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Welcome to NC-MedMal.com. We Specialize in providing Ob/Gyn's in North Carolina with
cost-effective medical malpractice insurance coverage that they need.

Obstetrics and Gynecology Medical Malpractice Insurance Information

Obstetricians and gynecologists (OB/GYNs) specialize in women's general and reproductive health. They provide care related to pregnancy, delivery and postnatal care. Similar to general practitioners, OB/GYNs strive to prevent, diagnose, and treat women for general health problems, but they primarily focus on ailments specific to the female anatomy, such as cancers of the breast or cervix, urinary tract, pelvic, and hormonal disorders. OB/GYNs treat and counsel women throughout their pregnancy, from giving prenatal diagnoses to assisting with delivery and giving postnatal care. Most physicians work long and irregular hours. It has been reported that 43% of all physicians work in excess of 50 hours per week. This can be even more pronounced for OB/GYN’s because their patients may go into labor at any time—24 hours a day/ 7 days a week. With all of time constraints they face—OB/GYN’s can benefit greatly from relying on the expertise of an Insurance Agent specialized in the area of Medical Malpractice Insurance. The organization American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), previously named: the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, is an association of physicians who specialize in obstetrics and gynecology in the USA. It represents about 90 % of U.S. board-certified obstetrician-gynecologists. Members are called “fellows” and use the designation FACOG to indicate their membership in the association. To become a fellow, candidates must become certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. They must then be nominated to the college by another member. Board certification involves a two-part exam: The 1st part is a written exam, which is taken the 1st year the candidate is "eligible"—often in the last year of their OB/GYN residency. The 2nd part is an oral exam, usually taken the year after the written exam is passed. The oral exam is based mainly upon a sample of a year's worth of medical and surgical cases called the case list. 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 OB/GYN’s in selecting the right Medical Malpractice Insurance protection for their practice.

Statute of Limitations

Medical malpractice suits must be brought within three years from the date of the last act of the defendant giving rise to the cause of action or within one year of the date when the injury was or should have been discovered, but not more than four years from the date of the last act of defendant giving rise to the cause of action. N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 1-15 and 1-52(16) (1996).

Comparative Negligence

North Carolina law states that a claimant’s contributory negligence bars recovery completely. A claimant’s negligence after the behavior that created the need to be treated, can bar recovery.

Damage Limits

North Carolina generally does not limit the compensatory damages recoverable in medical malpractice actions. However, for actions filed on or after January 1, 1996, punitive damages will be limited to three times compensatory damages or $250,000, whichever is greater. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1D-25 (1995).

North Carolina Medical Malpractice Insurance information

Most physicians work long and irregular hours. It has been reported that 43% of doctors work in excess of 50 hours per week. With all of this time devoted to patient care and practice development, Ob/Gyn's 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 Ob/Gyn's 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.

Medical Malpractice Insurance 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 North Carolina:

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 North Carolina:

2012 Medical Malpractice Payout Analysis – Southeast Edition

Following the great popularity of the 2012 Medical Malpractice Payout Analysis released on March 16, 2012, Diederich Healthcare has released a second infographic geared toward physicians practicing in the Southeastern United States.  The infographic shows a breakdown of medical malpractice payouts over time, but focuses mainly on statistics from the 2011 year.  In the form of a modern infographic, the statistics presented are both easy to understand and visually appealing. Diederich listened to the demands of the enormous response to the last article, and in addition to the type of statistics that were already made available in the original version, Diederich has included the “Number of Payouts Per Capita for 2011″ as well as “Average Payouts By State in 2011″ for the Southeast Edition.  These new figures available show that although Florida has a much greater number of payouts as a whole in 2011, it is Louisiana that leads the pack in number of payouts given the population of the state. Many interesting facts can be gleaned by reviewing these statistics that were calculated from the raw data made available by the National Practitioner Data Bank.  The data used was from the 2011 data that was released in March, 2012.  The states that were focused on for the “Southeast Edition” are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.  The infographic can be found on Diederich Healthcare’s Web Site at: http://www.diederichhealthcare.com/medical-malpractice-insurance/southeast-2012-medical-malpractice-payout-analysis. Diederich Healthcare provides comprehensive medical malpractice insurance and consulting services to over 13,000 healthcare providers throughout

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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!

Lower Medical Malpractice Insurance Premiums in the Southeast

Doctors have seen the premiums for their professional liability insurance policies decrease for several years in a row throughout the Southeast.  Physicians have enjoyed decreases since 2004 in many states and now often pay less that 50% for their policies than they did six or seven years ago.  Many states have enacted tort reform and have placed caps on non-economic damages involving medical malpractice lawsuits.  Physicians in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia have all seen significant decrease in the amounts charged by their professional liability insurance carriers.  Another cause for the drop in rates is the increased competition in most states.  Independent agencies that focus on keeping costs low for doctors, like Diederich Insurance Agency, have been helping doctors to keep abreast of the many changes in the marketplace.  Each year, physician clients who work with Diederich Healthcare are able to view the many different choices they have and pick the most appropriate insurance company for their own medical practice.  Large medical groups and hospitals often have very different needs than small, independent medical offices.  A General Surgeon may have different concerns for his insurance risks than an Allergist. The number of payouts from medical professional liability insurance carriers have decreased steadily for several years.  The lower frequency of claims has helped to keep medical malpractice premiums lower.  The severity, or the amount of each payout from medical malpractice claims has also decreased in most southeastern states which further enables medical professional liability insurance

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Med Mal Insurance Coverage in North Carolina

  • 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 Ob/Gyn's in North Carolina
  • 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 North Carolina…

Get your FREE QUOTES now…compare multiple companies providing Malpractice Insurance to Ob/Gyn's in North Carolina. (including AM Best A-Rated carriers)

Covering all Physician Specialties, including Groups and Facilities in North Carolina, 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 North Carolina.

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 Ob/Gyn's and Risks/Procedures that are more difficult to cover…

Obtain coverage options for High Risk Ob/Gyn's 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