Is employer-provided malpractice enough coverage?

[christinaFNP4]

I will be starting my first job as a NP since graduating. I have concerns regarding the malpractice coverage being provided by my employer. Here are the details:

I would be added to my supervising physician's professional Liability Insurance. It is a claims made policy with shared limits of liability (meaning two people on one policy sharing the same limits of $250,000/750,000 claim/aggregate). I asked the rep about getting my own tail coverage and was told the following:

1. In almost every instance, a NP is covered under the physicians policy on a shared limits basis.

2. With shared coverage, the NP will not need to worry about tail” coverage since it is included on the physicians policy.

Can any NP with experience in this please shed some knowledge? (BTW I live in Florida) I appreciate any help!

[Jules A, MSN]

I have carried my own since I first became a LPN. It doesn't make sense to me not to have as much coverage as possible especially because the policies hospitals purchase for me leave me wondering who they truly represent me or the almighty hospital?

[caliotter3]

My experience (not as a NP) was that the first words out of the employer-provided legal representation's mouths were: "We represent the employer and you but at any time during the proceedings, we may drop your representation". And they did.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

You absolutely need your own. And you should get your work to pay for it! If not, it's not too expensive and you can use it as a tax write off.

Sent from my iPhone.

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

As others have stated, get your own policy.

[BCgradnurse, MSN, RN, NP]

^^^^^ What they said.....

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I'm late but couldn't agree more - get your own malpractice insurance that will be on YOUR side.

[carachel2]

From experience...most of these will cover professional/board complaints for the MD but NOT for you! Double check it !

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Six significant gaps in your employer's malpractice insurance policy that could leave you at SERIOUS FINANCIAL RISK.

[dienw]

I met an attorney who is also a nurse. He defends nurses and was speaking at a continuing education seminar. He said that hospitals defend nurses who are their employees. He raised the question of what if you are no longer working for the hospital when the action against you is initiated? Maybe you retired, quit, or were fired. You might not be covered. He also said that if you are the victim of RN license identity theft (which he said is rare), you'd want to have a liability policy to assist you with that mess. I think his point is that you might need it for a reason that isn't immediately obvious. He believes it is prudent for every nurse to have Liability Insurance.

I'm not an expert or authority on this. No one should make legal or financial decisions based on what I say or do. I'm just explaining why I made my personal decision to purchase insurance. A nurses professional organization that I belong to offers liability insurance at a low group rate. There are several professional organizations offering discounted liability insurance.

[AtomicWoman]

Spend the bucks and cover yourself, even if your employer has a policy that covers you. My former professor, both an attorney and a nurse, always told us, "When the time is right, their insurance company will throw you under the bus". You need a company that represents you, not the hospital. I get coverage from proliability.com, but there are other companies. Shop around.

[CamillusRN, BSN]

I got my own coverage straight out of school and have kept it up ever since, regardless of how great the coverage was through the employer. CYA, even with insurance.