Greetings!

If you would like to block out time to discuss disability insurance, please respond back to this email.

As a resident or fellow physician, you're in one of the most important windows of your career — and one of the most important financial decisions you'll make during this time is securing individual disability insurance.

Before you engage any insurance professional. Before you sign any forms. Before you spend any of your valuable time — there are 2 questions you must ask to avoid a mistake that cannot be undone. A mistake that can severely limit your disability insurance options. A mistake that unfortunately many of your colleagues make. A mistake that happens because of unethical and uneducated insurance professionals.

These 2 simple questions:

• Is there a Guaranteed Standard Issue (GSI) policy available to residents at my hospital?

• Can you offer that GSI policy? If not, can you introduce me to the agent who can?

To avoid a potentially catastrophic mistake, simply ask these 2 questions first. And if there is any hesitation whatsoever from the insurance professional, it's time to find someone who can better serve your needs.

A GSI policy does not require health questions and overlooks pre-existing medical conditions as well as hazardous activities. The overwhelming majority of resident physicians can benefit from a GSI policy — whether due to information in their medical records, an interest in hazardous activities, a desire to keep protected medical records out of an insurer's hands, or simply because the GSI policy being offered is comprehensive and there is no reason to go through the lengthy process of medical underwriting.

Be aware that GSI policies do have disqualifying factors. In most cases, if you apply for a medically underwritten policy before a GSI policy, you will no longer be eligible for the GSI. That is precisely why you must not sign any forms requiring medical clearance before first exploring your GSI options.

Don't be misled by an unethical insurance agent.

Don't be misled by a polished website.

Don't be misled by a "recommended" spot on a physician-focused website.

Don't be misled because an agent claims to specialize in assisting physicians.

Don't be misled because an agent pays for top placement on Google Ads.

Starting the conversation with these 2 simple questions puts you on the right foot from day one. Securing a comprehensive disability insurance policy should be a success story — not a case study in what went wrong.

If you'd like to block out time with the #1 individual disability insurance broker in the nation with Guardian for multiple years running, feel free to reply to this email — I'd be happy to help you get this right from the start.