Illinois Medical Malpractice Insurance for all physicians.
Welcome to IL-MedMal.com. We Specialize in providing Illinois physicians with cost-effective medical malpractice insurance coverage that they need. We have more carriers, top of the line service and can offer the most cost-effective rates, no matter what your specialty is.
There is no need to wait until your renewal date to start saving on your medical malpractice insurance, and it has never been easier to get free, no-obligation quote. Complete our simple quote form and an experienced medical malpractice insurance agent will contact you with an indication.
Welcome to IL-MedMal.com. We Specialize in providing physicians in Illinois with
cost-effective medical malpractice insurance coverage that they need.
Choice
Through Diederich Healthcare’s network of the nations leading carriers in the medical malpractice insurance industry, we are able to offer you more choices than other malpractice insurance agencies. For over 40 years, we have made it a priority to continually move forward in order to provide physicians with the most cost-effective options available. Complete the form above and see why over 13,000 physicians have placed their trust with Diederich Healthcare.
Service
Diederich Healthcare currently has offices in 13 states across the country and is constantly expanding in order to bring the very best service to it’s medical malpractice insurance clients. Rest assured that when Diederich Healthcare is your broker, you are consistently receiving outstanding and timely service. You will have someone that you know to call with questions and concerns.
Savings
Diederich Healthcare knows that medical malpractice insurance is one of the most costly expenses of any physician’s medical practice, and that is why we work tirelessly to get you the best rates possible. Know that when you place coverage with Diederich Healthcare, our experienced staff of med-mal agents will stay on top of the latest news in the industry so that when rates go down, you are not left behind.
Illinois Medical Malpractice Insurance Market Summary
Tort reform legislation has been adopted twice in Illinois placing caps on medical malpractice claims which resulted in some reduction in insurance rates. Although these acts have not been repealed, courts have found the damage caps to be unconstitutional. Regardless, medical malpractice insurance rates in Illinois remain much lower than in the past.
Illinois Medical Malpractice Insurance Carriers
Medical malpractice insurance in Illinois is available from standard Admitted Carriers, Surplus Lines Insurers, and Risk Retention Groups. $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 annual aggregate is the standard limit of liability in Illinois. ISMIE, the state’s largest carrier of medical professional liability insurance, holds over 60% of the Illinois market; however, there are a large number of additional carriers competing for business in Illinois which has resulted in stable premium rates.
Statute of Limitations
The statue of limitations in Illinois is generally 2 years for filing medical malpractice lawsuits; however, this time period does not begin until the time of discovery of the alleged injury. The time period cannot exceed 4 years in any case, except for minors where the statute of limitations is 8 years from the date of the alleged act or omission, except than in no event may such an action be filed after the minor claimant’s 22nd birthday. St.5/13-212(b)
Damage Limits
There is NO LIMIT on compensatory damage awards for medical malpractice cases in Illinois. There is a cap on non-economic damage awards; however, they have been held to be unconstitutional in court. Punitive damage awards are not allowed in medical malpractice cases in Illinois.
Illinois Medical Malpractice Insurance information
Most physicians work long and irregular hours. It has been reported that 43% of all physicians work in excess of 50 hours per week. With all of this time devoted to patient care and practice development, physicians benefit greatly from relying on the expertise of an Insurance Agent specialized in the area of Medical Malpractice Insurance.
It is difficult for physicians to remain knowledgeable about the ever-changing landscape of Malpractice Insurance coverage, law, and carrier options. Diederich Healthcare specializes in Medical Malpractice Insurance and we understand the need for a trusted “partner” who can assist physicians in selecting the right Medical Malpractice Insurance protection for their practice.
Diederich Healthcare’s network of over 200 contracted insurance affiliates assures our physician clients greater portability, market accessibility, and effective consultation. We provide consultation on coverage options from the major carriers offering Professional Liability Insurance to physicians throughout the United States. We will provide malpractice insurance quotes from several carriers and make recommendations on coverage that best fits the physician’s particular needs at the most cost effective premium.
Diederich Healthcare reviews each account and policy prior to each policy renewal, and more frequently based on market/situational changes, to determine options for renewal coverage. These options are then presented to the physician with our recommendation prior to renewal in order to avert last-minute decision making.
All Specialties save on Medical Malpractice Insurance with Diederich Healthcare
- On average, Physician clients that switch to Diederich Healthcare save 46% on their Med-Mal insurance.
- We compare the major companies for your specialty in order to recommend the best coverage at the lowest premium for your practice.
- Our access to multiple carriers in each state allows us to offer many practice discount programs…
- New Doctor Discount
- Part-Time Discount
- Board Certification Discount (ABFM)
- Claims Free Credit
- Risk Management Credit
- No need to purchase Tail Coverage when changing to Diederich Healthcare with Prior Acts Coverage Included.
Med-Mal Coverage also available for:
- Medical Groups
- Clinics
- Medi-Spa Facilities and Procedures
- Weight Loss Procedures
- Ancillary Healthcare Professionals
- Physician Assistant
- Nurse Practitioner
- Surgical Assistant
- Nurse Midwife
- CRNA
- Optometrist
Diederich Healthcare is able to offer medical malpractice insurance to the following counties in Illinois:
Cook, Lake, Knox, McDonough, Adams, Washington, DuPage, Wayne, Hancock, Franklin, Henry, Whiteside, Clinton, Edwards, Clark, McHenry, Mercer, Morgan, Madison, Wabash, Tazewell, Moultrie, Vermilion, McLean, Lawrence, Marion, Saint Clair, Scott, Cook, Peoria, Effingham, Union, Lee, Pulaski, Livingston, Rock Island, Sangamon, Crawford, Jo Daviess, Douglas, Cass, Macon, Boone, Bureau, Kankakee, Gallatin, Iroquois, Coles, Christian, Fulton, Menard, Greene, Logan, Pike, Williamson, Macoupin, Montgomery, Fayette, Will, Kane, Jackson, Bond, Schuyler, Ogle, La Salle, Jefferson, Randolph, Massac, Dewitt, Calhoun, Mason, Shelby, Marshall, Hamilton, Winnebago, Piatt, Woodford, Richland, Warren, Saline, Clay, Cumberland, Henderson, Jasper, Johnson, Champaign, Kendall, Grundy, Stark, Jersey, Edgar, Pope, White, Monroe, Alexander, Hardin, Stephenson, Carroll, DeKalb, Perry, Brown, Ford, Putnam
For information specific to your specialty, please follow one of the links below:
Anesthesiology, Family Practice, Obstetrics & Gynecology (Ob/Gyn), Plastic Surgery, Pediatrics, General Surgery, Psychiatry, Stand-Alone Tail
Most recent articles about Medical Malpractice Insurance in Illinois:
Exclusive Malpractice Insurance Program for Illinois Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Diederich Healthcare is pleased to introduce the first medical malpractice insurance program exclusively developed for the unique insurance needs of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and is now available in Illinois. OB-GYN Risk Alliance, a risk purchasing group, is governed by practicing OB-GYNs across the United States who understand the unique issues and needs of OB-GYNs. The OB-GYN Risk Alliance program’s medical malpractice insurance coverage is exclusive to OB-GYNs only and is offered in many states including Illinois. The OB-GYN Risk Alliance program’s insurance is underwritten by ProAssurance, rated “A (Excellent)” by A.M. Best and the 4th largest medical professional liability company in the nation. What makes this program unique is its understanding and consideration of the challenges OB-GYNs and their patients face. Program members gain access to innovative, state-of-the-art risk management programs specifically tailored to reduce risks for OB-GYNs and increase patient safety which result in fewer claims and ultimately, lower premiums. By agreeing and participating in certain risk management activities during the first year of coverage with OB-GYN Risk Alliance, you can receive an up-front premium credit of 25%. The OB-GYN Risk Alliance program is available to all Illinois Obstetricians and Gynecologists, no matter if you are a solo practitioner or a member of a large medical group or practice. To get a quote now, please complete our quick medical malpractice insurance quote form. For more information, please contact Diederich Healthcare at 800.457.7790 to speak with a licensed insurance consultant and learn how you can save on your medical malpractice
Innovative Option Now Available For Ob-Gyn Group Medical Malpractice Insurance
Diederich Healthcare is proud to present an innovative and cost-effective option now available to Obstetrics/Gynecology groups for their medical professional liability insurance. Working with a National “A-Rated Insurance Carrier—participating groups can save 25% or more on their malpractice insurance premiums. The program includes the following activities and resources: In-depth Medical Practice Site Survey by a Risk Management Consultant Hospital Ob-Focused Risk Mapping (with hospital consent) Patient Safety Information Survey Basic Ob Tool Kit (including prenatal & postpartum documentation forms, diagnostic test & referral tracking form, office & after hors telephone documentations form, procedure-specific consent forms, screening tool for postpartum depression, & MUCH more!) Patient Education Materials & Pamphlets (nutrition, bleeding, smoking cessation, etc.) Practice Management Tools Ob Risk Management Guidelines Risk Resource Phone Consultations Future Activities and Resources Contact a Diederich Healthcare professional today at 800-457-7790 or complete our quick and easy quote form for further information about this exciting program!
2012 Medical Malpractice Payout Analysis Infographic Released
With the emergence of the National Practitioner Data Bank’s fourth quarter, 2011 which was released earlier this month (March, 2012), Diederich Healthcare has provided an insightful and informative Medical Malpractice Payout Analysis in the form of an infographic that will interest physicians nation-wide. By taking the raw, public data made available by the NPDB about medical malpractice payouts from 1992-2011, Diederich has created an easy to read graphic that will detail some interesting information gleaned by thorough analysis. The analysis takes a hard look at 2011’s medical malpractice payouts and charts that data in the form of bar graphs, pie charts and even a word cloud that creates an information-intense and visually appealing statistical representation. The analysis also compares 2011’s med-mal payouts with prior years. The infographic can be found on Diederich Healthcare’s web site at http://www.diederichhealthcare.com/medical-malpractice-insurance/2012-medical-malpractice-payout-analysis/.
Congress OKs Measure Averting 27.4% Physician Pay Cut
The US Senate and House approved a payroll tax package which includes a provision to stave off a 27.4% cut in physician Medicare payments that was scheduled to be effective tomorrow—March 1,2012. The bill also freezes physicians Medicare payment rates at their existing level until December 31, 2012. To learn more, click here.
Cyber Liability Insurance Coverage
Are your computer records and patient information protected? A recent survey by research group Advisen found that despite increasing instances of cyber attacks, only about a third of companies that need cyber liability insurance coverage are protected. Most companies need cyber insurance but don’t realize they don’t have it until after a lawsuit is filed and it’s too late. It is estimated that more companies will purchase cyber liability policies in the near future due to new SEC requirements that publicly traded companies disclose a “description of relevant insurance coverage” to their shareholders. Cyber liability protection is just as crucial for independent medical practices. If you maintain computerized patient information then you have the responsibility to protect those records. Any unauthorized release of information or outside cyber attack could violate patient privacy laws and expose you and/or your medical practice to a lawsuit. Diederich Healthcare is cognizant of your cyber liability and can advise and direct you to the proper coverage. It is becoming more and more common for Medical Malpractice Insurance Carriers to include some form of Cyber Liability coverage in their basic policy form; however, coverage can vary from company to company. It is important to understand the depth of the coverage included to insure that coverage is in place to cover your company for potential indemnity regarding breach of privacy as well as attorney fees and costs to notify patients that their information was stolen. Insurance against cyber attacks is certainly becoming a necessity, but varying policy
Save Money on Tail Coverage
Physicians across the country are now able to secure affordable stand-alone tail coverage. In an effort to contain the costs of tail coverage for physicians, Diederich has taken the steps necessary in order to be able to provide cost-effective stand-alone tail coverage for physicians. More frequent than ever, physicians have begun closing their private practices to seek stability as an employed medical provider with a large integrated health system. Many medical experts consider this “an evolutionary step in the healthcare industry,” while others believe that this is only a cyclical trend that is linked to the weakened economic environment within the United States. This trend has remained stable over the past year and many medical practitioners have chosen to relinquish their independence to seek shelter under the umbrella of a hospital or integrative medical program. As one prepares to consolidate their practice, an important detail must be evaluated for those canceling a claims-made medical liability insurance policy. An extended reporting endorsement or “Tail Coverage” must be secured prior to cancelling a malpractice insurance policy to ensure that past patient exposure is still protected. One of the largest misconceptions with tail coverage is that “physicians are GUARANTEED free tail coverage if they are insured with a carrier for five (5) years or more.” This is a very inaccurate assumption that can either leave a physician with an unexpected last minute overhead expense or a gap in their professional medical liability insurance coverage. The majority of state admitted medical malpractice insurance carriers only
Moving from Private Practice to a Hospital or Regional Healthcare System
Giving up or selling your private practice to a hospital or regional healthcare system can involve unexpected expense and exposure. This alarming nationwide trend is luring private practice physicians with the expectation of a perceived safe-haven by being employed with an organization that “provides” the benefits of health and medical malpractice insurance, retirement benefits and an atmosphere free from the worries of employer related expenses, patient/government/insurance reimbursement collections and employee issues. For some physicians, and for a good number of reasons, this move can be the best decision; however, it could greatly benefit individual physicians both personally and financially to consult with a Medical Malpractice Insurance Professional/Agent before and during the negotiation process. Physicians tend to assume that their only option for Medical Professional Liability Insurance will be the new organization’s group malpractice insurance or “self-insured” policy, and that this coverage will provide the same or better protection at a lower cost than their own personal policy. In many cases, the coverage available with the new group will differ with respect to the protection (Liability Limits, Tail Coverage, Consent to Settle) and choices (Availability to choose Legal Counsel, Insurance Company and use of a Qualified Malpractice Insurance Agent) of the individual physician, taking into account the best interests of the “organization” over the physician. Additionally, many transitional agreements from private practice to a hospital or medical system will not provide for the physician’s prior acts to be covered. This will result in the need for the individual physician to purchase
Tail Coverage for your Medical Malpractice Insurance Policy
The following post was written by one of our Medical Malpractice Insurance experts. If you are interested in seeing what Diederich Healthcare can do for you, please complete our quick and easy quote form now! Excellent, cost-effective Med-Mal coverage is only a click away. Professional liability insurance should extend beyond the last date of the policy period of a policy on a “claims-made” basis. Claims can be made long after the medical treatment or occurrence that caused the injury. Most medical malpractice insurance policies are written on a claims-made basis, which means the insurance company pays only claims that are received during the policy period. In that case, a doctor needs tail coverage to protect against claims that are not known about at the end of the policy period. If a doctor retires, allows his malpractice insurance policy to lapse, and a claim comes in 2 years later, the physician will have to hire his own attorney to defend him against a claim or suit. He will also be responsible for any indemnity payment that is awarded to the patient or patient’s family. In order to protect himself from the nightmare, the doctor purchases tail coverage. Tail coverage will extend the policy that covers the physician even after he is no longer practicing medicine. Policies can range from 1 year to an indefinite time period. For more information about tail coverage, please contact one of our professional liability specialists to guide you on this very important aspect of your medical malpractice
What about physicians who are difficult to insure?
The following post was written by one of our Medical Malpractice Insurance experts. If you are interested in seeing what Diederich Healthcare can do for you, please complete our quick and easy quote form now! Excellent, cost-effective Med-Mal coverage is only a click away. I recently assisted a local OB/Gyn with obtaining high quality, affordable medical malpractice insurance coverage with an “A-rated” carrier when she believed that no standard, admitted carrier would be willing to cover her. Until her one-and-only claim was settled for $750,000, this physician had been practicing obstetrics and gynecology for 20 years without ever having a malpractice insurance claim filed against her. In fact—her record was spotless for those 20 years. While she had done nothing wrong—the situation was that the patient was a child who simply experienced a rare but known risk “bad outcome.” This physician settled the claim last summer to avoid the risk of a jury verdict which could possibly have exceeded her policy’s limits. The Medical Protective Company then decided to non-renew this physician’s policy. I worked with her and presented her case to the other carriers as an excellent physician with one unfortunate “shock claim” in an otherwise impeccable 20-year medical career. Several carriers agreed with us. We replaced this physician’s MedPro policy with coverage from ProAssurance at approximately the same premium. We provided her with full prior acts coverage so she did not need to purchase expensive “tail” coverage from Medical Protective. Note, that no matter how dire you believe your
Internal Medicine – Medical Malpractice, Limitation of Coverage in Illinois
The following post was written by one of our Medical Malpractice Insurance experts. If you are interested in seeing what Diederich Healthcare can do for you, please complete our quick and easy quote form now! Excellent, cost-effective Med-Mal coverage is only a click away. I received a phone call from an Internal Medicine specialist, located in Illinois, in the middle of January. His current Professional Liability (Medical Malpractice) Insurance Company had recently informed him that they were not going to offer coverage for some of the aesthetic procedures that he was already performing. The procedures included Botox Injection, Laser Hair Removal and low risk Vein Removal. While this was not a major portion of the Internists practice, it did provide a revenue stream the practice needed to survive. The internist thought he would be forced to drop the procedures, until we had a chance to talk. The internist was referred to me by one of our current insured’s and we had our first phone consultation later that day. After obtaining the necessary information, I determined that we would be able to move the internist to a highly rated Medical Malpractice Insurance carrier for a minimal premium increase. The physicians’ new coverage would also include tail coverage and eliminate the need to purchase tail from his old Medical Malpractice Insurance Company. We worked together to complete the application and placed his coverage with the new Medical Malpractice Insurance Company within 3 business days. I was also able to assist the physician in
Med Mal Insurance Coverage in Illinois
- AM Best “A-Rated” Coverage at Affordable Rates
- Coverage options for all Medical Specialties, Groups and Healthcare Facilities
- Compare Premiums and Choose Malpractice Coverage that best suits your needs
- Maximum Discounts available to physicians in Illinois
- Guidance regarding Risk Management at your practice
- Access to “Specialty Lines” of Insurance for your Unique Practice needs
- Easily Transfer Your Malpractice Insurance at any time
Providing cost-effective Medical Professional Liability Insurance to Healthcare Providers located in Illinois…
Get your FREE QUOTES now…compare multiple companies providing Malpractice Insurance to physicians in Illinois. (including AM Best A-Rated carriers)
Covering all Physician Specialties, including Groups and Facilities in Illinois, and all Types of Procedures…
Your “one-stop-shop” to obtaining affordable coverage to meet your needs. Representing a large number of quality insurance companies; giving you the confidence of having an advocate in your corner who has already “shopped” the marketplace for the best Malpractice Insurance Value available in Illinois.
Accessing all Discounts available to each Physician’s Medical Practice…
Multiple Physician/Group Discounts, Medical Board Certification Discounts, Claims Free Discounts, Practice Longevity Discounts, Risk Management Discounts, Part-Time and New Practitioner Discounts.
Guiding Medical Practitioners toward improved Risk Management…
Ask about FREE access to Risk Management assessments and training for your practice. Offering access to Insurance for physicians and Risks/Procedures that are more difficult to cover…
Obtain coverage options for High Risk physicians and/or Procedures and Specialty Practices such as:
- Medi-Spas (including Botox/Fillers)
- Weight Loss/Weight Management (including HCG and Bariatric Surgery)
- Others available upon request
