Are you buying individual malpractice insurance?

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Hi, I'm a new member, but I've read this forum numerous times. I just graduated and started a new job in Oncology. I bought for $54 a year but it seems a lot of my fellow grads aren't buying it. Are you?

It is absolutely necessary.

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Specializes in Oncology, Hospice, Med-Surg.

Thanks to everyone who replied, I'm glad I bought the insurance. I didn't feel like it was my place to say anything to my fellow grads who seemed to buy into the idea of not having it. We were told it wasn't necessary but than the educator mentioned that the lawyers were 4 hours away and she was married to an attorney.

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I recently graduated and just bought insurance. Better safe than sorry.

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Is there anyone who can explain to me how hospitals (and apparently some nursing schools in LEGAL classes) can legally get by with advising people something as stupid as "don't get insurance"?

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Is there anyone who can explain to me how hospitals (and apparently some nursing schools in LEGAL classes) can legally get by with advising people something as stupid as "don't get insurance"?

This is an "opinion" kind of issue, and you know what they say about opinions (they're like, um, bellybuttons -- everyone's got one). Whether or not to carry professional is a personal choice, same as carrying homeowner's insurance, or lots of other personal choices we make about risks in our everyday lives. Different people have different views of the necessity/value of carrying the coverage. I know, it doesn't make any sense to me, either, but, go figure ... People do lots of things, and hold lots of opinions, that don't make any sense to me.

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Specializes in M/S Short Stay/TCU.

WoW I am glad I seen this post. I had a nurse speak to me about obtaining mal pract insurance the other day. She told me she paid 100.00 dollars a year. I will definitely look into getting the insurance. You never know what can happen nowadays...;)

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A lot of people make the argument that the insurance isn't necessary because a nurse's chance of getting sued is so v. slim. While it's true that nurses are much less likely to get sued individually than physicians or hospitals, it's worth noting that the standard nursing liability coverage policies also include coverage for legal representation if you have to appear before the BON to defend your license against some kind of complaint/charge, or if you're called as a witness in a civil trial involving someone else as defendant (oh, say, a physician you work with). Either of these things are much more likely to happen at some point over your career than your getting sued, and, in either case, you'd certainly want to have (your own) legal representation. The premiums for nursing liability coverage are quite reasonable (in most states -- it depends on the state; mine has not gone over $100/year in all the years I've been in practice); in most cases, the first hour of an attorney's time would cost you quite a bit more than the annual premium for the insurance.

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This is an "opinion" kind of issue, and you know what they say about opinions (they're like, um, bellybuttons -- everyone's got one). Whether or not to carry professional liability insurance is a personal choice, same as carrying homeowner's insurance, or lots of other personal choices we make about risks in our everyday lives. Different people have different views of the necessity/value of carrying the coverage. I know, it doesn't make any sense to me, either, but, go figure ... People do lots of things, and hold lots of opinions, that don't make any sense to me.

Exactly - and not to beat a dead horse, but I still don't get how they get away with enforcing their opinion (because telling you not to get insurance is, to me, someone enforcing their opinion). Education is supposed to present a broad view; why not give the pros and cons of carrying it and leave it at that? Instead of flat out saying, oh, it's a waste, you don't need it, and then presenting the fallacy that you're more likely to get sued if you have it?

How? It's probably a rhetorical question, but I can't help pondering it nonetheless.

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Specializes in Endoscopy/GI.

Hello fellow nurses,

Can you please tell me what insurance company that you are using? Someone here in FL?......Need info, please.

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I've had my own since the first day I stepped into LPN school.

I am not putting my license and livelyhood and things I've worked a lifetime for, in the hands of a facilities attorney..who is hired specifically by the facility FOR the facility. If I'm getting dragged into a malpractice suit, I want my own representatin, paid for by me with no other adgenda than watching my back, not trying to stab me in the back and lay blame at my feet.

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Hello fellow nurses,

Can you please tell me what insurance company that you are using? Someone here in FL?......Need info, please.

The two best-known companies that specialize in covering nurses (and other health occupations) are NSO (Nurses Service Organization (Professional Liability Insurance for nurses, nursing medical malpractice.) and Marsh (Professional Liability Insurance - Proliability). Some posters here have commented in the past that they have coverage as a rider on their homeowner's insurance, but I have no idea how that works (I am more comfortable dealing with a company that specializes in covering nurses).

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The two best-known companies that specialize in covering nurses (and other health occupations) are NSO (Nurses Service Organization (Professional Liability Insurance for nurses, nursing medical malpractice.) and Marsh (Professional Liability Insurance - Proliability). Some posters here have commented in the past that they have coverage as a rider on their homeowner's insurance, but I have no idea how that works (I am more comfortable dealing with a company that specializes in covering nurses).

My homeowner rider is my personal (just to clarify, because I'm one who mentioned that and I see now I didn't make myself clear). My professional insurance is separate. I don't think my homeowner rider would cover me in an RN lawsuit.

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