Physician Assistant Malpractice Insurance

If you work as a physician assistant, 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

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

We work with your defense attorney to reach the best possible outcome for you. We won’t settle a claim without your approval.

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).

If you provide professional care to someone who is not your patient in a first aid or emergency situation, and that person files a claim against you, your policy would still apply.

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

If the professional licensing authority is investigating matters related to your professional conduct, our policy provides you with legal defense.

AMOUNT COVERED:
$25,000 limit per policy period

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

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

Medical malpractice insurance can help protect you if a patient or a patient’s family sues you for allegedly causing them bodily injury. A malpractice lawsuit can be a huge financial burden: there are the legal costs of defending yourself against the claim, as well as court fees, lost wages, and more. In addition, if you settle the lawsuit or are found responsible by the court, you’ll have to pay for damages. Physician assistant malpractice insurance can help protect you by paying for your legal defense and settlement costs.

Every practicing physician assistant should carry medical malpractice insurance. When you’re providing care for patients, there’s always the risk that you could be blamed for a patient’s injuries and sued for malpractice. Even if you aren’t at fault, a malpractice lawsuit can take a huge toll on your finances and your career. Not only are you responsible for the legal costs of defending yourself against a claim, including court fees and wages lost due to court appearances, but if found at fault, you’ll also be responsible for paying damages.

This is why malpractice insurance for physician assistants is so crucial: it can provide the legal and financial support you need in the event of a malpractice claim. When you buy a PA malpractice insurance policy, you’re protecting yourself from the financial blow of a lawsuit. Berxi puts a dedicated attorney and a team of claims professionals in your corner to help you through the ordeal, giving you the peace of mind you need to continue supporting your patients.

In addition, even if you’re covered by your employer’s policy, you should look into purchasing your own policy (also known as a supplemental malpractice policy). While your employer’s policy can provide some protection, there are a number of situations in which their insurance might not protect you – or might provide inadequate financial coverage. The benefits of having your own supplemental PA malpractice insurance policy include:

• Extra funds available for your defense and settlement costs, which can be helpful if many members of the team are named in the same suit as you.
• Personal legal counsel. Having your own policy means you are the main point of contact with your defense team.
• Protection in HIPAA-related claims and actions. This may not be covered by your employer.
• Legal defense for licensing board actions, which is often not covered by employer policies.
• Control over deciding whether or not to settle. Employer policies might be more likely to force your hand.
• Reputation coverage, which is usually not provided by employer policies.

In the event of a malpractice claim, your PA malpractice insurance policy can give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have the protection you need.

The cost of tail coverage is often a multiple of your current annual policy premium, depending on how long you want it to extend. For physician assistants, tail coverage is typically – but not always – twice the cost of your annual medical malpractice premium. This price is set when your current policy was issued.

Many PA programs require students to have their own malpractice insurance policy in order to begin the program. Any time you’re providing clinical care, it’s important to make sure you’re protected from malpractice claims. While Berxi does not cover PA students, a number of providers offer free policies for students in PA programs.

For new graduates from a PA program, Berxi offers substantial discounts on malpractice coverage. Get a quote to see how much you could pay as a recent grad.

Many states require medical professionals, including PAs, to maintain a minimum baseline level of medical malpractice insurance coverage. And even if you don’t practice in one of those states, PAs can benefit from obtaining malpractice insurance. Any role that involves some element of autonomy runs the risk of being on the defense end of legal action. While employers may provide some coverage, having your own personal protection is becoming more and more necessary, particularly given today’s legal climate. Should you change jobs, having your own malpractice insurance will ensure that you remain covered.

Data from the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) statistics gathered between 2000 and 2020 shows a total of 6,445 adverse action reports and 3,190 medical malpractice payment reports involving PAs. In the same time period, physicians were sued at higher rates, but the frequency of malpractice lawsuits involving PAs seems to be increasing: the NPDB cited just 77 medical malpractice payment reports in 2000, compared to over 200 reports per year in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

When PAs are named in a lawsuit – either individually or part of a care team – the financial and professional costs can be potentially devastating. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you’re protected with comprehensive medical malpractice insurance.

Physician assistants need medical malpractice insurance, which is a type of professional liability insurance. If you operate your own business, you may also want to look into general liability insurance, which can protect you against claims of non-medical bodily injury, such as someone slipping in your office, and claims that you accidentally damaged someone else’s property.