Author Archives: Billy Gwaltney

In various stages of your career, disability insurance could cost more or less. Preserving and protecting income starts with locking in the best rates price possible for you and your family. Save yourself the guesswork and know exactly how what top plans in the industry do to slash expenses and support the life you deserve during an emergency.  In this episode, you’ll discover learn about one of the best individual disability insurance companies, Ameritas, and how if their plans support your lifestyle for the long haul. or leave you waiting for your next paycheck.  Highlights from this episode include: 

How physicians end up losing thousands of dollars each year and what coverage supports your life of unlimited income instantly. (2:50) 

The real reason disability checks take months to receive and how to get paid overnight instead (even if you’re still working). (4:30) 

What your next hiking trip or workout routine says about disability rates – and how Ameritas can make you money off the clock instantly. (6:38) 

Premium discounts worth the risk and how they can stockpile your savings instantly. (9:27) 

To ask questions on insurance coverage or to get a quote, please don’t hesitate to call us anytime at 704-270-2376, and I’d be glad to discuss your specific situation with you.

Disability coverage plans can feel like a mystery if you don’t know how to read between the fine lines of your contract. And you shouldn’t be having to figure it all out during recovery while trying to recover and get back to work. 

Understanding your plan before an accident is essential for an effortless claims process (so you won’t be sitting around wondering when or if you’ll get a paycheck). In this episode, Billy joins Ameritas expert Dennis Peyton to discuss how to get the most out of your disability coverage and what contracts protect your career and financials the most (so you can have a speedy, stress-free recovery). Highlights from this episode include: 

• Reasons why a payment is prevented after filing for disability and how to get a claims paycheck deposited in your bank account within days. 
• (0:40) Why individual plans preserve your finances instantly and how group rates end up costing you 3x as much down the road. 
• (4:14) How to Read between the ‘fine lines’ of exclusions in your disability plan and why this changes depending on what company you sign with. 
• (12:12) The surprising truth about switching occupations during a disability leave, and what this means for the money you claim today. 
• (17:00) To ask questions on insurance coverage or to get a quote, please don’t hesitate to call us anytime at 704-270-2376, and I’d be glad to discuss your specific situation with you.

If you enjoyed and valued this content, you might also want to check out Episode 60 – What if I do lots of Procedures & lots of Clinic. This episode is available on this site’s podcast channel (Click HERE) or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. 

And/or Is Disability Insurance Really Worth It? With Dr. Naguib Farah. This episode is available on this site’s podcast channel (Click HERE) or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

When looking at disability coverage plans, finding one that protects the career you love most and the money you’ve worked so hard for is crucial. And it’s easy to get lost in the lingo of the insurance world between policy definitions and what fits your particular situation. In many cases, physicians even end up going back to clinical and doing things they don’t like because of ‘hidden definitions’ in their contracts.

What’s the point of moving back to administrative duties when you’ve worked so hard to get where you are in your career? In this episode, Billy is joined by Ameritas claims expert Dennis Peyton who digs deep into the definitions of your disability coverage and what policies protect and preserve the lifestyle you want. Highlights from this episode include: Understanding the difference between group and individual policies – and what these definitions mean for coverage that protects you for a lifetime. How a policy prevents you from returning to work and the crucial steps for preserving your career today.

(9:30) How to immediately secure a disability claims paycheck while you recover.

(19:50) What policies instantly put more money in your pocket and cover medical deductible from an injury (even if you have health insurance).

(25:46) To ask questions on insurance coverage or to get a quote, please don’t hesitate to call us anytime at 704-270-2376, and I’d be glad to discuss your specific situation with you.

If you enjoyed and valued this content, you might also want to check out Episode 60 – What if I do lots of Procedures & lots of Clinic. This episode is available on this site’s podcast channel (Click HERE) or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. 

And/or Is Disability Insurance Really Worth It? With Dr. Naguib Farah. This episode is available on this site’s podcast channel (Click HERE) or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

The only thing more difficult than deciding to get a disability insurance policy is deciding which one to buy. Which benefits will you actually need? How much will that cost you? It’s a lot for one person to think about… 

But life insurance should alleviate stress, not cause it. With a little insight into one of the top disability contracts out there, you can find a plan that works with your career and budget. So if something happens on the job, you’re covered. 

In this episode, Billy discusses what Mass Mutual disability coverage offers and if their plans support your career or just add to the expense. 

Highlights from this episode include:

• How Mass Mutual disability coverage saves you thousands of dollars and protects your career (even if you get a temporary job).  (1:17)
• Finding a partial disability plan that protects your bank account during recovery instead of stealing from it. (3:40)
• How to avoid paying inflation rates in a total disability plan (even after a decade). (5:22)
• How Mass Mutual’s student and service member policies offer premium rates that compliment your lifestyle today. (6:50)

To ask questions on insurance coverage or to get a quote, please don’t hesitate to call us anytime at 704-270-2376, and I’d be glad to discuss your specific situation with you.

There’s a lot of confusion and speculation behind pricing special disability coverage. You might feel so overwhelmed by the wave of information that you put it off until you really need it. By then, your rates have skyrocketed beyond repair. 

Preserving and protecting a career path starts with coverage that works with your wallet, not against it.

In this episode, I share the invisible expenses behind special disability rates and how you can design a plan for peace of mind. 

Highlights from this episode include:

• The ‘ticking time-bomb’ that is making your disability rates more expensive each year. (1:10)
• How to pay the lowest rate possible right now (even if you want to change career paths later on). (2:36)
• Why most physicians get stuck paying premium prices and how you can protect your wallet (while paying discount rates). (4:24)
• A common misconception about disability coverage that’s harming your health right now.  (6:13)

To ask questions on insurance coverage or to get a quote, please don’t hesitate to call us anytime at 704-270-2376, and I’d be glad to discuss your specific situation with you.

If you enjoyed and valued this content, you may also want to check out Episode 56: Billy’s initial conversation with a Female Trainee. This episode is available in the podcast channel on this site or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Some physicians rely on group insurance policies from employers. This saves money in the short term, but what happens when you move on to an employer that doesn’t offer coverage? Or open your own practice?

Many times the cost of disability coverage has skyrocketed, making it a financial burden.

But if you purchase private coverage early on, it will be cheaper but also portable. That policy will cover you no matter where your career takes you, allowing you to focus on your work, knowing your income is protected if you become disabled.

In this episode, I discuss why portability is important and how to get a policy that will protect you for your entire career.

Highlights from this episode include:

• How advice from group benefits people at your employer could cost you everything you have (2:53)
• Why cheap employer group policies are a huge financial risk (3:33)
• Why purchasing a policy as a trainee is a career-saving decision, even if you think you can’t afford it (4:01)

To ask questions on insurance coverage or to get a quote, please don’t hesitate to call us anytime at 704-270-2376, and I’d be glad to discuss your specific situation with you.

If you enjoyed and valued this content, you might also want to check out Episode 61 – Should I purchase Disability insurance before moving to Califronia. This episode is available on this site’s podcast channel (Click HERE) or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Healthy, young, non-smoking physicians typically think they can get away without having disability insurance. It makes sense — insurance can seem foolish when you’re healthy. 

But what happens if you get sick? Healthy, young, physicians have a 25% chance of becoming disabled for 3 months or longer — and a 40% chance that a disability lasts 5 years or longer. 

Even a 3-month break in income while your expenses add up can be financially devastating. But a 5-year gap can create financial doom. 

In this episode, I’m sharing the most common types of disabilities and the only way to protect yourself from financial ruin should you become disabled.  

Highlights from this episode include:

• Why healthy, young, non-smoking physicians need disability insurance more than any other type of physician (0:51)
• The surprisingly simple way to prevent financial ruin if you have a disability that lasts 5 years or longer (1:14)
• How a disability can bankrupt you (even if you can still perform some parts of your job) (3:02)
• How even the shortest disability can create financial chaos (4:43) To ask questions on insurance coverage or to get a quote, please don’t hesitate to call us anytime at 704-270-2376, and I’d be glad to discuss your specific situation with you.

If you enjoyed and valued this content, you might also want to check out Episode 58 – Billy’s initial conversation with a Non-Surgeon Trainee. This episode is available on this site’s podcast channel (Click HERE) or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

And/or Episode 60 – What if I do lots of Procedures & lots of Clinic. This episode is available on this site’s podcast channel (Click HERE) or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. 

The decision to purchase disability insurance is not always easy. After all, there are plenty of other things you could do with that money. And if your budget is tight, the decision gets even harder. Most clients want to know if they are at risk of becoming disabled.

The answer: surprisingly high. And there’s no way to know when it will happen or how long it will last. If you want to avoid financial ruin, you have to be prepared. Being prepared will give you peace of mind, knowing that you’re ready for whatever comes your way.

In this episode, I discuss current disability statistics, ways to reduce your odds of becoming disabled, and how to avoid a financial catastrophe.

Highlights from this episode include:

• Surprising news from current statistics about your risk of becoming disabled (and what you can do about it) (1:49)
• A simple way to drastically decrease your chances of experiencing a disability (3:58)
• Why medical problems spell disaster for your finances if you’re not prepared (4:22)
• A common misconception about disabilities that can leave you unprepared for their true cause (5:02)To ask questions on insurance coverage or to get a quote, please don’t hesitate to call us anytime at 704-270-2376, and I’d be glad to discuss your specific situation with you. If you enjoyed and valued this content, you may also want to check out Episode 56: Billy’s initial conversation with a Female Trainee. This episode is available in the podcast channel on this site or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

When money is tight, it can be tempting to pick up a disability policy with a cheaper premium. But that’s not always the best financial move for you. Often the policy that is cheaper today will cost you far more money tomorrow. 

It’s critical for you to understand the difference between various premium structures. Then you don’t get stuck with a policy that costs more than it’s worth.

In this episode, I discuss the difference between level, step-level, and graded premium disability policies, and why that could save your financial life.

Highlights from this episode include:

• How to ensure that your policy premium will never increase over time (1:39)
• The sneaky reason why shady agents want you to buy graded premium policies (3:41)
• Why a cheaper price upfront costs you way more in the long run (4:23)To ask questions on insurance coverage or to get a quote, please don’t hesitate to call us anytime at 704-270-2376, and I’d be glad to discuss your specific situation with you.

If you enjoyed and valued this content, you might also want to check out Episode 59 – The rate is the rate. This episode is available on this site’s podcast channel (Click HERE) or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Many physicians hesitate to get disability coverage because they fear rising costs over time. There are plenty of horror stories of companies raising rates and terms unexpectedly, leaving doctors without the coverage they desperately need.

This is common with lower-tier companies. That’s why we don’t sell or recommend their policies.

In this episode, I discuss everything you need to know to get a disability policy that provides the right coverage AND won’t increase in price in the future.

Highlights from this episode include:

• Make sure your policy definition contains these words now or it’ll cost you in the future (1:32)
• How to avoid constantly increasing premiums (and decreasing coverage) (2:32)
• Why not getting a policy from one of the “top 4” companies can kill your career and ruin your finances (5:06)
• The insider’s secret to getting and keeping the best rates and discounts for as long as you have your policy (6:07)To ask questions on insurance coverage or to get a quote, please don’t hesitate to call us anytime at 704-270-2376, and I’d be glad to discuss your specific situation with you.