Physician disability insurance quotes
Your specialty is quoted at Guardian, Principal, MassMutual, Ameritas, and The Standard, and the five classes, definitions, and premiums come back in one side-by-side comparison for your state. No fee and no obligation.
A physician disability insurance quote should be a comparison, because the five carriers we quote class the same specialty differently and recognize specialties through different own-occupation mechanisms. In our placement experience, class moves the premium more than most rider decisions do. A Seaworthy comparison shows your specialty's class, definition, and mental health terms at each carrier beside the premium, and a GSI offer from an employer or training program can be read in the same table.
What a physician quote comparison includes
The table below follows a physician's quote across all five carriers, from the class your specialty is assigned through to the premium that class produces.
| What we compare | Across the five carriers | Why it matters for a physician |
|---|---|---|
| Occupation class for your specialty | Where each of the five carriers places your specialty on its physician class scale. | The same specialty can sit roughly two class tiers apart across carriers, and class is a primary driver of the premium. |
| Specialty recognition in the definition | Whether each contract ties its own-occupation definition to your medical specialty, and the mechanism it uses to do so. | Specialty recognition decides whether a claim is measured against your specialty or against medicine in general. |
| Mental health benefit period | Whether your specialty can elect coverage for the full benefit period or falls under a 24-month cap. | A capped policy stops paying a mental health claim after two years even when the disability continues. |
| Issue limits beside group LTD or a GSI plan | How much each carrier will issue at your income on top of employer group LTD or a GSI plan. | Issue limits are applied net of coverage you already have, so a group or GSI benefit changes what each carrier can add. |
| Partial claims and procedural income | What starts a partial-disability claim at each carrier, and whether income loss alone is enough. | A physician's claim often begins short of a full stop, with reduced hours or a dropped procedure line. |
| Premium, guarantees, and physician discounts | The premium each carrier quotes, the physician discounts applied to it, and whether the contract is noncancelable or guaranteed renewable. | The guarantee behind a premium can differ between two contracts quoted at the same price. |
The mechanism each carrier uses to deliver true own-occupation and recognize a medical specialty is set out on the physician carrier comparison page.
Why a physician's class changes from carrier to carrier
Carriers price physicians by occupation class, and the class map is anything but consistent from one carrier to the next. Per the mid-2026 producer guides, an orthopedic surgeon is 5M at Ameritas but 3M at Guardian and Principal. A pediatrician is Principal's only 6M physician specialty. An ophthalmologist sits in a surgical class at MassMutual and a top medical class at Principal and Ameritas. None of that is visible on a single carrier's quote, and in our placement experience, class moves the premium more than most rider decisions do. What those classes cost in premium, measured across all five carriers, is on our page on what physicians pay for disability insurance.
Specialty also shapes the contract itself. Most physician specialties can elect full-benefit-period mental health coverage, while anesthesiology and emergency medicine generally face a 24-month cap under the same mid-2026 producer guides, and for pain management the requirement varies by carrier. The specialty-by-specialty class grid across all five carriers is on the occupation classes page, and our house ranking of the five carriers for physicians is in the best disability insurance for physicians guide.
What our placed physician policies show
In Seaworthy's 2026 audit of placed policies, about 26% of physician policies carry an exclusion or a rating, and mental and nervous conditions account for roughly 40% of those physician exclusions. Physicians in the book were issued their policies at a median age of 36. In our placement experience, applying while the health record is still clean is the most reliable way to avoid an exclusion, and a future increase option then grows the benefit with income without new medical underwriting. For how the pieces of physician coverage fit together beyond a quote, see the physician disability insurance hub.
How a physician request works
Start with your specialty
Your specialty sets the class at each carrier, so it comes first, followed by date of birth, gender, state, and income. Group LTD, a GSI offer, or a policy you already own can be added if you have them.
Five carriers price it
All five carriers quote at the class they assign your specialty, and we read the contract provisions beside each price.
You see the comparison first
The side-by-side usually reaches you within one business day, and no application goes to any carrier unless you decide to apply.
No broker fee, same premium
Seaworthy is an independent brokerage, paid by the carrier and only when a physician places coverage. Commissions are built into the rates state insurance regulators approve, so the premium matches what the carrier would charge you directly.
Prefer to talk it through first? Call (800) 518-1190.
What our clients say
"I have had the pleasure of working with Phil N. for many years to obtain professional disability insurance. He is incredibly knowledgeable, prompt, and friendly. I would recommend any of my colleagues to him and to Seaworthy Insurance!"
"Phil went above and beyond to help us. He was diligent, engaged, and thorough. He has been helping us for years and is dedicated and reliable. Highly recommend!"
"I highly recommend Phil and his team when looking for disability insurance. He is very knowledgeable and made the process straightforward. He and his team were quick to respond to any questions I had during the application process."
Physician quote questions
Why does the same medical specialty get different quotes from different carriers?
Carriers assign the same specialty to different occupation classes and recognize specialties through different contract mechanisms. An orthopedic surgeon, for example, is classed 5M at Ameritas but 3M at Guardian and Principal per the mid-2026 producer guides, a spread that changes both the premium and the contract that fits. That is why each physician quote is run against your specific specialty at all five carriers.
Does my specialty limit the mental health coverage I can buy?
Most physician specialties can elect mental health coverage for the full benefit period. Under the mid-2026 producer guides, anesthesiology and emergency medicine generally face a 24-month cap instead, and for pain management the requirement varies by carrier. With a cap, a mental health claim stops paying after two years even if the disability continues, so the comparison shows which structure each carrier offers your specialty.
Can you compare a GSI offer or review a policy I already own?
Yes. A guaranteed standard issue offer from an employer or training program goes into the comparison beside fully underwritten quotes, so you can see what each covers and what each costs. A policy you already own gets the same reading against the current market, with its strong and weak points flagged.
Which carriers quote physicians, and what if none of them fits?
Each physician request is quoted at all five carriers we place, which are Guardian, Principal, MassMutual, Ameritas, and The Standard. In the agency's experience, these five write among the strongest individual own-occupation coverage for physicians, and Seaworthy also has access to the Lloyd's of London surplus-lines market for a situation none of them can cover.