Carrying insurance

Nurses General Nursing

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Wondering how many nurse carry on them selves?

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Specializes in critical care.

All of the smart and responsible ones who are interested in protecting their finances, employment and licenses.

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All the smart ones do.

Every working nurse should have .

About coverage, this is one of the things you ask before you buy. Some will cover you for something that happened whenever so long as you are paying premium NOW. Some will cover you for something that happened whenever if you were paying premium THEN. Ask. Never, ever be afraid to ask.

Some folks will say that they have heard that only people with insurance get sued, under the "deep pockets" theory of litigation, or that the hospital's insurance will cover you for nursing malpractice. Neither is true. Problem is that if your hospital has a judgment against them for something you did, they don't pay it, their insurance carrier pays it. And then, no matter what the hospital promises you, the insurance carrier is entitled by law to recover their losses...from you, and don't think they won't. My dad wrote insurance on hospitals for years and told me never, never, never go "bare" (without my own insurance) unless I was perfectly comfortable living under a bridge, with no real estate, no money, and no car.

Yeah, I know, there are laws protecting some assets under bankruptcy. But they could garnish your wages more or less in perpetuity, and that wreaks hell with your credit rating. (Did you know that credit ratings are checked when you apply for jobs?) You wanna deal c that? Not I, since decent malpractice insurance is good for short money.

Make sure the policy you buy is clear to you: Does it cover you only while it's in force (while you're still paying for it), or does it cover you for things that happened while you were paying for it in the past, even if you aren't working now and don't think you need insurance? Be sure it pays for your own lawyer, too, or supplies one to defend you (never, never, NEVER rely on the hospital's lawyer to defend you-- conflict of interest there; they do not have your best interests at heart no matter what they say).

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For more good info and comments, see these threads:

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/malpractice-insurance-rns-787067.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing...es-583077.html

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Specializes in Palliative, Onc, Med-Surg, Home Hospice.
Wondering how many nurse carry malpractice insurance on them selves?

I sure as heck do. I won't go without it.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Here's another thread to read: https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/should-i-carry-391596.html

I carry my own policy. My hospital told me I didn't need to because they cover me. However, who do I want on my side: the lawyers for the hospital or my own? My own won't throw me under the bus to save the facility. Plus, there are other benefits such as coverage for HIPAA violation fines and BON hearing representation (not that I plan to need any of that).

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I do and have since I was an LPN student!

One of my teachers (around my age) pulled me aside early on before we started clinicals. She said, "I'm going to put this as bluntly as I can. I see the cars you drive, your engagement ring and have overheard you talking about yours and your husband's business and about how you had to do some work on your house....since you have assets, I strongly suggest you get ." I hadn't know it but students can be sued too! I went home that day, came here and did a search on malpractice insurance.

Took a policy out that day and have carried it (with the same carrier) since. I've worked too hard and too long for what I have. I don't need to lose it all because I didn't feel $150 per year was worth protecting myself.

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I've never worked a day without my own coverage.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgical ICU.

Ditto with above posters

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Specializes in NICU.

At $4 per month for the first year is a no brainer. The hospital is going to look out for itself, not you.

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We were required as a student ($25 per year) and then got a deal the 1st year out and then the 2nd year out it went to full price - I still wouldn't be without it!

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Thank you for this thread. I was also thinking about obtaining personal liability... Which I am definitely going to do.

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Nurse Service Organization (NSO) is a great place to start.

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