Insurance Question. Please Help!!!

TazziRN, RN · Jul 28, 2007

A lawyer will not know you have insurance unless you say something. They kinda figure it out when you show up with your own attorney, and they flat out ask you.

Yes, NSO will keep your info private.

tom t · Jul 28, 2007

hi. i'm a new nurse :0). my question is regarding malpractice coverage.
1.
i'm planning on purchasing insurance from nso, but will they keep my information private? i've heard people say that if you have your own policy you're more likely to be named in a suit. is this true? how could a lawyer even know i have my own coverage? what is your advice regarding this? is there a company that keeps your info private? how can i keep my info private? i certainly don't want to be someone's meal ticket.
2. the plan i'm thinking of going with is nso's 1,000,000/6,000,000 aggregate. is this a good plan?
thanks!
kasha

kasha: unless you are practicing in some independent role, you don't need the insurance. check with your employer and see what coverage they provide. usually, you are an agent of your employer and they cover. tomt

Editorial Team / Admin · Jul 29, 2007

all malpractice insurance policies have limits of liability. other defendants employed at your entity may and probably do share your liability limits under the same policy. if you, as well as others, are named in a suit, your legal costs, including any settlement, could exceed your employer's shared liability limits. this would mean out-of-pocket expense(s) for you.

reasons why to carry malpractice insurance:

overdose of magnesium sulfate kills 18 mom in labor

if your license is disciplined

reinstated license after suspension

falsely accused of a hipaa violation

liability insurance is a small price to pay for peace of mind.

woody62, RN · Jul 29, 2007

I carried my own insurance from 1968 to 1989. I was sued twice. First time I was named as part of a shotgun approach where the attorney named everyone whose name was in the chart. I was dropped from the suit after three months but I was happy to have my ownattorney. The second time, I was named in 1989 when an attorney claimed I was negilent because I did not pay for a client's last semester in college. I again had my own attorney. One year later the suit was dismissed with prejudice. This means the attorney could not refile. The small amount I paid yearly was worth it. I would have been named in both cases, been defended by my employer's attorney, with their interest placed above mine. No one knows if you have insurance unless you tell them. My advice, don't share the information until you are sued.

Woody

EmmaG, RN · Jul 29, 2007

all malpractice insurance policies have limits of liability. other defendants employed at your entity may and probably do share your liability limits under the same policy. if you, as well as others, are named in a suit, your legal costs, including any settlement, could exceed your employer's shared liability limits. this would mean out-of-pocket expense(s) for you.

and if you are found to be at fault, couldn't your employer turn around and sue you for their loss? our instructors told us that this was yet another reason to carry personal Liability Insurance. (this was 20+ years ago, however)

leslie :-D · Jul 29, 2007

Kasha: Unless you are practicing in some independent role, you don't need the insurance. Check with your employer and see what coverage they provide. Usually, you are an agent of your employer and they cover. tomt

while this is generally true, your employer does not have your best interest at heart.

i wouldn't feel secure being under any others' coverage, esp my employer.

if there were other vip's also under the same coverage, that necessitated more aggressive representation, it just takes away from what you're due.

spend the $100/yr to cover yourself.

such little $$ to save your livelihood.

it will clearly show the difference between mediocre representation and excellent, 1:1 representation.

leslie

Editorial Team / Admin · Jul 29, 2007

And if you are found to be at fault, couldn't your employer turn around and sue you for their loss?

Yes, this is correct. It's not all that common and is something that nurses are not generally told. Very good point, Emmanuel Goldstein.

Here's another good reason to carry your own policy. Let's say that you once worked for an entity, but no longer are employed with them. You are named in a lawsuit regarding said entity. Since you are no longer employed with them, they have no liability coverage for you. Or worse, let's say that entity no longer exists? You are on your own unless you took out an individual policy.

And, to the OP, NSO cannot, unless you give written permission, confirm or deny that you own a policy with them.

EmmaG, RN · Jul 29, 2007

while this is generally true, your employer does not have your best interest at heart.
i wouldn't feel secure being under any others' coverage, esp my employer.
if there were other vip's also under the same coverage, that necessitated more aggressive representation, it just takes away from what you're due.
spend the $100/yr to cover yourself.
such little $$ to save your livelihood.
it will clearly show the difference between mediocre representation and excellent, 1:1 representation.
leslie

Anyone who thinks their employer (especially a hospital or LTC) is looking out for them is being naive. All you gotta do is read some of the threads here to figure that out lol.

A hundred dollars a year? That's worth my peace of mind.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Jul 29, 2007

? Get Malpractice: Importance of Professional Liability Insurance in Managing Risk

EmmaG, RN · Jul 29, 2007

Yes, this is correct. It's not all that common and is something that nurses are not generally told. Very good point, Emmanuel Goldstein.
Here's another good reason to carry your own policy. Let's say that you once worked for an entity, but no longer are employed with them. You are named in a lawsuit regarding said entity. Since you are no longer employed with them, they have no liability coverage for you. Or worse, let's say that entity no longer exists? You are on your own unless you took out an individual policy.

If this has been pointed out, I apologize because I missed it (sorry... sooooo tired here lol) but you also need to consider that if you are covered only by your employer's Liability Insurance, the lawyers defending a suit are there to protect the employer's (and employer's insurance company's) interest--- NOT YOURS.

EmmaG, RN · Jul 29, 2007

If the posts on this thread haven't convinced you to purchase your own liability coverage, then read through some of these cases:

http://www.nso.com/case/com_index.php#archives