The Healthcare Professional Liability Insurance That Nurses Need
Nursing professionals work hard and use various methods to treat patients. And as hard as you try to avoid mistakes, unfortunately they happen. If an error causes your patient a financial loss, they can sue you.
It’s also important to note that your employer’s liability insurance may have limitations and might not be enough to fully protect you in the event of a professional mistake. Even if you don’t make a mistake during treatment, you can still get sued and potentially be legally obligated to pay a covered claim. That’s why professional liability insurance for nurses is important to have. In fact, getting your own coverage is the best way to safeguard your career and finances.
Professional liability insurance helps protect you from claims of medical malpractice resulting from professional services. If you get sued, it can help pay for the costs to defend you in court.
What Is Nurse Practitioner Professional Liability Insurance?
Professional liability insurance for healthcare workers helps cover claims you’d have to pay as a result of:
- Negligence: If you do not provide a certain level of care which results in mental or physical harm to the patient, they can sue you or your business for negligence.
- Misrepresentation: If a client claims that false or misleading information convinced them to work with you and they suffer physical or mental harm, you could be sued for misrepresentation. For example, if you claimed that you had certain medical qualifications that were false, this could result in a lawsuit against you or your business.
- Inaccurate advice: If you make an error when providing medical advice to a client, they could sue you for damages.
- Failure to protect a patient’s healthcare records: If your patient’s healthcare data is compromised because you failed to properly secure it, you could be sued.
Professional liability insurance helps protect different types of healthcare professionals, like nurse practitioners, physical therapists and occupational therapists. You may have heard different names for professional liability insurance for healthcare workers, such as medical malpractice insurance, nurse malpractice insurance, errors and omissions insurance or E&O insurance.
If you get sued because of your professional services, this type of business insurance can help cover your:
- Legal fees
- Defense costs
- Judgments
- Settlements
- Lost income if you have to attend a trial or deposition
Why Is Nurses Professional Liability Insurance Important?
Professional liability insurance is a critical coverage for nursing professionals. Some states require nurses to carry professional liability insurance. Even if it’s not required, the peace of mind that comes with protecting your business is worth it.
This type of insurance coverage can help different types of healthcare professionals, like:
- Registered nurses
- Clinical nurse specialists
- Visiting nurses
- Licensed vocational or practical nurses
- Certified nursing assistants
Why Is Professional Liability Insurance Important for Nurses?
Doctors are not the only healthcare professionals who have to deal with lawsuits. Nursing professionals are also sued regularly by patients or their representatives and even the state board of nursing (SBON). Professional liability insurance can protect nurses from expensive litigation and offers peace of mind during incidents that occur.
Average Malpractice Claim Costs1
| Licensure Type | Percent of Claims | Average Total Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | 86.8% | $208,636 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse/Vocational Nurse | 12.8% | $219,871 |
| Student Nurse | <1% | $309,835 |
Additional Nurse Liability Insurance Coverages You May Need
Professional liability insurance for healthcare workers doesn’t cover every kind of claim that nurses may face. You’ll likely need other types of medical business insurance or assault coverage, like:
General liability insurance to help protect your business if a claim is filed for:
- Damage to property or to someone’s belongings
- Bodily injury
- Personal injury, like libel or slander
Workers’ compensation insurance to help your employees recover from a work-related injury or illness. This insurance coverage provides benefits that can help:
- Pay for medical bills
- Cover ongoing care expenses, like physical therapy
- Replace some lost wages
Data breach insurance, which some insurance companies call cyber liability insurance, can help you respond to a breach if personally identifiable information or health records get lost.
Commercial property insurance to help protect your owned or rented building and operational equipment. This can include:
- Blood pressure monitors
- Medical tools
- Computers
- Software
- Stethoscope
How Much Is Professional Liability Insurance for Nurses?
Professional liability insurance costs on average $76 per month for standalone coverage. Nurse liability insurance costs vary because every business is unique and has different needs. Insurance companies use different factors to determine insurance costs. These can include:
- Claims history
- Years in business or experience
- Location
The best way to find out what you’ll pay for professional liability insurance for nurses is to get a quote. You can call 844-931-3728 to find out how much professional liability insurance will be for you.
Nurses Professional Liability Insurance FAQs
What Are Examples of Professional Liability Insurance for Nurses?
If you fail to monitor your patient correctly and consistently, a malpractice claim could be filed against you. For instance, you’ll want to track your patient’s condition. If you don’t, their condition could get worse. This can result in a claim or lawsuit being filed against you for malpractice.
Another malpractice claim brought against nurses has to do with medication errors. If you administer the wrong medication to a patient and it causes damage or injury, your patient may file a lawsuit against you.
Why Should Nurses Carry Their Own Professional Liability Insurance?
It’s important for nurses to carry their own professional liability insurance because employer’s insurance does not typically cover every scenario. This means if you rely solely on the malpractice coverage your employer carries, you could still be sued. For example, having your own policy can help ensure the costs of having an attorney and representation in a lawsuit are covered.
What Are Some Additional Ways To Defend My Nursing License?
Some additional ways you can safeguard your nursing license include:
- Immediately notifying your professional liability insurer if you receive a complaint from your state board.
- Getting license defense coverage.
- Using your coverage to hire an attorney that specializes in defending nurses if a lawsuit or claim is filed against you.
- Always advocating for a safe work environment and speaking up if something doesn’t look safe.
- Remembering to fill out a patient’s chart. If a legal team is investigating, they always look at the nurse’s chart. If something is missing, nurses can be held responsible for it.
By Having My Own Policy, Am I More Targeted for a Lawsuit?
No, having your own policy does not make you more likely to be targeted for a lawsuit. However, it does help you have more protection if a covered incident or claim is filed against you.
If I Change Jobs, Will I Have To Pay More for Nursing Professional Liability Insurance?
If you change your job to something like nursing, your premium likely won’t be impacted much. However, if you change to a new career, like becoming an independent contractor, your premium may change more significantly.
Get a Quote for Nurses Professional Liability Insurance Coverage Today
It’s important to partner with an experienced insurance company like us. We have more than 200 years of experience and know the unique risks that healthcare professionals face. Our specialists can help you get the medical business insurance coverage you need or walk you through the claims process. We’ve got your back at every step of the way.
Call 844-931-3728 today and see how we can help protect you.
Last Updated: September 23, 2024
1 Nurses Service Organization (NSO), Nurse Professional Liability Exposure Claim Report: 4th Edition.
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