The Most Common Types of Medical Malpractice
♫ Friday, May 14th, 2010If you are a medical professional looking for malpractice insurance, it is important to be knowledgeable about the different types of coverage that are available to you. It is also just as important to have the right amount of coverage for the specific position you work in.
Claims-Made Coverage – This type of medical malpractice insurance covers incidents that happen while the policy is active. A claim has to be filed while the policy is active or the incident will not be covered. If you decide to cancel the policy or switch insurance carriers, the policy will not cover any future claims – even if the incident occurred during the policy period. Generally speaking, a claim consists of a written demand, but may also include a written or verbal announcements of a claim.
Prior Acts is also known as “nose” coverage; A type of supplemental coverage that covers any claims that may arise when your claims-made policy is canceled or non-renewed. Tail Coverage type of supplemental coverage is available when your claims-made policy is canceled or non-renewed. Tail coverage continues insurance protection under your claims-made policy for claims that may come up in the future, but happened while your policy was still active.
Occurrence Coverage type of medical malpractice insurance offers permanent coverage for incidents that occur during the policy period, even if they are reported after the policy expires or is canceled. Occurrence coverage is generally more expensive than the other types of insurance because it is hard to determine future liability or claims. If you’re unsure of which type of medical malpractice insurance to purchase, you may want to consider consulting with an insurance broker who specializes in malpractice insurance.
