ameritas

Own occupation: Own occ for the full benefit period available
Residual trigger: 15% income loss (Enhanced Plus rider)
Mental health limit: Choice: 2 years or full benefit period
AM Best: A (Excellent)

Guardian

Own occupation: Built for MD/DO: source-of-earnings test, then specialty duties
Residual trigger: 15% income loss (rider)
Mental health limit: Not published
AM Best: A++ (Superior)

MassMutual

Own occupation: Rider needed to work elsewhere
Residual trigger: 15% income loss (rider)
Mental health limit: 24 months; removable for a fee
AM Best: A++ (Superior)

Principal

Own occupation: Two own-occ options; wording not published
Residual trigger: Enhanced; trigger not published
Mental health limit: Rider with discount; terms not published
AM Best: A+ (Superior)

The Standard

Own occupation: Rider needed to work elsewhere
Residual trigger: 20% income loss (rider)
Mental health limit: 24 months; mandatory for some classes
AM Best: A (Excellent)

Each carrier’s own website and carrier-hosted documents, read September 23, 2026. Ratings from AM Best’s releases or the carrier’s ratings page, dated below. “Not published” means the carrier’s public material is silent, not that the term is unfavorable.

What the terms mean

•Own occupation. You are disabled if you can’t do your own occupation, ideally your specialty. The question that matters is whether the policy still pays if you go to work in another role. A policy that stops paying when you take another job is weaker. Our own-occupation guide explains the four definitions and how to spot each one.
•Residual disability. Pays a partial benefit when you can still work but earn less. A 15% income-loss trigger starts paying sooner than a 20% one. A recovery benefit keeps paying after you return to work if your income hasn’t recovered. See residual disability benefits.
•Future increase options. Let you buy more coverage later without new medical underwriting. They matter most for residents, whose policies start small.
•Mental and nervous limits. Many policies stop paying mental health claims after 24 months. Removing that limit costs extra where it’s allowed.
•Non-cancelable vs. guaranteed renewable. Non-cancelable locks the premium; guaranteed renewable only guarantees you can keep the policy, and premiums can rise for a whole class of policyholders.

Carrier by carrier

DInamic Cornerstone Income Protection (all states except California); DInamic Foundation in California. Issued by Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. (Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York in New York).

Term	What Ameritas publishes
Total disability	Three definitions to choose from: own occupation for the whole benefit period; own occupation and not working; or two years of own occupation, then any reasonable occupation. Includes specialty language for physicians, subject to age and occupation.
Pays if you work elsewhere	Yes, under the full own-occupation definition.
Residual	Three riders. Enhanced Plus: a 15% income-loss trigger, the full benefit once the loss reaches 75%, and a recovery benefit. Enhanced: a 20% trigger and a three-month recovery benefit. Basic: no recovery benefit.
Future increases	Benefit Increase Rider: financial evidence only, no medical requirements, until age 55. Residents and new attendings get up to two accelerated increases in the first three policy years.
Cost of living	2% to 6% compound (indexed) or 3% compound.
Mental and nervous	Your choice: a two-year limit (which earns a 10% or 5% discount) or coverage for the full benefit period, on non-cancelable policies in eligible occupation classes.
Renewability	Non-cancelable and guaranteed-renewable versions; benefit periods to 65 or 67.
Discounts	10% multi-life, 15% medical and dental intern or resident, 10% association, 6% e-application, and 10% or 5% for choosing the two-year mental and nervous limit.
Residents	Guaranteed standard issue: up to $7,500 a month during training, $8,500 within six months of finishing, and $15,000 with an employment contract.
Financial strength	AM Best A (Excellent), per Ameritas’s financial strength page, linking an AM Best analysis dated June 25, 2026. Subsidiary of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company.

Total disability

What Ameritas publishes: Three definitions to choose from: own occupation for the whole benefit period; own occupation and not working; or two years of own occupation, then any reasonable occupation. Includes specialty language for physicians, subject to age and occupation.

Pays if you work elsewhere

What Ameritas publishes: Yes, under the full own-occupation definition.

Residual

What Ameritas publishes: Three riders. Enhanced Plus: a 15% income-loss trigger, the full benefit once the loss reaches 75%, and a recovery benefit. Enhanced: a 20% trigger and a three-month recovery benefit. Basic: no recovery benefit.

Future increases

What Ameritas publishes: Benefit Increase Rider: financial evidence only, no medical requirements, until age 55. Residents and new attendings get up to two accelerated increases in the first three policy years.

Cost of living

What Ameritas publishes: 2% to 6% compound (indexed) or 3% compound.

Mental and nervous

What Ameritas publishes: Your choice: a two-year limit (which earns a 10% or 5% discount) or coverage for the full benefit period, on non-cancelable policies in eligible occupation classes.

Renewability

What Ameritas publishes: Non-cancelable and guaranteed-renewable versions; benefit periods to 65 or 67.

Discounts

What Ameritas publishes: 10% multi-life, 15% medical and dental intern or resident, 10% association, 6% e-application, and 10% or 5% for choosing the two-year mental and nervous limit.

Residents

What Ameritas publishes: Guaranteed standard issue: up to $7,500 a month during training, $8,500 within six months of finishing, and $15,000 with an employment contract.

Financial strength

What Ameritas publishes: AM Best A (Excellent), per Ameritas’s financial strength page, linking an AM Best analysis dated June 25, 2026. Subsidiary of Ameritas Mutual Holding Company.

•State notes: California gets DInamic Foundation instead of Cornerstone. New York policies are issued by a separate company on separate forms.
•Not published: Issue and participation limits for fully underwritten Cornerstone policies and the age premiums are guaranteed to; both are in an agent guide that isn’t public.

Sources: Ameritas: DInamic Cornerstone; Ameritas: Cornerstone marketing guide (DI 1978); Ameritas: residual disability rider flyer (DI 1988); Ameritas: Benefit Increase Rider flyer (DI 1982); Ameritas: medical residents. Our full Ameritas review.

Guardian individual disability income insurance (policy form 18PG). Issued by Berkshire Life Insurance Company of America, a wholly owned stock subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America.

Term	What Guardian publishes
Total disability	Enhanced True Own-Occupation, for MDs and DOs only. You are totally disabled if more than 50% of your income came from hands-on patient care or from surgical procedures and you can no longer do that work. If you don’t qualify that way, Guardian looks at the key duties of your medical specialty.
Pays if you work elsewhere	Yes. Full benefits whether or not you work elsewhere, including in your own practice.
Residual	Enhanced Partial Disability rider: pays on a loss of income of 15% or more. For the first 12 months it pays your actual loss of income, up to 100% of the benefit. After recovery it keeps paying while your income loss is at least 15%. A basic partial rider is also offered.
Future increases	Future Increase Option: increase coverage every year through age 55 without medical underwriting. Guardian doesn’t publish the maximum increase.
Cost of living	A COLA rider indexed to CPI or a fixed percentage; rates not published. The Enhanced Catastrophic rider includes a 3% compound COLA.
Mental and nervous	Not published
Renewability	Non-cancelable and guaranteed renewable; the age is not published. Benefit periods to 65, 67, or 70.
Discounts	A residency discount that carries into coverage after training; percentage not published.
Residents	Special guaranteed standard issue offer: up to $8,000 a month with no medical questions or exams.
Financial strength	AM Best A++ (Superior), affirmed September 12, 2025, including Berkshire Life. Mutual company (Guardian); the issuing subsidiary is a stock company.

Total disability

What Guardian publishes: Enhanced True Own-Occupation, for MDs and DOs only. You are totally disabled if more than 50% of your income came from hands-on patient care or from surgical procedures and you can no longer do that work. If you don’t qualify that way, Guardian looks at the key duties of your medical specialty.

Pays if you work elsewhere

What Guardian publishes: Yes. Full benefits whether or not you work elsewhere, including in your own practice.

Residual

What Guardian publishes: Enhanced Partial Disability rider: pays on a loss of income of 15% or more. For the first 12 months it pays your actual loss of income, up to 100% of the benefit. After recovery it keeps paying while your income loss is at least 15%. A basic partial rider is also offered.

Future increases

What Guardian publishes: Future Increase Option: increase coverage every year through age 55 without medical underwriting. Guardian doesn’t publish the maximum increase.

Cost of living

What Guardian publishes: A COLA rider indexed to CPI or a fixed percentage; rates not published. The Enhanced Catastrophic rider includes a 3% compound COLA.

Mental and nervous

What Guardian publishes: Not published

Renewability

What Guardian publishes: Non-cancelable and guaranteed renewable; the age is not published. Benefit periods to 65, 67, or 70.

Discounts

What Guardian publishes: A residency discount that carries into coverage after training; percentage not published.

Residents

What Guardian publishes: Special guaranteed standard issue offer: up to $8,000 a month with no medical questions or exams.

Financial strength

What Guardian publishes: AM Best A++ (Superior), affirmed September 12, 2025, including Berkshire Life. Mutual company (Guardian); the issuing subsidiary is a stock company.

•State notes: Guardian notes that provisions and availability vary by state.
•Not published: The mental and nervous limitation, how much the Future Increase Option adds, COLA rates, discount percentages, and issue limits for fully underwritten policies.

Sources: Guardian: disability insurance for physicians; Guardian: disability insurance riders; Guardian: coverage for medical residents; Guardian: protection for physician practice owners (form 18PG). Our full Guardian review.

Radius Choice (not sold in California). Issued by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company.

Term	What MassMutual publishes
Total disability	The base policy pays when you can’t perform the main duties of your occupation and are not working in any other occupation. The optional Own Occupation Rider pays when you can’t do your usual occupation and choose to work in another one.
Pays if you work elsewhere	Only with the Own Occupation Rider, which costs extra.
Residual	Extended Partial Disability Benefits rider: a minimum 15% loss of income. During the first 6 months you can also qualify with a 15% loss of time or by being unable to do some of your main duties.
Future increases	Benefit Increase Rider (no charge): buy more coverage every three years as income grows, on financial evidence only. Also a Future Insurability Option rider and a 3% Automatic Benefit Increase rider.
Cost of living	3% compound, no cap, starting after 12 months of disability.
Mental and nervous	24-month limit for mental disorders unless you add the Maximum Benefit Period Endorsement, which costs extra, isn’t available to every occupation, and can’t be removed later.
Renewability	Non-cancelable to 65, then conditionally renewable from 65 to 75. Issue ages 18 to 64 (18 to 60 in Florida).
Discounts	Multi-life 10% to 25% depending on employer involvement and state; 10% association (3+ lives); 10% spousal. Individual policies use sex-distinct rates; employer-endorsed groups can get unisex rates.
Residents	Not published
Financial strength	AM Best A++ (Superior), most recent affirmation we could locate: October 23, 2025. Mutual company.

Total disability

What MassMutual publishes: The base policy pays when you can’t perform the main duties of your occupation and are not working in any other occupation. The optional Own Occupation Rider pays when you can’t do your usual occupation and choose to work in another one.

Pays if you work elsewhere

What MassMutual publishes: Only with the Own Occupation Rider, which costs extra.

Residual

What MassMutual publishes: Extended Partial Disability Benefits rider: a minimum 15% loss of income. During the first 6 months you can also qualify with a 15% loss of time or by being unable to do some of your main duties.

Future increases

What MassMutual publishes: Benefit Increase Rider (no charge): buy more coverage every three years as income grows, on financial evidence only. Also a Future Insurability Option rider and a 3% Automatic Benefit Increase rider.

Cost of living

What MassMutual publishes: 3% compound, no cap, starting after 12 months of disability.

Mental and nervous

What MassMutual publishes: 24-month limit for mental disorders unless you add the Maximum Benefit Period Endorsement, which costs extra, isn’t available to every occupation, and can’t be removed later.

Renewability

What MassMutual publishes: Non-cancelable to 65, then conditionally renewable from 65 to 75. Issue ages 18 to 64 (18 to 60 in Florida).

Discounts

What MassMutual publishes: Multi-life 10% to 25% depending on employer involvement and state; 10% association (3+ lives); 10% spousal. Individual policies use sex-distinct rates; employer-endorsed groups can get unisex rates.

Residents

What MassMutual publishes: Not published

Financial strength

What MassMutual publishes: AM Best A++ (Superior), most recent affirmation we could locate: October 23, 2025. Mutual company.

•State notes: Radius Choice is not sold in California. Unisex rates on all policies in Montana. Definitions vary by state.
•Not published: Specialty language, the Future Insurability Option amounts, and issue limits (they are in MassMutual’s reference manual, which isn’t public).

Sources: MassMutual: Radius Choice Product at a Glance (DI2209RC125, for financial professionals). Our full MassMutual review.

Income Protector (all states except California and New York); DI Series 700 in California and New York. Issued by Principal Life Insurance Company.

Term	What Principal publishes
Total disability	Two options: “own occupation” and “true own occupation,” with a specialty own-occupation definition. Principal’s page names the options but doesn’t publish the wording.
Pays if you work elsewhere	Under the true own-occupation option, per its name; the wording isn’t public.
Residual	An “enhanced residual disability definition”; the trigger isn’t published.
Future increases	Two future increase riders, annual and event-driven; amounts and ages not published.
Cost of living	Not published
Mental and nervous	A Mental/Nervous Substance Abuse rider earns up to a 10% discount on Series 700; the limit it imposes isn’t published.
Renewability	Benefit periods of 2 years, 5 years, or to 65, 67, or 70 (Series 700). Renewability terms not published.
Discounts	Series 700: 10% affiliation, 10% select occupation, 20% multi-life, 10% association; not all stack.
Residents	Not published
Financial strength	AM Best A+ (Superior), affirmed April 28, 2026. Stock company, publicly traded since 2001.

Total disability

What Principal publishes: Two options: “own occupation” and “true own occupation,” with a specialty own-occupation definition. Principal’s page names the options but doesn’t publish the wording.

Pays if you work elsewhere

What Principal publishes: Under the true own-occupation option, per its name; the wording isn’t public.

Residual

What Principal publishes: An “enhanced residual disability definition”; the trigger isn’t published.

Future increases

What Principal publishes: Two future increase riders, annual and event-driven; amounts and ages not published.

Cost of living

What Principal publishes: Not published

Mental and nervous

What Principal publishes: A Mental/Nervous Substance Abuse rider earns up to a 10% discount on Series 700; the limit it imposes isn’t published.

Renewability

What Principal publishes: Benefit periods of 2 years, 5 years, or to 65, 67, or 70 (Series 700). Renewability terms not published.

Discounts

What Principal publishes: Series 700: 10% affiliation, 10% select occupation, 20% multi-life, 10% association; not all stack.

Residents

What Principal publishes: Not published

Financial strength

What Principal publishes: AM Best A+ (Superior), affirmed April 28, 2026. Stock company, publicly traded since 2001.

•State notes: Series 700 issue limit is up to $35,000 a month, $20,000 in California.
•Not published: Nearly all contract terms: the definitions’ wording, the residual trigger, increase amounts, COLA, mental and nervous limits, and renewability. Principal publishes feature headlines only.

Sources: Principal: Income Protector; Principal: DI Series 700 and California. Our full Principal review.

The Standard

Platinum Advantage. Issued by Standard Insurance Company (The Standard Life Insurance Company of New York in New York).

Term	What The Standard publishes
Total disability	The base policy covers your regular occupation, including your specialty, only while you are not working in another job. The optional Own Occupation Rider removes that condition. In Florida, the base policy gives own-occupation coverage for the first 12 months.
Pays if you work elsewhere	Only with the Own Occupation Rider.
Residual	Residual riders trigger at a 20% income loss. The Enhanced version pays a recovery benefit when you return to work with at least a 20% earnings loss. Required in California.
Future increases	Benefit Increase Rider, included at no cost: apply every three years with no medical information, until age 55 (issue age 50 or younger). Automatic Increase Benefit: 4% a year for six years.
Cost of living	3% or 6% compound, tied to CPI-U.
Mental and nervous	24-month lifetime limit, except while hospital-confined. Mandatory for some occupation classes; optional for others.
Renewability	The base policy is guaranteed renewable only. Non-cancelable to 65 (or 67) requires the Noncancelable Policy Rider.
Discounts	15% for residents and fellows at most accredited programs, 10% multi-life, 5% for applying electronically, and a preferred-occupation discount of up to 20% for some classes.
Residents	Within six months of finishing training: up to $7,500 a month with no medical exam or income documents. Later increases up to $30,000 with an employment contract and no medical exams.
Financial strength	AM Best A (Excellent), affirmed November 2025. Stock company; part of the Meiji Yasuda group.

Total disability

What The Standard publishes: The base policy covers your regular occupation, including your specialty, only while you are not working in another job. The optional Own Occupation Rider removes that condition. In Florida, the base policy gives own-occupation coverage for the first 12 months.

Pays if you work elsewhere

What The Standard publishes: Only with the Own Occupation Rider.

Residual

What The Standard publishes: Residual riders trigger at a 20% income loss. The Enhanced version pays a recovery benefit when you return to work with at least a 20% earnings loss. Required in California.

Future increases

What The Standard publishes: Benefit Increase Rider, included at no cost: apply every three years with no medical information, until age 55 (issue age 50 or younger). Automatic Increase Benefit: 4% a year for six years.

Cost of living

What The Standard publishes: 3% or 6% compound, tied to CPI-U.

Mental and nervous

What The Standard publishes: 24-month lifetime limit, except while hospital-confined. Mandatory for some occupation classes; optional for others.

Renewability

What The Standard publishes: The base policy is guaranteed renewable only. Non-cancelable to 65 (or 67) requires the Noncancelable Policy Rider.

Discounts

What The Standard publishes: 15% for residents and fellows at most accredited programs, 10% multi-life, 5% for applying electronically, and a preferred-occupation discount of up to 20% for some classes.

Residents

What The Standard publishes: Within six months of finishing training: up to $7,500 a month with no medical exam or income documents. Later increases up to $30,000 with an employment contract and no medical exams.

Financial strength

What The Standard publishes: AM Best A (Excellent), affirmed November 2025. Stock company; part of the Meiji Yasuda group.

•State notes: In New York the Student Loan Rider is unavailable. Florida adds 12 months of own-occupation coverage to the base policy.
•Not published: Issue and participation limits for fully underwritten policies (they are in a product guide too large to publish on a web page).

Sources: The Standard: Platinum Advantage; The Standard: Platinum Advantage consumer brochure (22555); The Standard: physician brochure for financial professionals (22798); The Standard: product comparison for financial professionals (23498).

Ohio National. Ohio National, now AuguStar, no longer lists disability insurance among the products it sells; its site offers only claims and payment service for existing disability policies. If you own an Ohio National policy, it remains in force; see our Ohio National page.

When to buy

The best time is usually during residency or within six months of finishing, because that’s when carriers publish guaranteed standard issue offers: coverage with no medical questions or exams. Once you’re outside those windows, you go through full medical underwriting, and anything in your health history can mean an exclusion or a higher price.

Carrier	Guaranteed standard issue offer
Ameritas	Guaranteed standard issue: up to $7,500 a month during training, $8,500 within six months of finishing, and $15,000 with an employment contract.
Guardian	Special guaranteed standard issue offer: up to $8,000 a month with no medical questions or exams.
The Standard	Within six months of finishing training: up to $7,500 a month with no medical exam or income documents. Later increases up to $30,000 with an employment contract and no medical exams.

Ameritas

Guaranteed standard issue offer: Guaranteed standard issue: up to $7,500 a month during training, $8,500 within six months of finishing, and $15,000 with an employment contract.

Guardian

Guaranteed standard issue offer: Special guaranteed standard issue offer: up to $8,000 a month with no medical questions or exams.

The Standard

Guaranteed standard issue offer: Within six months of finishing training: up to $7,500 a month with no medical exam or income documents. Later increases up to $30,000 with an employment contract and no medical exams.

From each carrier’s published resident and new-physician offers, read September 23, 2026. Principal and MassMutual don’t publish a resident offer.

Buy a smaller policy with strong future increase options in training, then raise it as your income grows. If you’re a psychiatrist, or worried about a mental health claim, decide on the mental and nervous terms before you buy; they’re hard to change later.

What about price?

None of these carriers posts consumer premiums for fully underwritten policies. Your price depends on age, sex, state, specialty class, health, benefit amount, and riders, and each carrier sells through licensed agents who run the quote. That is why this page has no price column. A rule of thumb from someone’s blog is not a number you can plan on.

One carrier-published data point is worth knowing. The Standard’s resident rate examples, in a brochure for financial professionals, show female rates about 57% higher than male rates for the same policy and occupation class. Riders are the other big lever: an own-occupation rider, a residual rider, COLA, and removing the mental health limit each add cost. Ask for quotes with and without each rider so you can see what each one costs.

How to buy

Use an independent broker appointed with several of these carriers, so you see quotes side by side instead of one company’s policy. Ask for the specimen policy and each rider, not just a summary. Before you sign, check these:

1.“Show me the definition of total disability. Does it name my specialty, and does it pay if I work in another occupation?”
2.“What is the residual trigger, and is there a recovery benefit?”
3.“Is there a mental and nervous limit, and what does it cost to remove?”
4.“Is the policy non-cancelable, or only guaranteed renewable?”
5.“How much can I add later without medical underwriting, and until what age?”
6.“Which discounts am I getting: resident, multi-life, association? Are these unisex rates?”

To size the benefit, use our guide on how much disability insurance physicians need, and if you already have an employer plan, read group vs. individual disability insurance.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best disability insurance for physicians?

There isn’t one best carrier; there is a best contract for your specialty, health, and state. On the terms carriers publish, Guardian and Ameritas publish own-occupation definitions that keep paying while you work elsewhere, and both offer a 15% residual trigger. MassMutual and The Standard need an extra Own Occupation Rider to match that. Principal publishes too little of its contract to rank it on paper. Get quotes from at least three carriers through an independent broker and compare the actual policy language.

Which disability insurance is best for surgeons?

Surgeons should put the definition of total disability first. Guardian’s Enhanced True Own-Occupation definition, available only to MDs and DOs, starts with a source-of-earnings test: if more than half your income came from surgical procedures and you can no longer operate, you are totally disabled, even if you keep working in another role. Ameritas, Principal, and The Standard also offer specialty language; for MassMutual we couldn’t find it in public material.

What is the best disability insurance for residents?

Start with guaranteed standard issue offers, which skip medical underwriting. Guardian publishes up to $8,000 a month for residents. Ameritas publishes up to $7,500 during training and $8,500 within six months of finishing. The Standard publishes up to $7,500 within six months of finishing. Ameritas and The Standard each publish a 15% resident discount; Guardian has a residency discount but doesn’t publish the percentage.

Do disability carriers limit mental health claims?

Most policies limit mental and nervous claims to 24 months unless you pay to remove the limit. MassMutual’s Radius Choice has a 24-month limit that an extra-cost endorsement removes. The Standard’s 24-month limit is mandatory for some occupation classes. Ameritas lets you choose between a two-year limit and coverage for the full benefit period. Guardian and Principal don’t publish their terms.

Why doesn’t this page show premiums?

None of these carriers publishes consumer prices for fully underwritten policies. Premiums depend on your age, sex, state, specialty class, health, and riders, and every carrier prices through licensed agents. Any site listing “typical premiums” by carrier is estimating. The one carrier-published rate example we found, The Standard’s resident sample rates for financial professionals, shows female rates about 57% higher than male rates for the same policy.

Does Ohio National still sell disability insurance?

Not that we can find. Ohio National renamed itself AuguStar, and AuguStar’s product pages list only life insurance and annuities. Its site still handles claims and payments for existing disability policies.

When should physicians buy disability insurance?

Usually in residency or within six months of finishing. That is when carriers publish guaranteed standard issue offers that skip medical underwriting: Guardian up to $8,000 a month for residents, Ameritas up to $7,500 during training and $8,500 within six months of finishing, and The Standard up to $7,500 within six months of finishing. A health problem that shows up later can make coverage harder or more expensive to get, so buying while you are young and healthy, with increase options, is the usual approach.

How much disability insurance does a physician need?

Enough monthly benefit to cover your after-tax spending, savings and debt payments if you couldn’t practice, up to what carriers will issue for your income. Carriers cap individual coverage at a share of earned income, and residents start small and add coverage through future increase options. Our guide on how much disability insurance physicians need walks through the math.

Is group disability insurance through my employer enough?

Usually not on its own. Group plans are owned by the employer, can change or end when you leave, and often define disability more narrowly than an individual own-occupation policy. Many physicians keep the group plan and add an individual policy on top. Our group vs. individual guide covers how the two fit together.

Sources

Carrier pages and documents read September 23, 2026. Documents marked for financial professionals are public on the carrier’s own site. Policy provisions vary by state; the policy and riders you are issued govern.