Physician Assistant Malpractice Insurance
Things happen. Mistakes may get made, or a patient (or their family) may simply want to blame someone for a difficulty they’re having. Ultimately, it’s important to protect one of your biggest assets — your career. You can rest easy knowing that the team at Berxi will be looking into your claim and providing you with the resources to protect you.
What Does Berxi Malpractice Insurance Policy Include?
Here are some noteworthy features of our malpractice policies:**
- Occurrence and claims-made policy options
- Don’t know the difference between the two? No worries! We wrote an article that breaks it all down for you.
- Legal defense outside the limits of liability
- This means that money spent on your defense won’t be deducted from your insurance limits — so if you have a $1 million limit, you’ll still have $1 million to pay for any settlements or damages.
- Flexible deductible options, including $0 deductibles
- Flexible insurance limits based on your needs
- Convenient payment plans for select policies
- Customizable tail coverage options for customers with claims-made policies
How Much Does Physician Assistant Malpractice Insurance Cost?
Malpractice insurance for physician assistants typically starts at $1,757 a year. However, the price depends on a number of factors, including — but not limited to — how much coverage you want and where you practice, as well as your years of experience, education, and time spent on the job.**
The best way to get an idea of what your policy would cost is by getting a quote. The process takes a minute or two, and — if you choose to purchase — your policy can go into effect any day you’d like, including today.
Alyson was extremely helpful. I was so relieved that she was able to rectify my issue appropriately (and in a timely manner). She made my day much better now that I don’t have to worry about this. Also she sent me a customized receipt to send to my job. She went out of her way to assist me.
Why Should I Choose Berxi for My Malpractice Insurance?
At Berxi, we’re working to create a better insurance experience for physician assistants by offering affordable coverage and outstanding service. Here are a few things that set us apart:
- We’re part of Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company. You could say that we’ve got the best of both worlds: While we’re as flexible as a start-up, we also have the financial stability to make sure we’re around for the long term.
- We’re a direct-to-customer model. This means that we’re not just the people who sell you an insurance policy – we’re also the people who are responsible for handling your claim. There’s no one in the middle; it’s just us and you. Plus, working directly with us eliminates fees that are typical in insurance transactions. In fact, buying direct from us can save you as much as 20%. (Get a quick quote now and see for yourself.)
- We’re digital. You can go onto our website to get a quote, buy a policy, and download your certificate of insurance – all in the exact same day. And if you ever need to file a claim, you can also do that digitally, too.
- We’re here for our customers. When you call our support line, you won’t have to navigate through an endless phone tree or argue with a robot: You’ll reach a real-life human being who’ll work hard to answer all your questions. Being a customer-first company is part of our mission — and we have a great reputation for it.
What’s Covered Under a Berxi Medical Malpractice Policy?
Industry Coverage
If you work as an advanced practice or allied health medical professional, medical malpractice coverage insures you against claims of negligence or of making a mistake that caused bodily harm to another. This includes providing you with a lawyer to defend yourself and the funds you can use to pay judgments or settlements.*
AMOUNT COVERED: Typical limits of liability range from $500,000 per claim/$1 million aggregate to $2 million per claim/$6 million aggregate
EXAMPLE: A patient sues you for medical malpractice, along with the entire team involved in their care. In this case, Berxi retains a lawyer for you and pays the lawyer’s fees.
*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.
If a claim is filed against you, we’ll retain a lawyer for you from our network of defense attorneys specializing in medical malpractice. We’ll also pay for related defense costs (e.g., lawyer fees, court fees, expert witness costs).
Note that these defense costs are outside the limits of your insurance. This means that their services don’t cut into the settlement fees you may need to pay after a ruling.*
AMOUNT COVERED: Provided in addition to your policy’s limits of insurance
EXAMPLE: You’re a self-employed NP, and you decide to select policy limits of $1 million (per claim)/$3 million (for all claims). One day, someone files a claim of malpractice against you. As part of your med mal policy, we’ll retain an attorney for you. This lawyer works specifically on your behalf and with your best interests in mind. Because this is your lawyer, you get to decide whether the case goes to trial or ends in a settlement. And you won’t need to worry about the bill at the end — the lawyer’s fees are included in your coverage and won’t impact how much of the $1 million you have for paying settlements.
*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.
Your policy applies on a worldwide basis, as long as a claim is brought against you in the United States (which includes any U.S. territories or possessions).*
EXAMPLE: You go to the Dominican Republic to volunteer as a nurse following a devastating hurricane. Upon your return, you find out that one of your Dominican patients has filed a claim of medical malpractice against you — and they filed it in the U.S.
*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.
If you provide medical care to someone outside of your primary work setting and that person files a claim against you, your policy would still apply.*
EXAMPLE: You’re at a restaurant and someone at the next table begins to choke. You rush over and immediately begin performing CPR. However, while saving this person’s life, you inadvertently break three of his ribs. Because you’re a certified medical expert, the patient sues you for his injury.
*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.
If (noncriminal) allegations of sexual misconduct are made against you, we’ll retain counsel to represent you and pay defense costs — unless or until the sexual misconduct or abuse is determined to have occurred.*
AMOUNT COVERED: Provided in addition to your policy’s limits of insurance
EXAMPLE: You perform a routine examination of a patient. However, you find out later that you made them feel uncomfortable and they decided to file a claim against you. In this instance, your policy would retain a lawyer on your behalf. Additionally, your defense fees are covered up until there is an admission or finding of liability.
*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.
Automatic Coverage Extensions
If a claim alleges that you violated privacy rules in connection with private health information, we provide you with access to counsel and will reimburse you for costs related to HIPAA proceedings — including relevant HIPAA fines.*
AMOUNT COVERED: $25,000 per policy period
EXAMPLE: A patient’s records were released without his permission, and you’re listed as responsible for the mistake.
*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.
If you’re involved in a licensing board action or proceeding, our policy provides you with legal counsel.*
AMOUNT COVERED: $25,000 per policy period
EXAMPLE: Your patient has a bad case of athlete’s foot, so you write a prescription for Lamisil. A couple of weeks later, you get a call from the patient saying that their condition has not gotten any better, and that their friend said you should have prescribed a different medication. The patient made a complaint to the local Medical Board regarding your care, and you just received a letter from them. You know that you did everything right, but you still want to have a lawyer by your side to guide you through the process with the Board.
*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.
If we ask you to attend litigation activities (e.g., a deposition), our policy will reimburse you for actual lost wages and any necessary expenses you incur (e.g., travel, meals).*
AMOUNT COVERED: Up to $1,000 per day
EXAMPLE: We ask you to attend a deposition that requires you to take off a full day from work. Because you’re insured, we’ll reimburse you for your travel expenses, meals, and proven lost wages.
*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.
If you face a threat to your professional reputation, we can provide you with a crisis management/public relations consultant to help clear your name.*
AMOUNT COVERED: $50,000 per claim
EXAMPLE: You’ve been caring for an elderly hip replacement patient with dementia. One day, his children stop by to pay him a visit. When asked how he’s doing, the patient mentions that you haven’t checked in on him all day — even though you’d actually visited him twice. Outraged, they decide to bring a claim of negligence against you, alleging that you’ve failed to provide their father with care. On top of that, they undertake an aggressive campaign to publicize your alleged negligence via social media, warning people against getting care from you.
We will retain a crisis management firm to aid you in responding to the threats made to your professional reputation.
*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.
Additional A La Carte Coverage
The policy applies if someone files a claim against you alleging that your premises or operations caused them bodily injury or harm.*
AMOUNT COVERED: $1 million occurrence/$1 million aggregate
EXAMPLE: You run a small medical office in town and someone slips and falls on your property. You’re alleged to be liable for their injuries.
*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.
If you’re audited by either Medicare or Medicaid, we offer reimbursement for related accountant or attorney costs that result from the investigation or defense of the audit proceedings.*
AMOUNT COVERED: $30,000 for a covered audit and related expenses
EXAMPLE: Medicare is initiating an audit of your business. To help you prepare, your policy will retain an accountant for you, who will help you go over your financial statements. And, if necessary, you could use a lawyer to defend your best interests — all while you continue to work.
*All instances provided that the complaint is covered under this policy.
* “20% savings” is based on industry pricing averages.
** Quote and issuance of a policy are conditioned upon receipt and approval of the following 1) Practice Location; 2) Profession / Specialty; 3) Employment Status; 4) Coverage Type; 5) Hours Worked; and 6) Prior Claims Activity. Final pricing and terms of coverage may vary.
*** Terms, pricing, and coverage may vary.
**** All policies are underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company.