Why Should Physicians Have Malpractice Insurance?

When a physician strays from the standards set by the medical community, in terms of acting in negligence which results in an illness, an injury or even death to someone under their care, it amounts to a medical malpractice which could have dire consequences on the career of a physician. Despite doing their best never to have such a situation arise, a medical negligence could occur, which is why it is important for physicians to take out an insurance policy to provide them with coverage and protection against any such incidents. This is what is known as the physician malpractice insurance or a medical malpractice insurance.

Why Is It Important To Have Medical Malpractice Insurance

It is no secret that becoming a physician is a very difficult mission to accomplish. Several years of hard work, patience and commitment both emotional as well as financial go into it. However, everything can be rendered futile by a single mistake from the part of a physician that amounts to a medical negligence. If a physician does not have an insurance policy to protect them against such situations, and such a negligence occurs, which results in a patient filing a lawsuit against them, it could well mean the end to a doctor's career. Claims of a financial nature could well be beyond the comfort zone of a physician in question which makes it important for them to have coverage in place.

Damages awarded in the case of a medical negligence could either be compensatory, punitive or both. Depending on the severity of the outcome of such malpractice, compensations would have to be paid to cover loss of wages, medical expenses, and lifelong care costs. You could imagine the kind of impact this could have upon a physician's life.

How To Get Insured?

Physician malpractice insurance could be taken out either through a broker or directly via an insurance provider. However, it is important to keep in mind that finding good medical liability insurance brokers that specialize in the field could be a challenge in itself given that most of the brokers that you will come across would either be less competitive or they may not be specializing in this particular insurance type. Moreover, insurance premium rates would also vary a great deal depending upon various factors. It would also depend upon the state that you would be practicing medicine in. Furthermore, rates could be higher for physicians that are deemed to be working in a high risk department.