2024-2025 RFI Disability Benefits

Choose your program below to learn more about your disability benefits.

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Graduate Medical Education Residents & Fellows

Group short- and long-term disability: Automatic enrollment for Graduate Medical Education residents and fellows
Individual disability policy: Optional for Graduate Medical Education residents and fellows

Disability Benefits Information

Foster Klima provides group short- and long-term disability coverage to Graduate Medical Education residents and fellows.

If you have questions or want more information, contact Guardian’s Director of Disability Operations, Ernest Draper at 612-746-2272, or [email protected]. You can also learn more on Foster Klima's website

Group Short-Term Disability Insurance

Short-term disability insurance provides you with income protection of 70% of your income up to $1,000 weekly benefit maximum when an injury, sickness, or pregnancy results in your continuous disability. Benefits are paid from the 15th day of a disability after a 14-day waiting period. The maximum duration of short-term disability benefits is 11 weeks.

Group Long-Term Disability Insurance

Long-term disability insurance provides you with income protection of 80% of your income up to $5,000 monthly benefit maximum if you are continuously disabled for more than 90 days. Coverage continues as long as you are certified disabled by Guardian. The maximum period that you are eligible to receive benefits is up to your Social Security normal retirement age.

Making a Claim

To submit a short-term or long-term disability claim during your residency or fellowship, please email the Office of Student Health Benefits at [email protected] and request paperwork for a future claim or leave.

Individual Disability Policy

The University of Minnesota is extremely pleased to offer this one-of-a-kind Guaranteed Standard Issue (GSI) plan from Foster Klima. This plan allows you to convert the group disability insurance you had as a resident or fellow to an individual disability policy, regardless of any pre-existing medical conditions.

You may enroll in this guaranteed standard issue option anytime during and up to 90 days after completion of your residency or fellowship. The GSI opportunity will only be available to individuals that have not been declined or given a modified offer of individual disability insurance through a carrier other than Guardian within the last 5 years or within 9 months since beginning their program at the University of Minnesota, whichever is less. If an individual does not qualify for the GSI offer, they will still be given the opportunity to do a smaller conversion to an individual Guardian disability policy but this conversion offer is not as robust as the GSI offering. 

Key benefits of the GSI plan include:

  • You could receive benefits of up to $15,000 per month if you become disabled.
    • Student loan debt, up to $2,500 per month, could be covered in addition to the $15,000 per month benefit.
    • A permanent discount of up to 30% is available (depending on your specialty).
  • The cost of individual coverage is guaranteed for the life of the policy.
  • Cost of living protection can be added to your coverage (optional benefit – additional premium applies).
  • Your retirement assets could be protected (optional benefit – additional premium applies).
  • Your individual coverage is fully portable, meaning it goes with you after you leave the University.

In addition, Foster Klima provides financial planning services, so you can tailor your overall financial plans with the benefits you receive through the GSI plan.

For more information, or to schedule a meeting, contact the representative assigned to your department.
DepartmentRepresentative

Dermatology; Family Medicine & Community Health; Neurology; Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women’s Health; Pediatrics

Methodist Family Medicine

Heather Bantle
612-746-2339
[email protected]

 

Anesthesiology; Diagnostic Radiology; Medicine: Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging, Advanced Heart Failure & Transplant Cardiology, Advanced Interventional Cardiology & Research, Cardiovascular Disease, Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology, Gastroenterology, Gastroenterology-Advanced ERCP/EUS, Hematology & Medical Oncology, Interventional Cardiology, Interventional Pulmonology, Lung Transplant, Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, Structural Heart Diseases & Advanced Interventional Cardiology, Vascular Medicine & Peripheral Vascular Catheter-Based Interventions; Neurosurgery; Orthopaedic Surgery; Rehabilitation Medicine; Radiation Oncology; Transplant Hepatology; Surgery; Urology

Joe Barwick 
612-746-2264
[email protected]

 

Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism; Forensic Psychiatry; Infectious Disease; Internal Medicine; Laboratory Medicine & Pathology; Nephrology; Ophthalmology & Visual Neurosciences; Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery; Psychiatry; Pulmonary Disease & Critical Care Medicine; Renal Transplant; Rheumatology

St. Cloud Family Medicine

Dustin Peltier
612-816-1901
[email protected]

Allyson Peltier
612-746-2227
[email protected]

Duluth Family MedicineErik Bohn
612-746-2385
[email protected]


We strongly encourage all Graduate Medical Education residents and fellows who are completing their residencies and fellowships this year to contact your University-designated Foster Klima representative. 

School of Dentistry Residents & Fellows

Group long-term disability: Automatic enrollment for School of Dentistry residents and fellows
Individual disability policy: Optional for School of Dentistry residents and fellows

Disability Benefits Information

Foster Klima provides group long-term disability coverage to School of Dentistry residents and fellows.

If you have questions or want more information, contact Guardian’s Director of Disability Operations, Ernest Draper at 612-746-2272, or [email protected]. You can also learn more on Foster Klima's website.  

Group Long-Term Disability Insurance

Long-term disability insurance provides you with income protection of 80% of your income up to $5,000 monthly benefit maximum if you are continuously disabled for more than 90 days. A $1,500 monthly benefit is available even if you don’t have an income. Coverage continues as long as you are certified disabled by Foster Klima. The maximum period that you are eligible to receive benefits is up to your Social Security normal retirement age.

Making a Claim

To submit a long-term disability claim during your residency or fellowship, please email the Office of Student Health Benefits at [email protected] and request paperwork for a future claim or leave.

Individual Disability Policy

The University of Minnesota is extremely pleased to offer this one-of-a-kind Guaranteed Standard Issue (GSI) plan from Foster Klima. This plan allows you to convert the group disability insurance you had as a resident or fellow to an individual disability policy, regardless of any pre-existing medical conditions.

You may enroll in this guaranteed standard issue option anytime during and up to 90 days after completion of your residency or fellowship. The GSI opportunity will only be available to individuals that have not been declined or given a modified offer of individual disability insurance through a carrier other than Guardian within the last 5 years or within 9 months since beginning their program at the University of Minnesota, whichever is less. If an individual does not qualify for the GSI offer, they will still be given the opportunity to do a smaller conversion to an individual Guardian disability policy but this conversion offer is not as robust as the GSI offering. 

Key benefits of the GSI include:

  • You could receive benefits of up to $3,000 per month if you become disabled.
    • Student loan debt, up to $2,500 per month, could be covered in addition to the $3,000 per month benefit.
    • A permanent discount of 20% is available.
  • The cost of individual coverage is guaranteed for the life of the policy.
  • Cost of living protection can be added to your coverage (optional benefit – additional premium applies).
  • Your retirement assets could be protected (optional benefit – additional premium applies).
  • Your individual coverage is fully portable, meaning you take it with you when you leave the University.

In addition, Foster Klima provides financial planning services, so you can tailor your overall financial plans with the benefits you receive through the GSI plan.

For more information, or to schedule a meeting, contact the School of Dentistry Foster Klima representatives, Dustin Peltier at 612-816-1901 or at [email protected] or Allyson Peltier at 612-746-2227 or at [email protected]

We strongly encourage all School of Dentistry residents and fellows who are completing their residencies and fellowships this year to contact your University-designated Foster Klima representative.

College of Veterinary Medicine Residents & Interns

Group long-term disability: Automatic enrollment for College of Veterinary Medicine residents and interns
Individual disability policy: Optional for College of Veterinary Medicine residents and interns

Disability Benefits Information

Foster Klima provides group long-term disability coverage to College of Veterinary Medicine residents and interns.

If you have questions or want more information, contact Guardian’s Director of Disability Operations, Ernest Draper at 612-746-2272, or [email protected]. You can also learn more on Foster Klima's website

Group Long-Term Disability Insurance

Long-term disability insurance provides you with income protection of 80% of your income up to $5,000 monthly benefit maximum if you are continuously disabled for more than 90 days. Coverage continues as long as you are certified disabled by Foster Klima. The maximum period that you are eligible to receive benefits is up to your Social Security normal retirement age.

Making a Claim

To submit a long-term disability claim during your residency or internship, please email the Office of Student Health Benefits at [email protected] and request paperwork for a future claim or leave.

Individual Disability Policy

The University of Minnesota is extremely pleased to offer this one-of-a-kind Guaranteed Standard Issue (GSI) plan from Foster Klima. This plan allows you to convert the group disability insurance you had as a resident or intern to an individual disability policy, regardless of any pre-existing medical conditions.

You may enroll in this guaranteed standard issue option anytime during and up to 90 days after completion of your residency or internship. The GSI opportunity will only be available to individuals that have not been declined or given a modified offer of individual disability insurance through a carrier other than Guardian within the last 5 years or within 9 months since beginning their program at the University of Minnesota, whichever is less. If an individual does not qualify for the GSI offer, they will still be given the opportunity to do a smaller conversion to an individual Guardian disability policy but this conversion offer is not as robust as the GSI offering. 

Key benefits of the GSI include:

  • You could receive benefits of up to $3,000 per month if you become disabled.
  • The cost of individual coverage is guaranteed for the life of the policy.
  • Cost of living protection can be added to your coverage (optional benefit – additional premium applies).
  • Your retirement assets could be protected (optional benefit – additional premium applies).
  • Your individual coverage is fully portable, meaning you take it with you when you leave the University.

In addition, Foster Klima provides financial planning services, so you can tailor your overall financial plans with the benefits you receive through the GSI plan.

For more information, or to schedule a meeting, contact the College of Veterinary Medicine Foster Klima representatives, Dustin Peltier and Allyson Peltier. Dustin can be reached at [email protected] or 612-816-1901 and Allyson can be reached at [email protected] or 612-746-2227. 

We strongly encourage all College of Veterinary Medicine residents and interns who are completing their residencies and internships this year to contact your University-designated Foster Klima representative.