The selection of the right kind of NY medical malpractice insurance policy, at the most competitive premium can be a daunting task. This process can be all the more confusing for a physician who has just completed his or her training, is ready to begin practicing medicine in a solo or group environment, and is lookng to purchase their first NY Medical Malpractice Insurance policy.
Physicians & Surgeons looking for NY Medical Malpractice insurance can benefit from a basic understanding of the following criteria that impact their premiums:
1.Territory: New York, especially the five boroughs (Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island) and Long Island, have some of the highest malpractice rates in the nation. Nassau & Suffolk, followed by Brookly, Queens & Staten Island have the highest NY Medical Malpractice insurance premiums in the state.
2.Type of coverage: NY Medical Malpractice insurance carriers offer primarily two kinds of policies: Occurrence and Claims-made. Occurrence policies are higher in premiums in the initial 7 years since they include permanent protection for physicians, or what is commonly known as ‘tail coverage’.
3.Specialty: The specialty practiced by the physician dictates the kind of premium the physician would pay. Neurosurgeons, Ob/Gyns, Orthopedic Surgeons, and most surgical classes have high premiums for medical malpractice insurance than other non-surgical classes such as Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, FP/GP, Neurology etc.
4.Claims history: One of the primary criteria NY medical malpractice insurance underwriters consider is the physicians past claims history. Typically, most underwriters look at the previous 10 years history, including any open or closed/settled medical malpractice cases.
5.Discounts: Most standard market NY Medical Malpractice insurance carriers offer discounts for risk management, waiver of consent, annual premium prepay, and joint-defense discounts.
