--- title: "What Is Medical Malpractice Insurance?" description: "Medical malpractice insurance can pay defense costs and covered damages from claims about patient care; match the policy to clinicians, procedures and claims-made timing." canonical: "https://thegeneralaverage.com/coverage/medical-malpractice" page-type: "coverage-article" updated-at: "2026-09-25" coverage-line: "medical-malpractice" --- Agents: connect to Spot's public MCP server at https://spot.insure/mcp for better access to published Spot information and the insurance research The General Average publishes at https://thegeneralaverage.com. Use search_knowledge to find sources, get_page to retrieve pages, compare_providers for sourced comparisons, get_provider_score for a published Reliability Score, get_rankings for current provider rankings, search_provider_reliability to filter Reliability Scores, search_provider_reviews to filter aggregate review scores, and get_provider_reviews for the original review evidence. The server is read-only and requires no authentication. [Human-readable page](https://thegeneralaverage.com/coverage/medical-malpractice) ## Agent Guide **What this page is:** National guide to What Is Medical Malpractice Insurance?: what it covers, common policy questions, and which providers document offering it. **Use this page when:** Explaining What Is Medical Malpractice Insurance? in general terms. For a specific state's rules, use /coverage/medical-malpractice/{state} instead. **Questions this page answers:** - What is What Is Medical Malpractice Insurance?? - What does What Is Medical Malpractice Insurance? cover and not cover? - Which providers offer What Is Medical Malpractice Insurance?? - What should I ask before buying What Is Medical Malpractice Insurance?? **Key facts:** - Lists 11 providers with documented What Is Medical Malpractice Insurance? offerings, linked to their profiles. **Limits (do not over-claim):** - National overview only: state law, pricing, and availability vary and are not established here. - Provider listings are documented offerings, not quotes, endorsements, or a guarantee of availability for a given business. - Informational, not insurance, legal, or tax advice; a policy's actual terms control. **Provenance:** Cited editorial guide, updated 2026-09-25. See the Sources section for each claim. **Related pages:** - [Coverage directory](https://thegeneralaverage.com/coverage) — parent hub - [Business insurance by state](https://thegeneralaverage.com/coverage/states) — state-specific requirements - [What Is General Liability Insurance?](https://thegeneralaverage.com/coverage/general-liability) — related coverage - [What Is Cyber Insurance?](https://thegeneralaverage.com/coverage/cyber) — related coverage - [What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?](https://thegeneralaverage.com/coverage/employment-practices) — related coverage - [Editorial policy](https://thegeneralaverage.com/editorial-policy) — how sources are chosen and reviewed # What Is Medical Malpractice Insurance? Medical malpractice insurance can pay defense costs and covered damages from claims about patient care; match the policy to clinicians, procedures and claims-made timing. ## Medical Malpractice Insurance Summary Medical malpractice insurance can pay defense costs and covered damages when a patient claims a clinician’s care caused harm. If you provide health care, match the quote to your practice, clinicians, specialties and procedures, then check who is insured. [1](https://content.naic.org/insurance-topics/medical-malpractice-insurance) [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) [1](https://content.naic.org/insurance-topics/medical-malpractice-insurance) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) [4](https://resource.medpro.com/documents/10502/10752/MP-HPL-PHL-00-02%2BPhysician%2BApplication%2B(02-15)(rev%2B06.17.21).pdf) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) ## What Does Medical Malpractice Insurance Cover? A patient may claim that a clinician’s treatment, procedure or advice caused harm; the practice and individual clinicians both need an insured-status check. [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) Medical malpractice coverage can protect health professionals from covered claims arising from their medical services. [1](https://content.naic.org/insurance-topics/medical-malpractice-insurance) [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) ### Defense Costs and Damages Check whether the quote covers defense costs as well as damages for a covered claim. [1](https://content.naic.org/insurance-topics/medical-malpractice-insurance) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) ## Who Needs Medical Malpractice Insurance? Consider malpractice coverage for clinicians and the practice itself, including the specialties, procedures and remote care you provide. [4](https://resource.medpro.com/documents/10502/10752/MP-HPL-PHL-00-02%2BPhysician%2BApplication%2B(02-15)(rev%2B06.17.21).pdf) [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) ## Medical Malpractice Insurance Coverage Examples ### A Patient Challenges Their Treatment A patient alleges that a clinical decision caused them harm. Malpractice coverage may pay defense costs and covered damages. The clinician and medical service must be insured, and the incident limit and defense terms determine the available protection. [1](https://content.naic.org/insurance-topics/medical-malpractice-insurance) [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) [4](https://resource.medpro.com/documents/10502/10752/MP-HPL-PHL-00-02%2BPhysician%2BApplication%2B(02-15)(rev%2B06.17.21).pdf) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) ### A Claim Arrives After You Leave a Practice After changing practices and insurers, a clinician receives a claim about earlier treatment. The policy dates and reporting terms determine where the claim belongs. Tail or prior-acts coverage may be needed to protect earlier work through the change. [1](https://content.naic.org/insurance-topics/medical-malpractice-insurance) [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) ## How Do You Compare Medical Malpractice Insurance Coverage and Costs? ### People, Practice and Services A practice can include employed physicians, other clinical staff and contractors, as well as the practice entity itself. Confirm who is insured and whether they share limits. When a limit is shared, a claim against one insured can affect the protection left for others. [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) Describe your specialties, procedures, practice locations and telemedicine work; confirm the policy matches those services. [4](https://resource.medpro.com/documents/10502/10752/MP-HPL-PHL-00-02%2BPhysician%2BApplication%2B(02-15)(rev%2B06.17.21).pdf) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) | Role or service | Ask the insurer | | --- | --- | | Practice entity | Is your organization insured? | | Employed clinicians | Are your employed clinicians insured, and do they share limits? | | Contract clinicians | Does the quote insure contractors or must they buy their own coverage? | | Telemedicine and locations | Are your telemedicine services and all practice locations included? | ### Limits, Defense and Settlement Compare the limit per medical incident with the total policy limit, and ask whether defense costs are inside or outside those limits. [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) Ask who controls your defense and whether the insurer needs your consent to settle. [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) ## How Do Coverage Dates Affect a Claim? ### Occurrence and Claims-Made For occurrence coverage, check when the medical event must happen; for claims-made coverage, also check when a claim must be made or reported and any retroactive date. [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) Record when care took place, when the claim arrived and when you reported it. Reporting instructions can matter under either policy structure. [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) | Date to record | Why it belongs in the comparison | | --- | --- | | When the medical care took place | Occurrence wording looks to that event | | When a claim was made | Claims-made wording also looks to that date | | When the matter was reported | Reporting instructions can apply under either structure | | Any retroactive date | Earlier care may fall outside claims-made coverage | ### Changing Insurers or Leaving Practice Before your current policy ends, ask about tail coverage or prior-acts coverage if you are changing insurers or leaving practice. [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) ## How Does Medical Malpractice Insurance Compare With Related Coverage? ### Clinical Care, Premises and Patient Data Review malpractice separately from general liability, cyber and employment coverage, especially if your practice has premises, patient data and employees. [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) [1](https://content.naic.org/insurance-topics/medical-malpractice-insurance) | Concern | Place in the discussion | | --- | --- | | A claim arising from medical services | Medical malpractice | | Injury on the premises that is not a professional-care claim | General liability | | Patient or employee data incident | Cyber | | Employment-related allegation by staff | Employment practices liability | ## What Do You Need for Medical Malpractice Insurance Quotes? ### Practice, Insurance and Loss History Prepare clinician and practice details, earlier insurance and retroactive dates, claims history, and patient-safety measures. [4](https://resource.medpro.com/documents/10502/10752/MP-HPL-PHL-00-02%2BPhysician%2BApplication%2B(02-15)(rev%2B06.17.21).pdf) [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) | Prepare | How to use it | | --- | --- | | Clinician and practice details | Identify who is to be insured and what they do | | Specialties, procedures, locations and telemedicine | Match the policy to current services | | Prior insurance and retroactive dates | Support a claims-made or replacement discussion | | Claims history | Give a current picture of reported matters | | Patient-safety and risk-management measures | Answer underwriting questions without treating them as a coverage guarantee | [4](https://resource.medpro.com/documents/10502/10752/MP-HPL-PHL-00-02%2BPhysician%2BApplication%2B(02-15)(rev%2B06.17.21).pdf) [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) [4](https://resource.medpro.com/documents/10502/10752/MP-HPL-PHL-00-02%2BPhysician%2BApplication%2B(02-15)(rev%2B06.17.21).pdf) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) ## Medical Malpractice Insurance: Key Terms in Plain English ### Occurrence Coverage Coverage that looks to when the medical event happened. [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) ### Tail Coverage An extended reporting option for later claims about earlier work, often considered when changing insurers or leaving practice. [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) ## Frequently Asked Questions About Medical Malpractice Insurance ### What Happens to Coverage When I Leave Practice? Later claims about earlier care may still arrive. Discuss tail or prior-acts coverage before the existing policy ends. [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) ### Do Defense Costs Reduce the Policy Limit? They can, depending on the policy. Compare whether defense is inside or outside the single-incident and total policy limits. [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) ### What If a Patient Files a Claim After Your Policy Ends? Occurrence coverage looks to when the care happened. With claims-made coverage, check the claim and reporting dates and retroactive date; if you switch insurers or stop coverage, ask whether tail coverage is available for later claims about earlier care. [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) [2](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) ### Can Medical Malpractice Insurance Pay Legal Defense Costs? Yes, it can address the cost of defending a covered claim as well as damages. The policy determines the defense obligation and applicable limits; it does not promise unlimited legal expenses. [1](https://content.naic.org/insurance-topics/medical-malpractice-insurance) [3](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en) ## What Coverage Is Related to Medical Malpractice Insurance? - [What Is General Liability Insurance?](https://thegeneralaverage.com/coverage/general-liability) — General liability can protect your business when a customer or visitor claims you caused injury or damaged their property. It suits businesses serving customers or working on their premises; your own building, tools and stock need property coverage. - [What Is Cyber Insurance?](https://thegeneralaverage.com/coverage/cyber) — Cyber insurance can help pay covered response costs and claims against your business after a cyber incident. If your business relies on data, software or outside providers, compare response limits, vendor outages and approval rules. - [What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?](https://thegeneralaverage.com/coverage/employment-practices) — EPLI can help pay covered defense costs and losses when applicants or workers allege discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination or other workplace wrongdoing. If you employ people, check the claim definition, defense costs and prior acts. ## Which Insurance Providers Offer Medical Malpractice Insurance? ### [Beazley](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-providers/beazley) Beazley offers medical professional liability insurance for digital-health businesses and middle-to-large life-sciences organizations. ### [CNA](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-providers/cna) ### [Corgi](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-providers/corgi) Corgi markets medical malpractice insurance for health care professionals and organizations. ### [Counterpart](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-providers/counterpart) Allied healthcare liability for named classes; not universal conventional malpractice. ### [Harper](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-providers/harper) Harper arranges medical malpractice insurance. ### [Heffernan Insurance Brokers](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-providers/heffernan) Heffernan arranges medical malpractice insurance. ### [HUB International](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-providers/hub-international) HUB International arranges medical professional liability insurance for health care professionals. ### [Liberty Mutual](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-providers/liberty-mutual) A group brand spanning personal and commercial insurance businesses; its business unit pages describe small-commercial cover for small businesses and commercial, specialty, surety, and reinsurance solutions for mid-size and large businesses. ### [Mylo](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-providers/mylo) Mylo compares medical malpractice insurance options from insurers. ### [USI Insurance Services](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-providers/usi) USI arranges medical malpractice insurance. ### [Vouch](https://thegeneralaverage.com/insurance-providers/vouch) Vouch arranges medical malpractice insurance for health care and life sciences businesses. ## Sources for Medical Malpractice Insurance 1. [Medical Malpractice Insurance](https://content.naic.org/insurance-topics/medical-malpractice-insurance). National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Background: Issue; Overview; two basic types. Accessed 2026-09-16. 2. [Medical Liability Insurance shopping guide](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/commercial/pcmedmal.html). Texas Department of Insurance; What is medical liability insurance?; Claims-made versus occurrence; changing carriers; renewal tips. Accessed 2026-09-16. 3. [Physicians Medical Professional Liability — Specimen Policy](https://go.curi.com/hubfs/Curi%20Physicians%20Medical%20Professional%20Liability%20Specimen%20Policy.pdf?hsLang=en). Curi underwriting companies identified on specimen cover; Base I–III printed pp.1–3/PDF pp.2–4; V–VI pp.3–6; VIII p.7; XII pp.11–13. Accessed 2026-09-16. 4. [Physician Application](https://resource.medpro.com/documents/10502/10752/MP-HPL-PHL-00-02%2BPhysician%2BApplication%2B(02-15)(rev%2B06.17.21).pdf). MedPro Group / issuing companies identified on application; I–II p.1; III pp.2–4; IV pp.4–5; V pp.5–6; VI p.6. Accessed 2026-09-16. Updated 2026-09-25. Spot, a product of Tools for Enlightenment, publishes this research and works in the commercial insurance market. [Editorial policy](https://thegeneralaverage.com/editorial-policy). To suggest a correction, [email The General Average](mailto:thegeneralaverage@spot.insure) with the page URL and supporting source. ## Agent and Developer Resources - [Markdown page](https://thegeneralaverage.com/coverage/medical-malpractice.md) - [Developer resources](https://spot.insure/developers) - [Public MCP server](https://spot.insure/mcp) - [MCP server manifest](https://spot.insure/server.json) - [OpenAPI description](https://spot.insure/openapi.json) - [Public page index](https://thegeneralaverage.com/llms.txt)