Medical malpractice insurance

Medical malpractice insurance is often required for healthcare professionals. It covers legal costs if you're accused of a negligent act that harms a patient.

Medical malpractice coverage protects against claims of professional negligence, such as:

• Failure to provide quality care
• Causing pain, suffering, or mental anguish to a patient
• Economic damages from a patient’s lost wages or healthcare costs

Healthcare networks and healthcare facilities usually require their medical staff to have malpractice coverage. Doctors, nurses, and dentists sometimes must carry this type of insurance to comply with state laws.

Even when it's not required, malpractice insurance is a key part of risk management. Even the most experienced healthcare provider can make a mistake or be sued for substandard care, such as a misdiagnosis, documentation error, or incorrect dosage.

In other industries, malpractice coverage is referred to as professional liability insurance or errors and omissions insurance (E&O).

It's easy to get free quotes for medical malpractice insurance with Insureon. We'll ask for basic facts about your business to help you find coverage that matches your unique risks and fulfills any insurance requirements.

Contact our dedicated medical malpractice insurance specialist to get started.

Medical malpractice insurance is a type of medical liability insurance that defends healthcare professionals and clinics against claims of negligence when providing medical services or counseling.

While policy terms vary, it can also cover telemedicine and webinars, unfounded accusations of sexual misconduct, and violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Specifically, medical malpractice insurance can help pay for lawsuits related to:

Medical malpractice insurance benefits a wide range of professionals who offer patient care, from doctors and nurses to therapists and counselors.

It's designed for both businesses and independent contractors that provide health-related services. Some professionals must carry this coverage to comply with the laws in their state.

Healthcare providers who need medical malpractice coverage include:

Serving on the frontline in healthcare, nurses have regular interactions with patients that leave them vulnerable to risks. If a patient accused you of giving the wrong medication, you could face an expensive lawsuit.

The hospital, clinic, or temporary agency that employs you might have its own coverage, but this might not give you sufficient financial protection in the event of a liability claim.

From creating treatment plans to performing surgeries or other medical procedures, doctors find themselves in the unique position of making critical decisions related to patient care. This brings a high risk of lawsuits from dissatisfied patients.

Medical malpractice coverage protects doctors from financial losses in the event of a lawsuit from a disgruntled patient, giving them peace of mind to focus on their work.

Physical therapists come into contact with patients directly through stretching, exercise, and massage. Patients often experience some level of pain during treatment, and even the most experienced physical therapist could have an injured patient accusing them of a mistake.

A patient might accuse an acupuncturist of failing to recognize a serious issue and refer them to a physician. They could also say you caused nerve damage or an infection during treatment. Malpractice insurance provides financial protection against these types of claims.

While medical malpractice insurance covers many situations in which a client takes legal action, it does have a number of coverage exclusions. For example, it only covers the cost of defending against lawsuits—it doesn't pay for lawsuits you initiate.

Unless your policy has prior acts coverage, it will only cover claims filed while the policy is active and for incidents that occurred after you bought the policy. In this case, endorsements can fill gaps in your malpractice coverage.

Other exclusions from medical malpractice insurance coverage include:

Healthcare networks usually require doctors, nurses, and other professionals to carry medical liability insurance, even when it's not required by law.

Some medical systems provide this coverage for their staff. Others self-insure themselves and their staff by creating a liability trust fund to cover any legal defense and settlement costs from malpractice claims.

Healthcare professionals may need to buy their own coverage, or may choose to do so to make sure they're sufficiently protected.

It’s important to make sure you comply with any requirements for malpractice insurance, while also taking the risks of your own practice into account.

The most experienced and attentive of professionals can make a mistake or find themselves facing a frivolous lawsuit. Medical malpractice insurance covers your cost of litigation, such as attorney's fees, as well as punitive and compensatory claims for patient harm.

Even if your employer or the facility where you work provides liability protection, it can be worth securing your own malpractice insurance to make sure you’re fully covered.

For many small business owners, general liability insurance is often the first policy they buy. It covers the most common business risks, such as customer bodily injuries, customer property damage, and advertising injuries. It’s often required to sign leases and contracts.

If a patient is injured during a medical treatment or procedure, it would most likely be covered by your medical malpractice insurance. If a patient or a visitor is injured by an accident, such as tripping on a rug at your clinic, it would be covered by your general liability insurance policy.

Malpractice insurance is a type of professional liability insurance, sometimes referred to as errors and omissions insurance (E&O). While the terms are often used interchangeably, they’re not exactly the same.

Professional liability coverage relates to a healthcare provider’s business activities, while malpractice covers your legal defense and settlement costs if you’re accused of causing a patient’s injury or death.

If a patient accused you of an error in their treatment that resulted in pain or expensive additional care, it would likely fall under your medical malpractice insurance.

However, if someone accused you of a documentation error that caused them to lose money, it would probably be covered by your professional liability policy.