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Professional liability / medical malpractice insurance for healthcare providers

Professional liability insurance, sometimes called medical malpractice insurance, protects healthcare providers from legal costs related to professional negligence.

Professional liability and malpractice insurance guard against the cost of errors

Healthcare professionals are all too aware of the consequences of a mistake or oversight. If a patient or relative sues, your small practice could face a financially devastating lawsuit.

Professional liability insurance, sometimes called errors and omissions insurance (E&O), offers the protection your healthcare business needs to continue providing its services while handling a lawsuit. In the healthcare industry, you may see it called malpractice insurance, however these policies aren't exactly the same.

Professional liability provides liability coverage related to:

  • Failure to uphold contractual promises
  • Incomplete or substandard work
  • Missed appointments and undelivered services

Malpractice insurance covers medical professionals when they are blamed for harming a patient, such as:

  • Pain, suffering, or mental anguish caused by you to a patient
  • Medication errors
  • Misdiagnoses
  • Failure to monitor a patient
  • Failure to refer a patient

These types of coverage can be required by some states and healthcare facilities.

Protect your healthcare business with medical malpractice

View video transcript.

[video: an animated header displays the Insureon logo. Underneath it, a subheading displays the text: "What is medical malpractice insurance?"]

MALE VOICEOVER: Even the most experienced healthcare providers can make a mistake. From facing a lawsuit over a misdiagnosis to surgical and medication errors, medical malpractice insurance - sometimes called medical professional liability - insures healthcare professionals, therapists, counselors, and medical facilities against claims of medical negligence.

[video: an illustrated header displays the text: "Malpractice protects against medical negligence, including:"]

[video: Under above header, three bullet points display the text: "Failure to provide quality care"; "A patient's lost wages or healthcare costs"; "Causing pain, suffering, or mental anguish"]

Types of claims covered by medial malpractice insurance include medical errors, like an incorrect dosage of medicine; medical oversights, such as accidentally misreading a patient's medical history; and accusations of negligence, including surgical errors and poor follow-up care.

[video: an illustrated header displays the text: "Medical malpractice insurance covers:"]

[video: Under above header, four bullet points display the text: "Medical errors"; "Medical oversights"; "Accusations of negligence"; "Healthcare providers missing appointments"]

While not required in every state for every profession, if you provide health-related professional services, maintaining malpractice coverage can reduce your financial risk. Doctors and nurses are often serving on the frontline of healthcare and must make critical decisions, which can leave them open to lawsuits. Similarly, physical therapists and acupuncturists often have a high level of interpersonal contact with a patient, which could lead to accusations of malpractice.

The cost of malpractice coverage will likely vary from professional to professional, based on several factors.

[video: an illustrated header displays the text: "Cost is based on:"]

[video: Under above header, four bullet points display the text: "Your state of operation"; "Policy limits and deductible"; "Your liability claims history"; "Any malpractice lawsuits you've faced"]

Get free malpractice insurance quotes with Insureon today.

[video: an illustrated white header displays the text: "Insureon is your #1 agency for small business insurance"]

Click the link to get started.

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How do I get medical malpractice insurance?

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

Contact our dedicated medical malpractice insurance specialist to get started.

What coverage can professional liability / malpractice insurance provide for healthcare workers?

Even the most experienced healthcare providers can make a mistake or be sued for a claim of substandard care, such as misdiagnoses, surgical errors, and medication errors, as well as violating a patient's privacy.

Professional liability and medical malpractice insurance can help cover the cost of legal defense, including the cost of hiring a lawyer.

Specifically, this type of insurance coverage will help protect your practice from:

Accusations of negligence

Nurses, home healthcare providers, and other healthcare professionals are highly susceptible to claims of negligence. For example, a patient could claim that a nurse’s neglect caused bed sores. If the patient files a lawsuit, professional liability insurance can cover legal expenses, such as the cost of hiring an attorney.

Advice that caused harm

A physical therapist who offers faulty advice could end up worsening a patient’s condition. If that patient sues and you don’t have proper coverage, you could end up paying for a legal defense with your own assets.

Medical malpractice insurance can cover expenses related to the lawsuit, including a court-ordered judgment or settlement.

Get business insurance quotes for healthcare professionals

Mistakes or oversights

Even if a claim is frivolous, an alleged error could still result in a costly lawsuit. For example, a patient could hold a radiology lab responsible for a delay in paperwork, even if it was beyond the lab's control. Professional liability insurance can help pay for your legal costs so you can keep practicing despite a lawsuit.

Privacy violations

If a customer accused your practice of violating their privacy under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), it would probably be a covered claim under your professional liability insurance coverage.

Other specialized coverages

Medical professional liability insurance for healthcare professionals can include additional types of coverage for unique risks, such as:

  • Professional license defense coverage, often referred to as personal liability
  • Biomedical defense coverage
  • HIPAA defense coverage
  • Sexual misconduct defense coverage
  • Telemedicine coverage

What is personal liability in healthcare?

Personal liability insurance provides protection in the case of a medical license complaint against a registered nurse (RN), licensed practical nurse (LPN), or other healthcare professional.

This coverage, not included in most employer liability protection plans, pays for an attorney to defend your license, regardless of whether there was any wrongdoing.

How much does professional liability insurance for healthcare workers cost?

A healthcare worker calculating insurance costs.

Non-medical home health aides pay an average of only $9 per month for professional liability insurance.

While medical malpractice insurance for physicians and others with higher risks can cost significantly more due to the types of claims covered.

Your premium varies significantly depending on your specialty.

Insurance costs for health professionals are based on a few factors, including:

  • Healthcare services offered, such as dentistry or hospice care
  • Medical equipment and other business property
  • Annual revenue and where your business operates
  • Number of employees

Other key policies for healthcare professionals

Medical malpractice and professional liability insurance policies can help cover the cost of lawsuits related to your business decisions and medical care, but they don't offer a complete risk management plan. Slip-and-fall injuries and property damage are daily risks for any healthcare business.

Other insurance products to consider include:

General liability insurance: This policy can pay for legal defense costs related to patient property damage and accidental injuries, along with advertising injuries such as slander. It's also often required by landlords when signing a commercial lease.

Business owner’s policy: A BOP bundles general liability coverage with commercial property insurance, often 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 expenses for work-related bodily injuries and illnesses.

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

Get free quotes and buy online with Insureon

Are you ready to safeguard your healthcare company with malpractice insurance or another policy? Complete Insureon’s easy online application today to get quotes from top U.S. insurance companies.

For medical malpractice coverage, you can contact our dedicated insurance agent by sending an email to [email protected] or by calling (312) 854-2919.

Once you find the right policy, you can begin coverage and get peace of mind in less than 24 hours.

Updated: March 18, 2024
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