Illinois Medical Malpractice Insurance

In Illinois, medical malpractice insurance is a necessity for any medical professional. When shopping for malpractice insurance, it’s important to compare coverage options across multiple carriers to find the most comprehensive and affordable coverage for your needs. 

The Illinois malpractice insurance marketplace is unique because rates vary dramatically depending upon where you practice. For example, physicians located in Cook County (Chicago) pay significantly more than their downstate counterparts. Premiums in Illinois tend to be high in comparison to other states, regardless of where you practice. By taking the time to research malpractice insurance policies, medical professionals in Illinois can protect their careers from costly malpractice claims.

Our Physician Buyers Guide for purchasing malpractice insurance in Illinois gives you the information necessary to obtain the strongest, most financially secure policy at the best price. When shopping for coverage, you need a full view of the Illinois marketplace to find the company that best fits your situation. Choose a broker that can offer multiple quotes from all the major malpractice insurance companies in Illinois.

How to buy malpractice insurance in Illinois.

Your best approach is to shop for malpractice insurance through a qualified, reputable malpractice insurance broker in Illinois who can help assess your situation and provide options that can also be tailored to individual needs to fit the complexity of each particular practice. Your broker will be there to help walk you through the lengthy insurance application and underwriting process. Click to get medical malpractice insurance quotes from every major Illinois malpractice insurance company.

Typically, the malpractice insurance purchasing process goes like this:

  1. Submit your information for your free medical malpractice insurance quote from every major insurance company in Illinois.
  2. One of our veteran malpractice insurance agents who specializes in the Illinois market will contact you to learn more about your specific needs.
  3. We shop your coverage to every major insurance company in Illinois.
  4. We present you with a number of insurance quotes and give you the information necessary to make an educated and informed decision. Don’t worry. We’re here every step of the way, helping you get the best price with the best company.

At renewal time, we restart the process of shopping your coverage among every major carrier to keep your policy properly priced.

What are the benefits of malpractice insurance?

Malpractice insurance is invaluable for medical practitioners, as it provides financial protection if needed. This type of coverage helps safeguard the health, potential earnings and professional reputation of a doctor. Additionally, malpractice insurance can help boost client confidence and trust in the health care provider’s knowledge and abilities. By offering malpractice insurance coverage, medical professionals demonstrate a commitment to providing quality care that aligns with industry standards.

How to save money on your malpractice insurance.

When it comes to malpractice insurance, finding ways to save money can be a daunting task. However, there are a few strategies that could help lower costs. These helpful tips will make malpractice insurance far more affordable and give you peace of mind when providing medical care:

  • The easiest way to save money on your medical malpractice insurance policy is by working with a broker who has the access to generate quotes from every major insurance company, offering an accurate view of the marketplace. As one of the top brokers in Illinois, we can guide you through the application and underwriting process so you’re confident you secured the best price with the right insurer for your situation.
  • The most common limits in Illinois are $1 million/$3 million. Limits of liability play a major role in determining the overall cost of your policy. Some companies will offer lower limits to save you money. We don’t recommend this. We want your risks fully indemnified so you never have to pay an award out of pocket. Let us save you money by shopping your coverage rather than skimp on protection.
  • Check out our 7 secrets your medical malpractice insurance agent won’t tell you page to get insider information on buying coverage in Illinois.

How much does medical malpractice insurance cost in Illinois.

The cost of malpractice insurance in Illinois can vary depending on the type of medical professional and their practice. On average, malpractice premiums in the state range from $6,000 per year to over $50,000 a year for various practices and specialists. Although malpractice costs can be steep, it is important to remember that it is a critical form of coverage to protect yourself and your patients.

Rates for physician malpractice insurance don’t vary much depending on where you practice within the state. Most major insurance companies classify Illinois as a single territory, which means your specialty’s base rate does not vary depending on your practice address. But you still want multiple quotes to get an accurate view of the marketplace. This is one of the many reasons it’s important to work with an insurance agency that specializes in medical malpractice insurance. Below are mature, base rates with no credits or discounts. We typically get our clients a 30-50% reduction from these rates:

Illinois

  • Internal Medicine Average Rate $12,175
  • General Surgeon Average Rate $37,455
  • OB/gyn – Average Rate $54,307
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Medical malpractice requirements in Illinois.

Limits of Liability: The most common limits of liability in Illinois are $1 million per claim with an annual aggregate cap of $3 million.

Most hospitals require a physician carry malpractice insurance prior to granting admitting privileges. Some of the hospital systems requiring this include, but are not limited to, Advocate, AMITA and Northwestern.

Best Medical malpractice insurance companies in Illinois.

  1. ISMIE
  2. The Doctors Company
  3. Medical Protective

Why partner with Cunningham Group?

Partnering with Cunningham Group will give you a full view of the Illinois marketplace. We can get you quotes from all the major insurance companies and help you choose the policy that best fits your needs and budget. Our company was founded in Illinois, and this is where our headquarters is located. We know Illinois better than any broker in the state. Our veteran insurance agents average 15+ years of industry experience. Let us help you secure medical malpractice insurance quotes from every major insurance company in Illinois.

Historic Medical Malpractice Insurance Rates in Illinois for Physicians.

Brief History and other important facts of medical malpractice insurance in Illinois.

Illinois has a complex medical malpractice landscape. ISMIE (Illinois State Medical Insurance Exchange) is the dominant insurer in the state, covering more than half of Illinois physicians. ISMIE was founded in 1976 by the Illinois State Medical Society in response to the medical malpractice crisis of the mid-1970s. Since then, many other companies have joined ISMIE in providing medical malpractice insurance to Illinois physicians.

Illinois is frequently cited as having one of the worst legal climates for tort-related cases in the country, including medical malpractice cases, which helps keep premiums high. According to the 2019 report, Ranking the States: A Survey of the Fairness and Reasonableness of State Liability Systems, from the Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Illinois ranked 50 (dead last) in the fairness and reasonableness of its liability system. In particular, Cook County, which includes Chicago and surrounding areas, is known for having large jury awards (including for medical malpractice suits) and Madison County, in southwest Illinois, was 8th on the ILR’s 2021 list of Judicial Hellholes, due to its status as a haven for personal injury lawsuits and concerns about corruption and fairness in the county.

Tort reform has been attempted many times in Illinois, with varying degrees of success. In 2005, the Medical Liability Reform Act was passed, which capped the amount of damages a patient could receive for pain and suffering at $500,000 from a physician and $1,000,000 from a hospital. It did not cap the total amount of an award. In 2010, the Illinois State Supreme Court found the damage cap to be unconstitutional. In 2013, the Illinois State Medical Society pushed Senate Bill 2160, which would have reinstated many provisions of the Medical Liability Reform Act, as well as instituted further reforms. The bill did not pass. As of 2021, there has been no attempt to legislate Tort Reform measures. We’ll update this area if there is another attempt.