General liability insurance for healthcare professionals

Regardless of how careful you are, there are risks you face every time a patient steps into your office. In the event of an accident, general liability insurance protects healthcare professionals from the high cost of lawsuits filed by patients, delivery people, and other visitors to your office.

This policy provides liability coverage related to:

• Patient and visitor injuries
• Patient and visitor property damage
• Advertising injuries, such as libel and slander

If you run a small healthcare practice, you may be able to bundle general liability insurance with commercial property insurance in a business owner’s policy. A BOP costs less than purchasing each policy separately. Businesses that are eligible for a BOP typically:

• Have fewer than 100 employees
• Have a small office or workplace
• Make less than $1 million in annual revenue
• Operate in a low-risk industry
• Need less than 12 months of business interruption insurance

Talk to a licensed Insureon agent who specializes in the healthcare industry to find out if your business is eligible.

If a patient or delivery person slips and falls at your clinic, you could be held responsible for the injury. If the injured party sues, you could end up paying for medical expenses – plus the cost of hiring a lawyer. General liability insurance pays for:

• Medical bills
• Attorney’s fees
• Court-ordered judgments
• Settlements
• Funeral expenses in fatal incidents

Note that this policy does not cover employee injuries. For that, you’ll need workers’ compensation insurance.

When dealing with patients and visitors, your healthcare business may have to handle their property. If an item is lost or damaged, your practice could be held liable. General liability insurance can cover:

• Repair of a damaged item
• Replacement of a destroyed or lost item
• Legal fees from a property damage lawsuit

While advertising your healthcare business and its services, it’s possible to inadvertently copy a competitor’s slogan or mimic another advertising campaign. Accidental advertising injuries are covered by general liability insurance, including:

• Defamation, both libel (written) and slander (spoken)
• Copyright infringement

If you use advertising or promotional materials to attract clients to your business, you’ll want to ensure that your insurance includes this protection.

While general liability insurance covers many common risks, it does not provide complete protection. Other incidents such as theft or an employee injury could happen at any medical practice. Healthcare professionals should also consider:

Business owner’s policy: A BOP bundles general liability coverage with commercial property insurance at a lower rate than if the policies were purchased separately.

Workers’ compensation insurance: Most states require this coverage for healthcare businesses with employees. Workers’ comp can cover medical costs for work-related injuries and illnesses.

Professional liability insurance: This policy helps pay for legal expenses when a healthcare professional is accused of negligence or an error that harms a patient. It's sometimes referred to as malpractice insurance.

Commercial auto insurance: State laws require this coverage for vehicles owned by a business. It helps cover the cost of an accident involving a business vehicle.

Cyber liability insurance: This policy helps healthcare professionals survive data breaches and cyberattacks by paying for recovery expenses and other associated costs.

Are you ready to safeguard your healthcare business with general liability insurance? Complete Insureon’s easy online application today. Once you find the right policy, you can begin coverage in less than 24 hours.