More insurance help please

[SummerLei]

So my NSO policy was approved and now I have malpractice insurance. I am reading information on my policy, and it says the policy will only cover a claim if the incident occurred during the time that the policy was effective. So I guess that means it won't cover anything that happened before the time I had my policy? I mean, I've only been working 3 weeks without it because I was unaware of the importance of malpractice insurance until I started reading some of the threads on here. After reading some of these threads, I am starting to get paranoid though that my policy won't cover those 3 weeks I did not have insurance. Although I practice safely, follow policy and procedures, and practice within my scope of practice, you never know what will happen these days.. so what if 5 years down the road, a pt makes a claim against me that occured during those 3 weeks without insurance? I will be out of luck right?? There is no other company that I can go through to get coverage? Sorry-- I worry a lot... so any advice would be great

[spurs21550]

My advice to you is not to worry. I have never heard of any insurance policy covering you retroactively, so to my knowledge you can't get insurance to cover you the 3 weeks before you had the insurance. All you can do is continue to practice nursing safely, diligently, and within the scope of practice, and move forward knowing you are now covered with malpractice insurance. Possibly your employer had you covered prior to the insurance policy being effective, but you shouldn't stress over a situation that will most likely never materialize.

[SummerLei]

OK.. I wish my school had emphasized malpractice insurance. I would have gotten it right away. But I am just coming up with stuff to worry about after reading some of the threads on here. I will just have to continue what I am doing. I sure am glad that I have insurance now though thanks to everyone's advice! :)

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Insurance isn't retroactive. Just like you can't get into a car accident and then buy car insurance and say "oh you need to cover my accident from 3 weeks ago" you can't buy a malpractice insurance policy and expect them to cover you at a time when you weren't paying them.

[SummerLei]

Yeah, that does make complete sense!

[canadianhungarian]

I'm in the same boat as you! My school never emphasized it either and now I have to get it. Which makes sense of course!! (Btw im in canada and we need it here too) Just keep practicing safely as a previous poster mentioned :) it's the best we can all do!