The practice of patients making claims against their doctor has a storied history. It is widely recognised that the 1374 Stratton vs. Swanlond case in England was the first medical malpractice case. In the US, the first medical malpractice suit was recorded in 1794, with the doctor being ordered to pay the plaintiff £40.
However, the practice has evolved tremendously over the last few centuries, and now it involves huge sums of money that necessitate health service providers to guard themselves. This is what makes professional indemnity insurance coverage essential for doctors.
What Is A Professional Indemnity Policy For Doctors?
Professional indemnity insurance, colloquially known as PI insurance, is a type of insurance coverage that covers doctors (or any other healthcare service providers) against financial liabilities and losses occasioned by lawsuits and claims that arise from errors, negligence, and omissions.
A PI policy gives doctors that all-important safety net to protect their professional reputation by providing the resources to fight claims made by aggrieved parties in the legal system. It also safeguards the doctors’ financial well-being.
What Does A Typical Indemnity Insurance Policy Cover?
It is important to note that doctors can customise their insurance coverage to suit their practice and adequately and conclusively meet their needs. As such, there is no one-coverage-suits-all.
However, a typical PI policy will cover the financial and legal liabilities suffered for errors, omissions, and breaches of duty, the legal fees associated with the lawsuit, and the plaintiff’s settlement and compensation.
Who Is Covered By PI Insurance Coverage?
Typically, you can customise the insurance policy to suit your specific needs. Part of the customisation includes determining who is covered under the policy. That being said, good professional indemnity cover will protect the doctors and the support staff who provide treatment services, hospital officials, clinics, and hospitals. Anyone working in the clinic or hospital who might get exposed to negligence or malpractice lawsuits and claims should be covered.
Notable Benefits Of Professional Indemnity Insurance
Acquiring professional indemnity insurance far outweighs the cost. The cover protects healthcare professionals and the institutions they work for or own from claims and lawsuits. Some of the notable benefits of this cover include:
#1. Protecting You Against Professional Liability Claims
Many doctors, if not all, take the Hippocratic Oath that stipulates, “First, do no harm.” Understanding their duty of care, healthcare providers do not set out to cause harm to any patient under their care. However, as we are all humans, mistakes happen. Whether omissions or commission mistakes, they can yield severe consequences, leading to doctors facing lawsuits and claims that can cause financial ruin.
A PI insurance policy is essential for providing doctors with a safety net. The insurance covers the cost of lawsuits and compensation that may arise from a lawsuit and/or claim.
And this cost is by no means small. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Practitioner Data Bank estimates that from 2013 to 2022, the average payout for medical malpractice claims in the US was $342,307.97. Such a huge payout can ruin a doctor’s financial standing, resulting in massive debts or even bankruptcy. For doctors running private clinics, such a payout might spell doom for their clinic.
Therefore, of all the benefits of a professional indemnity insurance policy you might think of, the ability to guard your assets, financial health, and professional reputation is by far the most essential.
#2. It’s Part And Parcel Of Meeting Regulatory Requirements
For some doctors, the issue of getting PI insurance coverage is not left to their discretion. In some jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom, healthcare service providers are mandated to acquire and maintain sufficient PI coverage as part of maintaining high professional standards among doctors. This requirement also serves to protect the patient’s interests.
As such, in some cases, PI insurance is not just essential but a mandatory requirement for many doctors.
#3. It Gives Medical Practitioners Peace Of Mind
A doctor who operates constrained by fears of lawsuits and claims might not offer the best service possible. In some cases, they might be able to render effective care.
A professional indemnity insurance policy gives doctors the peace of mind and confidence to provide health services without fear of suffering severe consequences for any unexpected turn of events and outcomes. In other words, doctors can work and render their services without being exposed to undue stress arising from lawsuits and claims.
#4. Professional Indemnity Insurance Enhances Your Reputation And Patient Trust
Professional indemnity insurance also reassures patients of the doctor’s commitment to their safety and well-being. It’s a clear sign that a physician, dentist, or any other medical practitioner has taken active mitigation steps for anything wrong that might happen to the patients. Additionally, it is a clear demonstration of willingness to take up accountability and transparency. These considerations enhance a doctor’s reputation and trust among his or her patients.
#5. It’s Affordable
Finally, PI insurance policies are affordable, especially when compared to the coverage they provide. The premiums that doctors pay for this cover cannot compare with the cost of lawsuits and claims. Moreover, more often than not, doctors can treat the premiums as business expenses, reducing the clinic’s tax burden.
Summing Up!
Is professional indemnity insurance essential for doctors? Yes!
In this day and age, doctors should not (and, in some cases, cannot) render their services without professional indemnity cover. Every doctor needs adequate PI insurance coverage to guard against financial losses arising from lawsuits and claims and to meet the regulatory requirements stipulated by licensing bodies.
