Liability insurance and malpractice insurance have a lot in common with each other. Both of them are required by specialized professionals and serve to protect the policyholder from having to pay damages on claims of professional negligence.
But what are the differences between them? In this post, we’ll be taking a look at their similarities and differences to see if malpractice insurance is the same as professional liability insurance.
What do professional liability insurance and malpractice insurance have in common?
What these two types of insurance have in common is really quite simple: malpractice insurance is a specific type of professional liability insurance.
Professional liability insurance (which is also called errors and omissions insurance) is a broad type of insurance that’s designed for most professional services. It covers claims from clients alleging negligence, failure to deliver services, or misconduct.
Malpractice insurance, also called medical malpractice insurance, is a type of professional liability insurance designed to protect healthcare workers. This is a must-have for doctors and dentists to protect themselves from any claims of negligence that they may end up having to defend.
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What is the difference between malpractice insurance and professional liability?
The difference between these two types of insurance is that liability insurance covers possible damages for a number of different occupations, such as lawyers or engineers.
Malpractice insurance, however, is specifically tailored towards the unique risks that medical workers face. For instance, a surgeon faces a much greater potential risk of harming someone during a complex procedure than an architect during their day job.
Is errors and omissions insurance the same as professional liability?
Yes, errors and omissions insurance is another name for professional liability insurance. As we covered, this is different from the malpractice insurance that protects medical workers from claims lodged against them for potential negligence.
Other FAQs about malpractice insurance
Q: Is medical malpractice the same as professional indemnity?
A: Yes, medical malpractice is another term for professional indemnity insurance. They both offer the same types of protection to health professionals.
Q: How much does malpractice insurance cost?
A: That depends. Like many insurance policies, the cost of malpractice insurance is subject to a number of different things. A few factors that can affect the price of your policy include:
- Where you work
- Your specific field of specialty
- How long you’ve been working
- The specific insurance provider you go with
Related: What are the costs and benefits of professional liability insurance?
Q: Do I need malpractice insurance?
A: If you’re a healthcare worker, you should have a good malpractice insurance policy. And not just doctors, surgeons and nurses either — any medical professionals who prescribe, advise or consult should stay protected.
However, always remember to check with the hospital you work for before you buy your policy. In some cases, hospitals will pay the premiums for you, although this is a rare case.
Most of the time, since healthcare workers are hired on to their hospital as a contractor, they are required to show proof of insurance before their first day.
Defense costs can be a crippling part of going to trial in the event of someone coming after you claiming your medical practice caused them bodily injury.
Whether from a professional mistake, an honest accident or a fraudulent claim, these can incur massive financial losses — even if you’re not at fault.
Having malpractice insurance goes a long way to ensuring your peace of mind, so you can continue to do your job to the best of your abilities.
If you’re looking for insurance, look no further than APOLLO. Get your free quote emailed directly to your inbox in under five minutes. And with our team of advisors to help you through the process via live web chat or phone call, it’s never been easier!
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