Disability Insurance Q&A: What is the Difference between “Own Occupation” and “Any Occupation” in Disability Insurance?
Question: What is the difference between “own occupation” and “any occupation” in disability insurance?
Answer: Most doctors purchase an “own-occupation” policy, which provides compensation following a disability that prevents the insured from performing his or her particular duties. If an insured doctor or dentist does not have an “own-occupation” policy, he or she must be disabled from performing the duties of any occupation for which he or she is reasonably qualified in order to receive disability benefits.
Some disability insurance policies are a hybrid, providing own-occupation benefits for a limited period of time, and then converting coverage to the “any occupation” standard.
Some of our previous blog posts analyzing some of the potential loopholes that disability insurers will try to apply to an own-occupation policy can be read here and here.
