Do I need Malpractice insurance?

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  1. This is a discussion on Do I need Malpractice insurance? in General Nursing Discussion, part of General Nursing ... Wondering if it's necessary to get my own malpractice insurance? I'm a new-grad; and have no idea...

    by Jun 26, '12
    Wondering if it's necessary to get my own malpractice insurance? I'm a new-grad; and have no idea what to look for, amounts, coverages ect...
    Any words of advice, recommended companies, ect would be great!
    Thanks!
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    by worf Jun 26, '12 2:21 am
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    Joe V likes this.

  2. 35 Comments so far...

  3. Jun 26, '12 by
    Yes.

    Here.
    Professional Liability Insurance for nurses, nursing medical malpractice.

    Done
    OnlybyHisgraceRN likes this.
  4. Jun 26, '12 by
    I don't have it...I'll probably get torched for asking this but aren't nurses covered under their place of employment as far as malpractice insurance? Also, I don't know anyone (that I know of) who has had to use it? Call me naive I'm interested in hearing what others have to say about this topic....
  5. Jun 26, '12 by
    Quote from Gypsy_Nurse
    I don't have it...I'll probably get torched for asking this but aren't nurses covered under their place of employment as far as malpractice insurance? Also, I don't know anyone (that I know of) who has had to use it? Call me naive I'm interested in hearing what others have to say about this topic....
    Do you have home insurance/life/car/renters/etc etc? You dont ever plan on using it, you dont hope you ever have to use it but you want it there just in case. It is $100 a year and I have up to 6million in coverage. Id rather take that gamble in case the poo poo falls on the oscillating device.
    Miss Lizzie, Pneumothorax, opossum, and 4 others like this.
  6. Jun 26, '12 by
    True...I guess I always heard from others that the hospital has approx $100,000 malpractice on each employee. However, I haven't researched it so it's just hearsay. The nurses that I'm asking right now don't have it either. Great, now I'm going to get an ulcer trying to figure it out!
  7. Jun 26, '12 by
    Quote from Gypsy_Nurse
    True...I guess I always heard from others that the hospital has approx $100,000 malpractice on each employee. However, I haven't researched it so it's just hearsay. The nurses that I'm asking right now don't have it either. Great, now I'm going to get an ulcer trying to figure it out!
    There are plenty of older threads here discussing the pros and supposed "cons" of carrying your own coverage that you can review.
    Not_A_Hat_Person likes this.
  8. Jun 26, '12 by
    Your employer's insurance only covers you while you're employed. What if something happens that doesn't hit the court until you've moved to another job? Also, your employer's coverage favors the employer over the employee.

    Get some insurance--it's money well spent. Nurses do get sued.
    Not_A_Hat_Person, turnforthenurseRN, opossum, and 3 others like this.
  9. Asst. Admin
    Jun 26, '12 by
    Plus your own professional liability insurance often offers license defense if a complaint is made to the BoN, coverage if a HIPAA complaint is filed against you, coverage if you are called to testify and legal representation (even if you are not named in the suit). $100,000 coverage is nothing plus it ends when you leave the job so no coverage if a suit is filed a year later. However most personal professional plans offer $1,000,000/$6,000,000 coverage that covers any incident that occurred while you were under policy.
    Jammin' RN, SanfranciscoSue, lindarn, and 1 other like this.
  10. Jun 26, '12 by
    I've always had it, I've never used it, and I will always keep it.
    DroogieRN, Not_A_Hat_Person, GM2RN, and 6 others like this.
  11. Jun 26, '12 by
    Your employers malpractice insurance does NOT cover you if they can find any one little thing you did that was not EXACTLY following hospital policy. Even if that one little thing really had no direct bearing on the "incident." Even if "no ever follows that policy.....we always do it this way." They can produce the hospital policy, show how you were not following it, and their malpractice insurance won't cover you.

    I have always had it. I have never needed it. I will always have it.
    NicuGal, anotherone, wooh, and 1 other like this.