MetLife recently upgraded several of the occupational classes in the medical and dental fields in their disability insurance.  MetLife also lowered the annual earned income requirements for executives to qualify for the “6S” class.  The upgrades take effect December 2, 2011.

 The upgrades to the effected medical and dental occupational classes can reduce premium costs and increase participation limits.  (MetLife has not raised their issue limits on disability insurance with this upgrade.)  MetLife created a new top tier medical occupational class “6M,” which offers selected medical professionals rates below “6S.”

 Medical Occupational class upgrades include:

 Occupation                                          Prior class                               New Classion Previous Class New Class

Pediatricians                                         5S                                            6M

Oncologists                                          5S                                            6M

Neurologists                                         5S                                            6M

Physical Medicine/                                5S                                            6M

Rehabilitation MD’s                               5S                                            6M

Dental Specialists                                    5D                                            5S

Physician’s Assistants                           4M                                            5I

 These upgrades will reduce rates for the medical professionals by an average of 27%, and for the physician’s assistants by 12%.

Also, MetLife reduced the income requirements for executives to be eligible for the top occupational class “6S.”

Previously, the main difference between the 5A and a 6S executive occupational class was the annual earned income. The “5A” occupational class for executives included those with income between $80,000 and $100,000, and “6S” was for those with greater than $100,000 annual earned income.

MetLife’s upgrade lowers the annual earned income requirement for executives to qualify for “6S” to $80,000. This will allow more executives to qualify for MetLife’s top occupational class, which will reduce premium rates by 26% on average.

 Please feel free to contact Set for Life insurance to discuss MetLife’s upgrades, or to request a disability insurance quote comparison.