Disability Insurance Options- Guardian or Northwestern Mutual?

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Just curious as to how many Anesthesiologists have chosen Guardian versus Northwestern Mutual for their Disability Insurance.

Northwestern has a "medical occupation" in their definition, even for Anesthesiologists. After a lot of back and forth with my agent, it does not seem as "repugnant" as one would expect, and possibly, even more appealing than an "own occupation" definition used by Guardian.

I know the topic of Disability has been discussed before.

But anyone consider these two options, especially with the "Medical Occupation" vs "Own Occupation" and what conclusion/choices did you make?

Survey response would be greatly appreciated.
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I have no info to offer you, but -

I'm awaiting quotes from Guardian and Standard right now. It used to be they wouldn't give active duty military people the time of day, so I've been stuck with a small & limited policy from the AMA. But now I'm hopeful that I'll actually get a good own occ / level premium policy in place before I get much older.

Can you post more info on the Northwest Mutual policy and their "medical occupation" definition and terms? I didn't even know they were in the game. I still half-expect Guardian and Standard to turn me down, so another option would be good. Thanks.
 
"Medical Occupation"

Their whole premise seems to be in "making you whole". No "double dipping" as a Guardian policy could theoretically allow.

Disabilityinsuranceforums.com/.org was the site I used but still, confused.

Basically Northwestern Mutual would say that we as Anesthesiologists can "walk away" and "not work" if we incur a disability. However, if we choose to work, then we'd get only partial disability to the extent of "making us whole".

With a Guardian policy, potentially, the disadvantage is "meeting" their criteria of a "total disability" before getting the benefit. They could potentially "force" you to work and they don't cover the fact that no group would hire you because you're disabled!

Yet Guardian is touted.

Confusing... which is why I was hoping to get more insight on this forum.
 
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Here is some advice… Do not allow the marketing tactics of agents and insurance carriers to get in the way of what the policy really offers you. This may be a bad example but, saying that a CRNA is practically an anesthesiologist, does not change the fact that he/she is still not equal to an anesthesiologist, right? Likewise, saying that NW’s medical occupation policy is equivalent or even better than an own-occupation policy, does necessarily mean that it actually is.

Read the contract.. What does it tell you? It can be called medical occupation, own occupation, modified own occupation, or whatever else name you’ve heard, but do not be fooled, the definition used by NW is more limited than a true own-occ.

Being able to receive benefits and still work in a different occupation should be part of a physician’s disability insurance policy. If not, it isn’t truly covering you in your medical specialty? Regardless of the picture that is painted, successful people don’t usually like to stop still and just be disabled. Likely if you can work in some way, you probably will. I don’t really understand why you should be penalized for that, but the NW policy does penalize you.

Also do not be fooled into believing that NW is going to be more liberal in approving a claim. You are either able to perform the "material and substantial" duties of an anesthesiologist or not. The whole thing of questioning whether Guardian would approve the claim is all part of the sales presentation - and also crap.

I'm not just defending Guardian either. Ask your agent to show you MetLife. Although not all provisions are equal, MetLife doesn’t limit benefits for mental/nervous like Guardian and NW do (except in CA). Or did your agent try to convince you that a 24-month benefit limitation for mental/nervous conditions is a good thing? I've even heard that one before.

Ask your agent, If the NW policy is soo great, how come they used to sell Own-Occ a decade ago, and no longer do. It could be that they didn’t think clients were benefiting from it, but I would say more likely that they decided to cut their risk a bit.

If you want a fair comparison, talk with an agent who isn't trying to sell you NW. Should make sense right? The current agent might be able to sell other companies, but if the motivation is to sell NW, you will not be getting a fair assessment and comparison.

Sorry to ramble on... Hope some of it was helpful.
 
For what it's worth I've bought 2 disability policies thus far in my life. Both were from Northwestern agents. Both did not recommend NW for disability. I bought a MetLife policy from one and a Guardian policy from the other.
 
When exactly should we be purchasing disability insurance?

I've heard people say your last year of residency, so you can "lock in" your rate... What about those doing fellowships?

Should us CA-3's be purchasing soon? I have some "higher-risk" extracurricular activities and would like to support my wife and kid should I be maimed or lose a limb.:laugh:
 
I bought own-occupation disability insurance as a resident and it makes a lot of sense to me. If I were to become disabled during residency, I have a source of income for the rest of my life and won't be bankrupted by my student debt. If I were able to pursue residency in another field (eg. psychiatry), I would still collect disability payments during that second residency, and for the rest of my career (if I remained unable to practice anesthesia).

Every year I get a letter from Guardian, offering me additional coverage without another medical exam, if my income has gone up.

I'm on a graded plan and currently pay $86/mo. If I become disabled, I get $4000/mo the first year, and payments increase 3% every year after that. My contributions are after-tax, so that income is not subject to tax.
 
lord_jeebus said:
I bought own-occupation disability insurance as a resident and it makes a lot of sense to me. If I were to become disabled during residency, I have a source of income for the rest of my life and won't be bankrupted by my student debt. If I were able to pursue residency in another field (eg. psychiatry), I would still collect disability payments during that second residency, and for the rest of my career (if I remained unable to practice anesthesia).

I'm on a graded plan and currently pay $86/mo. If I become disabled, I get $4000/mo the first year, and payments increase 3% every year after that. My contributions are after-tax, so that income is not subject to tax.
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That about sums it all up. Only thing to add is that getting coverage young is better from an insurability stand point too. The chances of being in excellent health are better when we are younger so you'll be more likely to qualify for a policy that does not have exclusions on it and perhaps even priced better.

Most insurers have special limit programs for residents and fellows, REGARDLESS of your current income. Get the maximum available to you and make sure its own-occ, use a graded premium, include residual, COLA and future increase riders on the policy - you'll be set. Oh and work with someone who truly knows disability insurance. As I mentioned earlier, you'll need assistance getting through the marketing tactics used by insurers and insurance agents and figuring out what the policy really offers.
 
Wanted to hear some more opinions about this issue. Now that the year is coming to a close, more people are probably looking into DI. What company are you going with and why?

Thanks!
 
I have always heard that Guardian was the best. There was something weird about Northwestern but I can't remember what. Check for these things:
1. Iron clad own-occupation clause
2. ALWAYS pay for the FIO or future income option. This costs more but allows you to increase your coverage without having to go through underwriting again. I assume that your income will go up in the future despite the frequent naysayers who populate this forum. If you believe them, save the $ for the FIO rider and buy gold and guns.
3. Check to see if the policy increases benefits (while disabled) with inflation. Not all do and not all use the same inflation formula.
4. Lastly: if you are in a group, the group likely uses an insurance benefits management firm. They are often agnostic as to which company to use and will shop for the best policy (which often isn't the cheapest)
5. Often, the group you join will have a group policy worth $3500/month as well. This is important because we have found that we cannot obtain the same amount of individual coverage for our younger guys as we could for guys my age. We seem to be maxing out at around 10K for newer guys vs. 12k for older members.
6. Your group can likely obtain reduced rates vs. you purchasing individually (for an individual policy).
 
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you can collect disability payments even if you are able to perform another job or another specialty field? jeebus, can you pm me the contact info for your disability insurance provider?
 
amyl said:
you can collect disability payments even if you are able to perform another job or another specialty field? jeebus, can you pm me the contact info for your disability insurance provider?
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What you just described was the "true" own-occupation definition of total disability. It is offered by a few carriers, so you'll have your pick.

You should be aware, as you you begin looking at this stuff, that many companies try to market their policies as own-occupation, and medical specialty specific, and any other buzz words you may have heard. The best thing to do is understand the concept so you can avoid buying something less favorable.
 
One other point to consider about nw mutual

Their pitch seems to be a lot of $$ up front but less cost over time. When compared to a similar guardian policay you end up saving money if you keep them over 30 years but it costs more in the first 10 or 15 years. The other things you need to keep in mind are how long do you really need disability insurance? Do you really need the same amount of coverage when you're 35 as when your 55? The answers are likely that when you are 55 you should have a much larger cash reserve than when you are 35 and have less of a need to insure your future income.

One final comment about COLAs. Their inherent value decreases as you get closer to age 65 b/c the years at which they kick in and add value decrease. This is also something that you should keep in mind as you age and something you that may not be worth spending money on later in life
 
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When I have begun looking at DI options, I found 6 companies that seem to have true own occupation (ie. anesthesiologist only) policies. These are Union Central, Standard, Mass Mutual, Metlife, Guardian, and Principal. Each has their own benefits and drawbacks, and I am still in the process of weighing which to choose.
In my situation Guardian comes out to being ~$60 more per month than Metlife, which seems to have a fairly equivalent package. The big difference I see is that there is a Recovery Benefit limitation of 36 months with Metlife vs for the whole benefit period for Guardian, and that the alcohol/drugs/depression benefit last the whole benefit duration for Metlife, where it is only 24 months for Guardian.

Do any of you more experienced people have opinions on this, or disability insurance in general?

What companies do you guys use, and are you maxing out your options?
 
flashgordon said:
I have some "higher-risk" extracurricular activities and would like to support my wife and kid should I be maimed or lose a limb.:laugh:
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Interestingly enough, those are screened for during your application process. I'm under the impression you'll have to either lie or give up said activities. If you're "maimed" whilst performing said high-risk activities, I'm not sure they'll pay up. I'm not an insurance representative, so who knows... All I know is, those high-risk activities were a part of my application form in YES/NO answer format.
 
I have wondered if you can check yes and then get a policy with an exemption for any injuries sustained during said activity.

- pod
 
When I signed up a few years back, they had no problem with my snowboarding. It was the online poker they initially didn't like. Go figure.
 
After reading through the thread, I've decided to get a individual DI with possible life insurance in case something unfortunate happens to me. It's never too early to be prepared, and for me, the peace of mind is worth the premium. I went through doctordisability.com, and just requested a several quotes. I guess we'll see what kind of rates I get.
 
Hawaiian Bruin said:
When I signed up a few years back, they had no problem with my snowboarding. It was the online poker they initially didn't like. Go figure.
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First off, do not lie on an application because if the insurance company can prove it, fraud will relieve them of an obligations to pay you a benefit and likely you will simply be refunded your premiums.

Secondly, depending on the activity, the insurance company will likely exclude paying benefits for disability resulting from said activity. Once you've decided to stop participating in the risky activity, you can go to the company and have the exclusion removed.


For the question relating to which carriers are best. There isn't necessarily an easy answer to that, and it also doesn't necessary have to be only one carrier. You noticed the big difference between Met and Guardian, so perhaps buy 50% from Guardian and 50% from MetLife. This way you receive some benefits if you are disabled due to mental/nervous condition, but you are overall more effectively protected with Guardian. Guardian's policy provisions are likely more favorable in multiple areas.
 
IcedGreenTea said:
I went through doctordisability.com, and just requested a several quotes. I guess we'll see what kind of rates I get.
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If there is one thing you should NOT do during this process... It's buying based on price.

If they don't take the time to call you or try to speak with you to help you understand the benefits of each otpion, you should buy elsewhere.
 
MR Insurance said:
If there is one thing you should NOT do during this process... It's buying based on price.

If they don't take the time to call you or try to speak with you to help you understand the benefits of each otpion, you should buy elsewhere.
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what are the benefits of nw mutual? my agent says they are the best, and he offers policies from all the companies. so what are the benefits? and a big question... how much is the price difference between all these companies??
 
I would avoid NW Mutual simply because they do not have a true "own occupation" clause like Guardian, MetLife, Standard etc do.

In my opinion, and as MR Insurance has alluded to, this is a huge distinction. I pay ~$150/mo. for my own-occ, non-cancellable, guaranteed renewable policy w/COLA, FIO and residual riders.

Is it expensive on a resident's salary? Sure, but I'm healthy now and I have my wife and 2 children to think of. I did not want to risk the possibility of disability/loss of income and the devastation it could bring to our family.
 
SexPanther said:
I would avoid NW Mutual simply because they do not have a true "own occupation" clause like Guardian, MetLife, Standard etc do.

In my opinion, and as MR Insurance has alluded to, this is a huge distinction. I pay ~$150/mo. for my own-occ, non-cancellable, guaranteed renewable policy w/COLA, FIO and residual riders.

Is it expensive on a resident's salary? Sure, but I'm healthy now and I have my wife and 2 children to think of. I did not want to risk the possibility of disability/loss of income and the devastation it could bring to our family.
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Which one are you using? Guardian?
 
lord_jeebus said:
I bought own-occupation disability insurance as a resident and it makes a lot of sense to me. If I were to become disabled during residency, I have a source of income for the rest of my life and won't be bankrupted by my student debt. If I were able to pursue residency in another field (eg. psychiatry), I would still collect disability payments during that second residency, and for the rest of my career (if I remained unable to practice anesthesia).

Every year I get a letter from Guardian, offering me additional coverage without another medical exam, if my income has gone up.

I'm on a graded plan and currently pay $86/mo. If I become disabled, I get $4000/mo the first year, and payments increase 3% every year after that. My contributions are after-tax, so that income is not subject to tax.
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Did you start with Guardian as an intern?
 
So I've been debating buying individual DI vs. staying with the residency DI. So past/current residents who decided to get an individual DI, what were your reasons? The reason I see for getting individual DI during residency, is so that you can continue carrying the policy with you after moving on from your residency. You may develop new medical issues, and those problems may not be covered when you join a group's DI. Are there other good reasons for getting individual DI during residency? The way I see it, I may just stick with my residency's DI and supplement with individual life insurance, since most residencies max at $100,000.
 
The reason to get it during residency is that you are younger then, and you may get a "resident discount." Both of these things may allow you to lock in a rate for the rest of your life that is much lower than otherwise. Looking at the scale for just the age, if I start now it is ~$800 cheaper per year for the rest of my life than if I start next year. Add on a 10% resident discount, and it makes sense to get this before I graduate. I can ramp up my coverage next year and beyond as I see fit.
 
Surfer said:
what are the benefits of nw mutual? my agent says they are the best, and he offers policies from all the companies. so what are the benefits? and a big question... how much is the price difference between all these companies??
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The benefits of NorthWestern are that your buying into a large, great company with excellent financials. Aside from that, you're really only buying a Modified own-occupation policy with a great marketing campagne that makes it seem like something more. Your agent says he "can" sell other companies, but ask him if he actually takes a reviews the other policies out there. Then ask him to compare NorthWestern with MetLife or Guardian. If he knows anything about DI, he can't honestly tell you NorthWestern is better.

I appreciate that you may have a relationship with the agent and that should continue, but it shouldn't get in the way of doing right by you. When you buy disability insurance, you are buying a contract. So whatever is in the contract language is what the insurance company will follow. If your agent is explaining the definition of disability by stating something other than, or in addition to what is included in the contract, it is simply his interpretation. Or more than likely, his sales manager's interpretation.
 
pjl said:
The reason to get it during residency is that you are younger then, and you may get a "resident discount." Both of these things may allow you to lock in a rate for the rest of your life that is much lower than otherwise. Looking at the scale for just the age, if I start now it is ~$800 cheaper per year for the rest of my life than if I start next year. Add on a 10% resident discount, and it makes sense to get this before I graduate. I can ramp up my coverage next year and beyond as I see fit.
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The amount of savings that can occur by purchasing coverage younger might be tremendous, but take this from someone who works in the industry, your health is the most important part. Med school and residency takes its toll and I've sadly had many people who want disability insurance and can no longer get it, because of their medical history. The article below can offer something.
<link edited by mod>

Some companies offer a "graded premium" option, which starts out very inexpensive and continues to increase each year. The goal should be to keep pricing low during residency and then convert the policy to a level premium as a first year attending. This method allows many residents to obtain the coverage when they otherwise would not because of high cost.

Someone who understands disability insurance and overall financial planning should be able to help with this type of information and advice. Every circumstance is different, so what might be right for one person is not necessarily right for another.
 
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So say I do get a individual DI right now (during residency), with a graded premium, COLA, FIO, and residual benefit. What should I do once I join a group that offers a group DI after residency? Are they usually comparable? Should I become disabled, will I be able to collect from both DI's? What would be the advantage of having your own DI at that point instead of riding the group DI that is provided as a part of your contract?
 
IcedGreenTea said:
So say I do get a individual DI right now (during residency), with a graded premium, COLA, FIO, and residual benefit. What should I do once I join a group that offers a group DI after residency? Are they usually comparable? Should I become disabled, will I be able to collect from both DI's? What would be the advantage of having your own DI at that point instead of riding the group DI that is provided as a part of your contract?
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Once you already have your individual policy in place, you should keep it throughout your career. If you buy a good policy today, then it will likely be substantially better than the group coverage you may have access to. Additionally, the individual coverage will follow you wherever you are working, whereas the group coverage is only applicable while you are with the specific employer offering it.
If you become disabled and satisfy the requirements of both policies (group and individual), then both policies will pay you and there will not be any reductions. This is one of the benefits in obtaining coverage during residency actually – if you wait until you already have the group coverage, insurance companies will not allow you to obtain the same higher levels of individual coverage offered during residency (especially if you are graduating now).
 
That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for your reply. Now, regarding the FIO, will the additional coverage I'll be able to purchase be sufficient enough to cover the jump in income when I go from resident to attending? Using the FIO, I won't have to get a new underwriting, but is it something that can be done from last year in residency to first year of attending in one motion? Thanks again for your input.
 
IcedGreenTea said:
That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for your reply. Now, regarding the FIO, will the additional coverage I'll be able to purchase be sufficient enough to cover the jump in income when I go from resident to attending? Using the FIO, I won't have to get a new underwriting, but is it something that can be done from last year in residency to first year of attending in one motion? Thanks again for your input.
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Well, it depends... Most carriers right now are allowing residents to obtain FIO equal to 2X the monthly benefit. So if you are eligible for and obtain $5,000 (or greater) today with 2X FIO, or $10,000 FIO, then yes you should have enough. In order to obtain $15,000 of benefit your income needs to be near $325K.

Also, most carriers right now will only allow up to $15-$16,000 of monthly benefit. So if your income allows for a larger then $15K monthly benefit, you will need to apply for any additional coverage through a different carrier.
 
MR Insurance said:
Well, it depends... Most carriers right now are allowing residents to obtain FIO equal to 2X the monthly benefit. So if you are eligible for and obtain $5,000 (or greater) today with 2X FIO, or $10,000 FIO, then yes you should have enough. In order to obtain $15,000 of benefit your income needs to be near $325K.

Also, most carriers right now will only allow up to $15-$16,000 of monthly benefit. So if your income allows for a larger then $15K monthly benefit, you will need to apply for any additional coverage through a different carrier.
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Well, in that case, I think it would make sense for me to go ahead and get that individual DI. If each carrier maxes out around $15,000 in monthly benefits, and since you can collect from both your individual and group DI (when you qualify for both), then collecting from 2 DI's should provide me with enough benefits if (hopefully when) my income is greater than $325k rather than having to apply for additional coverage through a different carrier.

Also, one question. When increasing your benefits through the FIO, does the increase have to be gradual (say $1000 at a time per year?) or can it be done in one motion when going from fellow to attending. And again, thanks for your input.
 
pjl said:
The reason to get it during residency is that you are younger then, and you may get a "resident discount." Both of these things may allow you to lock in a rate for the rest of your life that is much lower than otherwise. Looking at the scale for just the age, if I start now it is ~$800 cheaper per year for the rest of my life than if I start next year. Add on a 10% resident discount, and it makes sense to get this before I graduate. I can ramp up my coverage next year and beyond as I see fit.
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Thanks! Does it matter at what stage in residency you get this insurance? Is it better to pick it up as a CA-0 or CA-1 vs. a CA-3? Or, does it not matter at all as long as you pick it up while as a resident?
 
IcedGreenTea said:
Also, one question. When increasing your benefits through the FIO, does the increase have to be gradual (say $1000 at a time per year?) or can it be done in one motion when going from fellow to attending. And again, thanks for your input.
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It depends on the insurance company. Those that offer a real FIO will allow you to increase by whatever amount your income allows, up to the full FIO amount. The only requirement is for the increases to be exercised near the policy anniversary date.
 
Doctor4Life1769 said:
Thanks! Does it matter at all when you decide to pick it up? Do you advise interns picking to pick it up or to wait as a CA-1?
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It does not matter when you pick it up, but the benefit amounts offered by insurance carriers is related to your residency year. First year may qualify for $4,000 benefit... Third year perhaps $5,000... 6 months within graduating perhaps $6,500-$7,500...
 
MR Insurance said:
It does not matter when you pick it up, but the benefit amounts offered by insurance carriers is related to your residency year. First year may qualify for $4,000 benefit... Third year perhaps $5,000... 6 months within graduating perhaps $6,500-$7,500...
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What is your professional recommendation?
 
Doctor4Life1769 said:
What is your professional recommendation?
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In my opinion, the younger the better. It's painful to see how many young doctors I've worked with who end up being declined for disability insurance due to their medical history. And if not declined, they have exclusions added to their policies for pre-existing conditions. A policy with exclusions is much better than no policy at all, but if you could avoid the exclusions by applying as a first year resident, I think it makes sense to do it.

A few comments were made about locking in lower rates. Although this is true, I believe the real value in applying early is taking advantage of your better health. Four + years of working excessive hours and not sleeping enough has its toll, so you're better off getting the medical underwriting out of the way sooner.

Generally I recommend a graded premium option during residency - it keeps premiums affordable for a lower income, and you can invest the difference into a Roth IRA, while your income still permits it. Level premium is great for those who have the means of doing it, while still saving.
 
MR Insurance said:
In my opinion, the younger the better. It's painful to see how many young doctors I've worked with who end up being declined for disability insurance due to their medical history. And if not declined, they have exclusions added to their policies for pre-existing conditions. A policy with exclusions is much better than no policy at all, but if you could avoid the exclusions by applying as a first year resident, I think it makes sense to do it.

A few comments were made about locking in lower rates. Although this is true, I believe the real value in applying early is taking advantage of your better health. Four + years of working excessive hours and not sleeping enough has its toll, so you're better off getting the medical underwriting out of the way sooner.

Generally I recommend a graded premium option during residency - it keeps premiums affordable for a lower income, and you can invest the difference into a Roth IRA, while your income still permits it. Level premium is great for those who have the means of doing it, while still saving.
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Thank you for the advice! You may likely receive a PM from me within the next week.
 
Also note which state you are currently in vs where you will be moving, you can get variable rates.
 
pjl said:
Also note which state you are currently in vs where you will be moving, you can get variable rates.
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Variable rates and also variable provisions. In CA for example, most carriers have a 24-month limitation on claims for mental/nervous conditions.
 
I am in the process of buying a LTD policy in in addition to that provided by my employer and the insurance agent asked me to provide a copy of my job contract. Agent said is to ensure that I am not looking to buy more insurance than what I will actually make as an attending. Is this the norm?
 
ProRealDoc said:
I am in the process of buying a LTD policy in in addition to that provided by my employer and the insurance agent asked me to provide a copy of my job contract. Agent said is to ensure that I am not looking to buy more insurance than what I will actually make as an attending. Is this the norm?
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I'm in the process as well. They've asked the same from me. This is for a Guardian policy.
 
proman said:
I'm in the process as well. They've asked the same from me. This is for a Guardian policy.
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Regardless of the company, if you are applying for a greater benefit amount than is offered using the Special Limit Programs (typically $6,500 - $7,500) then your employment contract is necessary, as it is the only documentation that proves your higher income. If you are only applying for the Special Limit amount, you shouldn't require any financial documentation at all.
 
MR Insurance said:
Regardless of the company, if you are applying for a greater benefit amount than is offered using the Special Limit Programs (typically $6,500 - $7,500) then your employment contract is necessary, as it is the only documentation that proves your higher income. If you are only applying for the Special Limit amount, you shouldn't require any financial documentation at all.
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Thanks for the reply. When purchasing LTD, is the goal to buy enough to cover 100%?, 80%?, 75%?. I ask because the premiums seem a bit stiff. I've been quoted a total of $625/month for two policies with all the bells and whistles which would be enough to cover my salary when added to my employer-provided policy. Is that a reasonable premium or am I being overcharged?
 
ProRealDoc said:
Thanks for the reply. When purchasing LTD, is the goal to buy enough to cover 100%?, 80%?, 75%?. I ask because the premiums seem a bit stiff. I've been quoted a total of $625/month for two policies with all the bells and whistles which would be enough to cover my salary when added to my employer-provided policy. Is that a reasonable premium or am I being overcharged?
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The goal is to protect your income and quality of life, so to answer your questions, it depends... You want to be capable of paying your monthly expenses, responsibilites & debts and continuing all savings including retirement - so if you can do all of that with 50% of your income, then get 50%. Most individuals would agree that nearly every cent they earn is accounted for, regardless of income level.

Additionally, you will only be eligible for approximately 80% of your after-tax income, so you may not be able to go beyond that.

Regarding pricing, unfortunately I cannot help without knowing more information on what you are being quoted, and what you are eligible for based on income and group coverage. If you'd like a second opinion, you can feel free to PM me.

I will say that insurance carriers set pricing for disability insurance and the person you are working with cannot manipulate that. Perhaps you should ask your agent to look for potential discounts - even 10% can be helpful when talking about $600/month premiums, over your entire career.
 
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