Healthcare professional liability loss costs continue to rise, fueled by increasing claims severity, while claims frequency remains fairly stable, according to a just-released, 14th-annual study by Zurich North America. In the 2019 Benchmark Study of Healthcare Professional Liability Claims, Zurich draws data from the more than $16 billion in losses contained in its claims database […]

There are many reasons you want to work with an agent when seeking malpractice insurance, and some are certainly more important than others. I just worked with a hand surgeon in Miami, Fla., who recently went through a personal trauma. Mired in the trauma’s distraction, he didn’t pay attention to a “missed payment” correspondence from […]

Dr. Randall Floyd called me in a bit of a panic. An addiction medicine specialist in Anchorage, Alaska, he had put off securing a replacement medical malpractice insurance policy for almost a month past the expiration of his previous policy. The medical group he was employed with had changed their corporate structure where they were […]

I just got off the telephone with an Obstetrician/Gynecologist who practices in Philadelphia. I’m helping her shop her malpractice coverage and she — somewhat sheepishly — asked, “What exactly is the difference between claims-made and occurrence coverage, and which is best for me?” On the surface, this sounds like a simple question to answer, but […]

It’s six a.m., and the phone is already ringing. As I put down my coffee and pick-up the telephone, I hear a frantic voice on the other end that is too fast to understand. “Sir, sir,” I interjected, “please slow down as I can’t understand you.” The gentleman took a deep breath before saying, “Sorry, […]

A general surgeon in Savannah, Ga., recently called me in need of help with the high cost of tail coverage she was offered by her employer. She was leaving a group practice and moving out of state to take a new job. When she informed the group she was leaving, they told her she would […]

As someone who specializes in medical malpractice insurance, every day can be an exciting day as the worlds of medicine, insurance and the law all smash together — not to mention egos and hurt feelings. A great example is when I helped a company get its medical malpractice insurance in New Jersey. I had a […]

The U.S. medical professional liability (MPL) insurance segment continues to produce favorable results, with better-than-average profitability for more than a decade. However, according to a new A.M. Best Special Report, the MPL market remains pressurized, resulting in a longterm trend of declining premiums, rising underwriting ratios and diminishing reserve redundancies. The Best’s Market Segment Report, […]

In March, the Trump Administration unveiled its Fiscal-Year 2020 budget proposal, outlining the President’s tax and spending priorities for the next decade. While the president’s budget proposal is simply a request with no binding authority on Congress, it is best understood as a detailed statement by the administration of its fiscal goals and policy preferences. […]