While doctors offer their informed care and advice to patients, they also need someone looking after them. Unfortunately, offering medical treatment and prescriptions to the public comes with a host of potential risks, and costly, dangerous mistakes. That’s why it’s important to work with a Mississippi independent insurance agent to equip your practice with the right doctors professional liability insurance. But first, here’s a closer look at this crucial coverage.

What Is Doctors Malpractice Insurance?

A specialized form of professional liability or errors & omissions (aka “E&O”) coverage, medical or doctors malpractice insurance is a policy designed to protect medical practitioners from damage caused by professional mistakes. Legal claims against doctors can be extremely costly, both financially and in terms of damaging their reputation. With a doctors malpractice policy, the insurance company covers ramifications stemming from improper procedures.

It’s critical for medical practices to equip their business with the right protection. Legal claims and lawsuits filed by patients can be not only embarrassing and tragic, but also expensive to the point of potential bankruptcy. Working with a Mississippi independent insurance agent is a great way to get your practice set up with all the protection it needs.

What Does Doctors Malpractice Insurance Cover in Mississippi?

Doctors malpractice insurance in Mississippi is essentially the same as everywhere else. Due to the extremely risky nature of medical work, doctors need a policy that addresses any unintentional harm done by them to their patients. Doctors malpractice coverage is designed to protect doctors against damage caused by professional negligence. Coverage takes care of legal/court and medical fees, and will pay to prevent any negative media attention as well.

This specialized form of professional liability, or E&O insurance, is meant to protect medical practitioners in the event they cause their patients additional injury, illness, or death. A Mississippi independent insurance agent can help equip your medical practice with the right doctors malpractice coverage to protect against costly lawsuits.

What Does Doctors Malpractice Insurance Not Cover in Mississippi?

While doctors malpractice insurance provides coverage for many potential sources of harm by medical practitioners in Mississippi, it doesn’t cover everything. While exclusions may vary by policy, there are a handful of commonly non-covered perils under doctors malpractice insurance in Mississippi, including:

• Intentional harm
• Regulatory/statutory penalties
• Employee dishonesty
• Property damage

Property damage is covered under commercial Mississippi general liability (CGL) insurance, so it’s not included under professional liability, aka E&O insurance. If you’re concerned that your medical practice is lacking in any area of protection, a Mississippi independent insurance agent can help you get set up with all the coverage it needs.

What Are the Benefits of Doctors Malpractice Insurance in Mississippi?

Due to the risky nature of their work, doctors absolutely need the right protection. There is one major (and all-encompassing) benefit to having doctors malpractice insurance in Mississippi:

• Protection against professional errors/negligence: As a professional offering a service to the public, there’s always potential to do unintended harm. In the event a case is filed against a doctor claiming they’ve neglected a patient in a way that causes additional injury, illness, or death, a costly lawsuit could easily arise. Having the right coverage is crucial to help avoid huge potential fees needed to sort ugly legal matters.

Having adequate liability coverage for your medical practice is crucial. Liability claims can cost several hundred thousand dollars and have the potential to bankrupt a doctor who lacks proper insurance. Because of the risks involved in the nature of their work, doctors need malpractice coverage to protect both themselves and the public. Causing unintentional harm is tragic enough to begin with, but with the right coverage, it doesn’t have to mean financial ruin.

How Much Does Medical Malpractice Insurance Cost in Mississippi?

It really depends on the size of your specific medical practice, how many patients you treat, the type of services you offer, and the potential risk you have of doing professional harm to the public. The average cost of medical malpractice insurance nationwide is currently $7,500 per year. However, medical practitioners like surgeons often pay closer to $30,000 or even $50,000 per year. Your Mississippi independent insurance agent can fill in the blanks.

Why Work with a Mississippi Independent Insurance Agent?

In order to get the protection you need and deserve, you’ll want to work with a trusted expert. And who could be better for the job than a local agent who shares your area code? Independent insurance agents act as your own personal insurance shoppers, offering you tons more options than one-policy companies. With just one call, they’ll hook you up with multiple quotes.

Mississippi independent insurance agents are armed with knowledge on what coverage is needed in your area, and they’ll get you set up with just enough of it — not too little, not too much. They’ll handle all the heavy lifting, so you can rest assured you’ll be set up with the right coverage at the right price.

They’re not just there at the beginning either. If disaster strikes, your Mississippi agent will be there to help walk you through the claims process and make sure you’re getting the benefits you're entitled to. Now that’s thinking ahead.