“Transitional Own Occupation” Provisions
In prior posts, we’ve talked before about how an individual disability policy with a true “own occupation” provision is ideal. Under this type of provision, you are “totally disabled” if you are no longer able to perform the material and substantial duties of your occupation (for example, you can no longer perform dentistry), and you can still work in a different field and receive your full benefits (if you are able and choose to do so).
Most doctors and dentists looking for a disability insurance policy know that it’s important to get an “own occupation” policy, but may not realize that there are several, less-favorable provisions that are also styled as “own occupation” provisions. These provisions contain the phrase “own occupation,” but also contain language that can dramatically impact a dentist or doctor’s ability to collect. For example, a policy might provide disability benefits if you are no longer able to work in your occupation, but only if you are not working in any other occupation. And some newer disability policies actually require you to work in another occupation in order to collect disability benefits.
Another type of restriction we’ve been seeing recently is a “transitional own occupation” or “transitional your occupation” policy. As we stated above, under the true “own-occupation” policies prevalent in the 80’s and 90’s, you can work in another profession and still collect full disability benefits, regardless of whether you make less, the same, or more than when you were practicing. With “transitional own occupation policies” or “transitional your occupation policies,” you can work in another profession, but your disability benefits are reduced if your total income (from your benefits, employment, and other insurance benefits) ever exceeds what you made immediately prior to your disability. So, with these types of policies, your earning potential is essentially capped at what you were making before you became disabled (if you want to keep receiving benefits under your policy).
Transitional own occupation policies may seem attractive because they may have lower premiums, but it is important to know that they are not the same as true “own occupation” policies, and they can result in a reduced benefit payment and/or limit your options if a lucrative employment opportunity should ever arise.
While many disability insurance policies contain the phrase “own-occupation,” including “transitional own occupation” provisions, they often aren’t true own-occupation policies and you shouldn’t rely on an insurance agent to disclose this information. Oftentimes, your agent may not even realize all of the ramifications of the language and definitions in the disability insurance policy that he/she is selling to you. Additionally, most of the newer disability policies now contain language saying that you cannot rely on an agent’s statements and/or that agents cannot change the terms of a policy. Consequently, you should always read a policy from start to finish and make sure you have a clear understanding of what you are buying, before purchasing a disability policy.
