Disability Insurance Agency Principals

Physician Disability Insurance Expert

Jamie K. Fleischner, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, has spent more than three decades at the forefront of a specialized—and often misunderstood—corner of the insurance industry: disability insurance physician protection. As the founder and president of Set for Life Insurance, she has helped more than 5,000 doctors in all 50 U.S. states secure tailored protection for their livelihoods, guiding them through a nuanced landscape where the smallest detail in a policy can determine financial stability during a disabling injury or illness.

What sets Fleischner apart is not simply tenure, but depth. An independent broker since 1999,  her foundation was strengthened by Northwestern Mutual’s rigorous training program, known for developing comprehensive client tracking systems that remain industry standards. She’s also one of a small handful of professionals nationally vetted to offer Guaranteed Issue Disability Insurance (GSI) policies—coverage that allows medical residents and fellows to obtain non-cancellable disability insurance with no medical questions asked. These policies have become a crucial safety net for physicians with preexisting conditions or those who simply wish to avoid the invasive underwriting process.

“Disability insurance isn’t just a line item,” she says. “For physicians, especially early in their careers, it can be the difference between financial ruin and staying afloat when the unexpected happens. Residents and fellows receive discounts of 10 to 15 percent—savings that remain permanent throughout the policy’s life.”

Fleischner’s commitment to the field is both professional and deeply personal. A fourth-generation Denver native, she graduated from Washington University in St. Louis before returning home to work for Principal Financial Group under David Goldin’s mentorship. The sudden death of her mentor, combined with her mother’s illness—a pioneering educator who relied on disability insurance—pushed her to strike out on her own. Set for Life Insurance was born in 1999.

“I was one year out of college, taking care of my mom full-time,” she recalls. “She had a strong disability insurance policy. Without it, my family’s financial stability would have collapsed. That experience cemented my belief in this work.”

Though she started young in a male-dominated industry, Fleischner quickly gained recognition for her expertise. She holds multiple advanced designations: Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), and Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow (LUTCF). Her work has been featured in InsuranceNews, Life Insurance Selling Magazine, and AgentSalesJournal (ASJonline), including a 2010 front cover feature. She has earned numerous industry honors, including the Guardian Life Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award and recognition as one of Denver’s top insurance advisers by 5280 Magazine from 2009-2025. In 2019, she was a main platform speaker at the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) annual conference—having once served as the youngest president in the Denver chapter’s history.

Her approach to physician disability insurance is data-driven and client-centric. She works with all five major disability carriers—Guardian, Principal, MassMutual, Standard, and Ameritas—plus secondary providers like Lloyd’s of London for nontraditional cases. Each client receives a side-by-side analysis of options, including policy language, pricing, and underwriting likelihood. For disability insurance medical resident and disability insurance medical fellow clients, Fleischner ensures access to discounted and GSI disability insurance options—often urging them not to wait until after training, when health changes could limit insurability and those 10-15% discounts no longer exist.

“I’ve seen companies decline coverage or issue exclusions for things as minor as toe pain,” she says. “That’s why we recommend buying early—while clients are young, healthy, and eligible for discounts and future increase options.”

Fleischner also emphasizes the importance of non-cancellable disability insurance—policies where terms and premiums are contractually guaranteed not to change. In a world where Zoom-enabled roles and gig work blur the definition of “disability,” these policies provide clarity. For example, an emergency physician who can no longer work in a high-risk clinical setting due to immunosuppression might still practice telemedicine. A group plan might deny benefits; a true own-occupation policy would still pay out.

Her long-standing relationships with underwriters distinguish her from newer agents. These relationships, built over three decades, often mean the difference between coverage approval and denial for physicians with complex medical histories. “It’s not uncommon for me to pick up the phone and advocate directly with a company,” she says. “I push for what’s in the best interest of my clients.” Her advocacy has resulted in policy modifications and coverage approvals for clients facing challenging underwriting circumstances.

Set for Life Insurance remains lean by design. While Fleischner handles all client engagements herself, she partners with family members on long-term care, Medicare supplements, and administrative functions. Her son, a college graduate, is beginning his own insurance journey, continuing a family legacy that began when Jamie was a child playing in her father’s Denver office, writing pretend policies for imaginary clients.

Despite increasing online competition from influencer-marketed insurance startups, Fleischner remains confident in the value of experience, especially when it comes to claims. “When a client calls and says, ‘I’ve been diagnosed with cancer—what do I do next?’ I have an answer. I’ve been through it hundreds of times.”

Looking ahead, she continues to champion physician education through resources like DisabilityCanHappen.org, AM Best ratings, and the Comdex Index. Her mission remains clear: ensuring every physician she serves nationwide is truly set for life.

Jeff Fleischner originally hails from Chappaqua in Westchester, N.Y. After graduating cum laude from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania with a degree in History, he moved to Denver, Colorado to attend and graduate from University of Denver Law School. He has been involved in insurance and disability related issues as an attorney with a civil litigation practice in Colorado for over thirteen years.

In 2006 Jeff joined Set for Life Insurance as a licensed insurance broker, and Vice President. He understands the importance and nuances of insurance from representing both insurers and individuals in disability related legal cases before state and federal courts.

Jamie and Jeff are married and have two sons and two Border Collies. Jeff is a 1st degree blackbelt in TaeKwonDo.

Bruce entered the insurance business in 1970. He specializes in employee benefits and long term care insurance products. He is an active member of Rotary, The National Associate of Insurance and Financial Advisors and the Society of Financial Service Professionals.

Bruce holds the following designations: Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Registered Health Underwriter (RHU), Certified in Long Term Care (CLTC) and the Life Underwriters Training Council Fellow (CLTC). His hobbies include antique cars, collecting, viewing and review movies and gourmet cooking. He attended The University of Colorado at Denver and grew up in Denver Colorado. He divides his time between Charlotte, North Carolina and Denver, Colorado.