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AMA disability insurance review 2021
This policy offers physician-focused perks to doctors and medical students.
finder.com’s rating: 3.0 / 5.0
★★★★★
- Consider AMA if… You’re a doctor or medical student who wants a policy backed by the American Medical Association.
- Look elsewhere if… You’re not a medical professional, or you live in New Hampshire, Utah, Vermont or Washington.
Yes
Short term disability
Yes
Long term disability
Details
| Benefit period |
Short term: 12 months
Long term: 12 to 60 months, or up to age 67 |
|---|---|
| Waiting period |
Short term: 30 days
Long term: 2, 3, 6 or 12 months |
| Coverage amount |
Short term: $1,000 monthly
Long term: Up to $15,000 monthly |
| Individual credit | |
| Available states | All 50 states |
| Policy riders |
No info available |
| Simplified issue | No |
Pros
- AMA member discounts
- Loan repayment benefits
- Any-occupation definition of disability
- Long free look period
Cons
- Only available to physicians or medical students
- Future purchase limit
Review by
Shannon Terrell
shannon.terrell@finder.comShannon Terrell is a senior writer for Finder who has written over 400 personal finance guides. With a focus on investments and personal finance, she breaks down jargon-laden topics to help others make informed financial decisions. She studied communications and English literature at the University of Toronto.
Expert review
If you’re in a medical profession, you may find that this provider has a lot to offer — including a straightforward application process and AMA member discounts. However, it doesn’t offer policies in New Hampshire, Utah, Vermont or Washington.
If you’re not a physician or studying to become one, compare disability insurance companies to find coverage that suits your needs.
Built-in benefits and available policy riders
Built-in benefits
- AMA member discount. American Medical Association members receive a 35% rate reduction.
- Waiver of premium. Pauses premiums while you’re receiving benefits.
- Medical school loan payment. For physicians insured before the age of 40 who become disabled, this benefit could pay up to $200,000 in eligible medical student debt.
- Rehabilitation benefit. Receive added rehabilitation benefits if you participate in an approved occupational rehabilitation program while you are disabled.
- Residual part-time work benefit. Pays a percentage of your total monthly disability benefit if you return to work part-time after a covered disability.
- Communicable disease benefit. Pays a benefit if you contract a communicable disease before age 67 that causes you to earn less than 75% of your average monthly income.
- Family care benefit. Receive one basic monthly benefit if a close family member has a serious health condition and requires care that reduces your working hours by at least 20%.
- Layoff or leave of absence benefit. If you are laid off or take a leave of absence, you can be insured for up to 90 days beyond your coverage end date.
Riders
- Catastrophic disability income rider. Offers a monthly benefit increase up to 30% for conditions that require extensive care. You must have a minimum of $3,000 in base disability benefits to qualify.
- Cost of living adjustment. Adjusts your monthly benefit to reflect changes in the cost of living based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.
- Future benefit increase option. If you’re under 40 and have an increase in income, this option allows you to increase coverage without a medical exam or health questionnaire.
Can I still sign up for disability insurance during the COVID-19 outbreak?
Yes — if you’re healthy and haven’t recently travelled to any high-risk areas, you can sign up for a disability policy.
If you want to purchase a policy purely to protect your income in case you contract coronavirus, it’s worth choosing a shorter waiting period. That way, your benefits will kick in sooner if you do get sick.
Will disability insurance cover the coronavirus?
Pros and cons of AMA disability insurance
Pros
- AMA member discounts. If you’re an AMA member, you can shave up to 25% off your rates, for at least the first year.
- Loan repayment benefits. If you’re under 40, this unique benefit pays up to $200,000 in student loan debt if you become totally disabled. You won’t find this benefit with other disability companies.
- Any-occupation definition of disability. You’ll be able to get benefits if you can’t perform the duties of your own medical specialty, even if you can do other jobs in the medical profession. Some insurance companies follow a more strict definition of disability.
- Long free look period. AMA gives you 30 days to decide if you’re satisfied with the coverage, where most insurers only offer 10 days.
Cons
- Only available to physicians or medical students. If you aren’t in the medical field, or studying to be, you won’t be eligible for coverage.
- Future purchase limit. AMA only allows you to increase your coverage once within the first three years of having the coverage or once you turn 40, whichever happens first. This means, even if your salary increases multiple times, your coverage amount can only increase once — which could leave you underinsured if you make more money later on.
AMA disability insurance reviews and complaints
Online reviews of AMA Insurance are scarce — probably because this provider’s products are only offered to doctors and medical students. However, AMA Insurance is a subsidiary of the American Medical Association, which has an A+ Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, as of October 2020. The BBB has recorded 1 complaint in the last three years, which is relatively low for an insurance company.
AMA’s financial strength
A strong financial strength rating means your insurer has the financial resources to pay benefits when the time comes.
AMA Insurance policies are underwritten by New York Life Insurance Company, one of the largest insurance companies n the US. It scores top marks with the major ratings agencies in the US.
| Agency | Rating |
|---|---|
| AM Best | A++ (Superior) |
| Moody’s | Aaa |
| Standard & Poor’s | AA+ |
| Fitch | AAA |
| J.D. Power | – |
What’s my Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefit amount?
If you’re eligible for SSDI benefits, your monthly benefit amount will be based on your average lifetime earnings before your disability began. It’s not determined by your current income or the severity of your disability.
The maximum monthly benefit in 2020 is $3,011, and the average payment is $1,258.
To determine how much money you’ll get if you become disabled, use the benefit calculator on the Social Security website.
Compare alternatives to AMA
How do I sign up for AMA disability insurance?
- On AMA Insurance’s homepage, click Apply Online.
- Enter your full name, date of birth and email address. Click Next.
- Select the insurance product you’d like to apply for. Click Next.
- Enter your estimated annual monthly income and whether you have additional disability insurance. Click Next.
- Select your preferred waiting period and monthly benefit amount. Click Next.
- Enter your Social Security number, height, weight, sex, residential address, business address and primary care physician. Click Next.
- Review your application, then select a payment method and frequency. Click Next.
- Review AMA Insurance’s terms and conditions. If you agree, click Confirm and Submit.
What happens next?
After you submit your application, you’ll receive a call from ExamOne to review your health history and potentially schedule a medical exam. After medical information is submitted and reviewed, an AMA plan administrator will contact you to let you know if you’ve been approved.
More about AMA
AMA Insurance is a subsidiary of the American Medical Association — the largest association of physicians and medical students in the US. The AMA was founded in 1847 to increase standards of medical education and ethics in all public health sectors across the US.
Since 1988, AMA Insurance has offered insurance products to doctors and medical students with physician-oriented policies, programs, benefits and riders.
Frequently asked questions
What other insurance products does AMA Insurance offer?
AMA also offers life insurance, auto insurance, home insurance, hospital income insurance and group insurance for medical schools and residency programs.
Do I need to be an AMA member to apply for disability insurance?
No. You don’t need to be an AMA member to apply for a policy, but AMA members do receive a premium credit.
Do I need to take a medical exam?
It depends on the type of policy you apply for. Physicians applying for DisabilityPro Physician Disability Insurance typically have to fill out a health questionnaire and schedule a medical exam. But students under the age of 40 applying for Medical Student Disability Insurance can get guaranteed coverage without needing to take the exam or questionnaire.
Disability insurance ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Our experts analyze disability insurance companies to help you find the best income protection policy for you.
We assess each company’s financial strength and customer satisfaction, as well as policy features, benefit and elimination periods and available riders. We then give each insurer a score between one and five stars that reflects available options and industry reputation.