Toby Lason

Most business owners carry key-person insurance but not individual disability coverage. The assumption is that one covers the other. It does not. Key-person insurance pays the business. Individual disability insurance pays the person. When an owner becomes disabled, the key-person policy might keep the company running while their personal finances collapse. The more a business depends on one person's active involvement, the more dangerous this gap becomes. Key-person insurance is a business decision. Disability insurance is a personal one. They are not interchangeable.

A single residency credential can change what you pay for disability insurance for the rest of your career, and most dentists who qualify have no idea. MassMutual now upgrades dentists from 3D to 4D occupational classification if they have completed an AEGD or GPR residency. Higher classification means better pricing and more favorable terms for the life of the policy. It does not surface in standard financial planning conversations because it requires carrier-level underwriting intelligence that most advisors do not track. If you are a dentist with AEGD or GPR credentials, this is worth checking whether you are buying new coverage or reviewing an existing policy.