Medical malpractice insurance is a specialised form of professional indemnity cover designed to protect healthcare professionals from claims alleging negligence or errors in the provision of medical services. It’s essential for a wide range of medical practitioners, including doctors, dentists, nurses, and aesthetics practitioners, as it safeguards their careers and practices against potential legal actions.
Also known as medical indemnity insurance, this cover helps with legal costs and any subsequent damages arising from claims of professional negligence.
In our full blog below, learn why medical malpractice is important for your practice, and discover how to get started with our dedicated team.
Why do you need medical malpractice insurance?
In the healthcare industry, encountering a malpractice claim is an inherent risk of professional practice.
Even when providing care to the highest standards, misunderstandings or unforeseen complications can happen, and can result in claims of negligence – serious claims that can have devastating effects on a practice..
Medical malpractice insurance offers financial protection and reassurance, allowing professionals to focus on delivering quality care without the constant worry of potential legal action.
Exploring common medical malpractice claims
Claims can be made in a wide variety of causes and contexts, however, some of the most common reasons that medical malpractice claims are filed include:
Failure to diagnose
Failure to diagnose occurs when a healthcare professional overlooks a condition or illness that a competent provider would have identified in similar circumstances.
This can lead to delayed or missed treatment, worsening the patient’s condition. For example, misinterpreting a heart attack as acid reflux or failing to recognise early-stage cancer can result in severe, even fatal, outcomes.
Incorrect sterilisation techniques
Proper sterilisation is crucial for preventing infections during medical procedures. Using improperly cleaned instruments or failing to maintain a sterile surgical environment can expose patients to harmful bacteria or viruses.
Inadequate sterilisation in operating rooms can cause serious postoperative infections such as sepsis, leading to extended hospital stays, additional surgeries, or worse. Legal claims in this area often focus on whether the practice followed established infection control protocols.
Medication errors
Medication errors are among the most common causes of malpractice claims.
These mistakes can occur at any stage of the medication process and may involve prescribing the wrong medication, administering an incorrect dosage, or failing to account for potential drug interactions or allergies.
For instance, prescribing a drug that adversely interacts with another medication a patient is taking or giving an adult a pediatric dosage can have serious health implications, such as organ failure or severe allergic reactions.
Often, these errors stem from lapses in communication between healthcare professionals, and only serve to demonstrate the importance of robust prescription verification processes.
What are the key considerations to have when choosing your cover?
When evaluating your medical malpractice insurance, it’s crucial to understand the different types of policies available. For example, would you prefer an occurrence-made policy, or a claims-made policy?:
Occurrence-made policies: provides protection against claims arising from incidents that occurred during the coverage period, even if the claim is filed after the policy has expired.
Claims-made policies: covers claims reported during the policy period, including those related to past treatments, as long as there has been continuous cover. Understanding these differences is essential in selecting the right policy for your practice.
Why Choose BBi Ireland?
With over 35 years of expertise, BBi Ireland has an in-depth understanding of the healthcare sector and the unique risks faced by medical professionals. We provide tailored solutions, ensuring each client benefits from expert guidance and a personalised approach.
Alongside our industry knowledge, we have an internal claims team dedicated to providing essential support when you need it most. Our team ensures efficient claims handling and offers trusted assistance in critical situations.
To meet the diverse needs of healthcare providers, we can arrange a wide range of flexible cover options, all serving to make sure that our solutions align with your practice’s requirements.
By working with BBi Ireland, you can access expert insurance brokerage services, securing comprehensive medical malpractice cover while focusing on delivering patient care with confidence.
Explore our medical malpractice services to learn more about how we can help safeguard your practice.
Get started with BBi today
At BBi Ireland, we specialise in arranging comprehensive medical malpractice insurance solutions tailored to your practice’s unique needs. As experienced brokers, we work with a range of insurers to secure the most suitable cover for you.
Once you’re happy with the terms of the cover, we’ll guide you through the final steps to arrange your medical malpractice insurance policy, giving you the valuable peace of mind and security for your practice.
For more information on medical malpractice insurance and how we can help protect your practice, visit our medical malpractice page today.
