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    Disability insurance for medical residents

    Protect the income you’ll earn as an attending, starting in residency

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    Surgical doctor guiding residents through a complex procedure

    As a physician, your income is one of your most valuable assets.


    Disability insurance helps protect your income if illness or injury prevents you from working, and obtaining coverage early can make a meaningful difference.

    • Designed and offered exclusively for residents and fellows at participating hospitals.

    • No medical underwriting1 required for Guardian's Special GSI offer.*

    • Monthly benefit amount of up to $8,000.

    • Coverage that is built for physicians and can grow with your career.

    • A policy that is personally owned and portable.

    Get your quote in about a minute.

    No medical exam.* Just the basics to personalize your offer.

    Learn more about this opportunity, just for residents

    Doctor speaking to her patient virtually

    * For eligible applicants.

    This page represents a brief explanation of the resident and fellow individual disability GSI only. It should not be used to determine whether your disability claim will be paid. The written contract governs the benefits available. Optional riders are available for an additional premium.

    Guardian is an independent company. Guardian is not an official vendor or associated with, authorized, sponsored, or endorsed by the hospitals listed above.

    1. Individual disability income products underwritten and issued by Berkshire Life Insurance Company of America (BLICOA), Pittsfield, MA or provided by Guardian. BLICOA is a wholly owned stock subsidiary of and administrator for The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), New York, NY. Product provisions and availability may vary by state.

    2. Social Security Administration Fact Sheet, June 2022. 

    3. Special GSI policies can be issued with FIO or BPR, but not both.

    4. 6 Things Residents Should Know About Compensation, American Medical Association, 2025.

    5. True Own-Occupation to age 67, including medical specialty language.

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    Your future earning potential is one of your greatest assets. Residency is the smartest time to protect it. Traditional disability insurance can be expensive and often requires medical underwriting that may drive up your rates.

    With Guardian’s Special GSI program, you can get solid coverage now with no medical underwriting, so you lock in a fair rate while you’re still in training.

    You’ve already invested years of hard work and financial sacrifice. Obtaining coverage early helps protect that investment. And the need is real — 1 in 4 of today’s 20‑year‑olds may be unable to work for at least a year due to a disabling condition.2 Getting coverage now ensures you don’t miss out on this opportunity.

    With Guardian’s Special GSI offer, you can get coverage with no medical underwriting — meaning no medical questions or exams are required for the base amount of coverage.* If you’d like coverage above the base GSI limit (for example, above $8,000 up to $15,000), you’ll only need to complete financial underwriting, not medical.

    Delaying your decision could mean needing full medical underwriting later, which can be more difficult and may lead to higher rates, especially if health changes over time.

    Yes. As your medical career advances, your income typically grows — and your coverage can grow with it. Guardian offers riders like the Future Increase Option and Benefit Purchase Option,3 which let you increase your coverage later without providing additional evidence of good health.

    This is especially valuable as many physicians see their income rise from around $60,000 during residency to $300,000 or more in practice.4

    Guardian has been supporting physicians for generations. Our policies include a strong True Own‑Occupation Definition of Total Disability,5 which allows you to continue working in certain roles—even within your own practice—while still receiving full disability benefits if you’re totally disabled. This flexibility, along with our long history of protecting medical professionals, is why so many physicians trust Guardian to help protect their income.

    Medical training is a major financial commitment—many new physicians carry more than $205,000 in student loan debt.4 If a disability affects your ability to earn an income, those loan payments don’t stop. Guardian offers an optional student loan protection benefit that helps cover your loan payments during your benefit period, helping to protect the investment you’ve made in your education and your future career.