Sun, sand, and swapping stethoscopes for sandals? Florida beckons physicians with its sunshine and vibrant medical scene. But amidst the beach umbrellas and palm trees lies a crucial consideration: medical malpractice insurance. Unlike some states, Florida doesn’t mandate malpractice insurance for doctors. However, navigating a new practice location and a different legal landscape can be tricky. This article equips you with the essential knowledge to ensure your Florida practice thrives, with a specific focus on securing the right malpractice insurance for your peace of mind.
Cover your “tail”
There are several carriers that provide coverage in Florida along with other states. There is a good chance you can avoid the cost of “tail” (extended reporting period endorsement) buy securing prior acts coverage with a carrier that cover your new exposure in Florida along with your past exposure from another state. For example, let’s say you are a general surgeon and you are moving from Illinois to Florida. There are 6 admitted insurance companies that offer policies in Illinois and Florida.
We can obtain quotes from all 6 companies that include prior acts coverage by matching your retroactive date. This will save you a substantial amount of money by avoid the large expense for “tail” coverage for the Illinois exposure. However, sometimes true “tail” coverage (ERP) is unavoidable due to an employment agreement or contract. In that scenario, we would recommend shopping for “tail” coverage and then you can secure a 1st year claims-made policy for the new Florida exposure.
Plan for the future
If you are securing a medical malpractice policy for the first time, allow us to provide you a 5-year premium outlook. A claims-made policy will increase for the first 5 years. After the 5th year, the policy is considered mature and the premium stabilizes. Excluding claims or medical board investigations, the premium will remain the same from year to year unless the carrier takes a rate increase or decrease. Let us provide you with a 5-year insurance plan so you can accurately budget for the future (see premium calculator).
Know your limits
Unless you are moving to Florida from Texas, you will likely secure limits lower than you currently carry. The standard limits for Florida physicians are $250,000 per claim / $750,000 annual aggregate. The courts have determined that this is a “reasonable and responsible amount of coverage”. Higher limits are available but most physicians elect to secure the industry standard.
With the standard limit in most states being $1,000,000/$3,000,000, carrying those limits in Florida can simply make you bigger target for an attorney while paying a much higher premium. Occasionally, higher limits may be contractually required. We can help you obtain the most cost-effective policy for any limit requirement.
Read your employment contract
Are you joining a group that is providing your insurance? That is great, but make sure you determine who is responsible for your “tail” if you leave the group. Most physicians that contact us for “tail” only coverage (Stand Alone Tail) coverage go through the following situation: They notify their employer that they are moving on from the group.
The employer then gives them a quote from their insurance company for “tail” coverage that is unbelievably expensive. Once they go back and review their contract, they realize that even though their employer provides insurance, the contract stipulates that the physicians is required to secure “tail”. That’s where we come in. We can obtain quotes from all of the carriers that provide Stand Alone Tail coverage and typically save you 20% – 35%. Knowing the details of your contract can save you an unexpected future expense. (see “tail” calculator).
Understand the Florida territories
The medical malpractice carriers in Florida have the state divided into six, differently rated territories:
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- Rest of State (all counties not specifically listed below)
- Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco Counties
- Clay, Duval and St. Johns Counties
- Martin, Palm Beach and St. Lucie Counties
- Broward County
- Miami-Dade County
Your practice location plays a large role in determining your premium. The list above is in order of lower rated territory to higher rated territory. For example, an internist in Lake County Florida should be paying around $6,000 annually for a mature policy. The same doctor would be paying $15,000 annually for a practice located in Miami-Dade County.
By equipping yourself with this knowledge, you can ensure a smooth transition to your new Florida practice with the peace of mind that comes from robust malpractice insurance coverage.
Interested in more information about the Florida insurance market? Please feel free to contact us to speak to one of our licensed agents. We would be happy to help make your transition to Florida as easy as possible. Our promise is to deliver cost effective, high-quality coverage to physicians. Contact us today for your no-obligation quote and give us the opportunity to earn your business.
