Montana Medical Malpractice Insurance

• Most Common Limits of Liability: $1 million/$3 million
• Major Malpractice Insurers:
  • UMIA Insurance Inc.
  • Mountain States Healthcare Reciprocal RRG
  • The Doctors Company
  • Yellowstone Insurance Exchange
  • Endurance American Specialty Insurance Co.
• Cost of Medical Malpractice Insurance: High

Montana has relatively high malpractice rates when compared to many of its neighbors. The state is not dominated by any one carrier, with many companies competing for physicians’ business. Montana has also implemented many reforms to its medical liability system. In recent years, rates have been holding steady or decreasing.

Montana made many reforms to its medical liability system in the mid-1990s. Among the most important reforms was the establishment of a $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages in 1995. Other reforms included changes to joint and several liability rules in 1997; allowing for periodic payments; and collateral source reform.

• Damage Caps? Yes, noneconomic damages are capped at $250,000.
• Patient Compensation Fund? No
• Apology Law? Yes, statements, affirmation, gesture, or conduct expressing apology, sympathy, commiseration, condolence, compassion or a general sense of benevolence can be made for the pain, suffering or death of a person a civil action for medical malpractice.
• Joint Liability Reform? Yes, parties judged to be 50% or less at fault are only liable for their share of negligence, unless they acted in concert with or as an agent of another party. Those judged to be more than 50% at fault are fully liable.
• Collateral Source reform? Yes, if damages will exceed $50,000, then total damages must be reduced by the amount of prior collateral source payments, as long as the collateral sources do not involve rights of subrogation.
• Periodic payments? Yes, periodic payments must be ordered if any party requests and if future damages will exceed $50,000.
• Limits on Plaintiff Attorney’s Fees? No

Overview

Medical malpractice rates in Montana tend to be high, especially when compared to neighboring states. Though rates do not approach those seen in states like Illinois and New York, primary care physicians in Montana can expect rates in the mid-teens, while specialists like obstetricians may see rates as high as $80,000 per year or more.

Get Historic Rates

By combining our efforts with those of the Medical Liability Monitor – the nation’s leading independent source of Medical Liability Insurance news, as well as the political, legal and risk management issues that affect the healthcare industry – we’ve published historic rate data for every county in the Big Sky State. You can view all the rates by completing the three simple steps on the left of this page. You’ll find the insights offered by this information invaluable when making your decision on your medical malpractice insurance coverage and carriers. This is only one of the many reasons that Cunningham Group Insurance has become the preferred online source for Montana physicians, healthcare professionals and medical groups looking to find the best coverage and lower their medical malpractice insurance rates.

Coverage by Montana County

Rates are constant across Montana’s 56 counties. Physicians in more populous counties like Yellowstone, which includes the state’s largest city, Billings, or Missoula County, with Montana’s second-largest city, will pay the same rates as doctors in more rural areas.

Montana Medical Association
Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance
Montana Board of Medical Examiners
Montana Osteopathic Medical Association
Montana Medical Group Management Association
All MD Montana Healthcare Defense Attorney Listing