Pennsylvania Medical Malpractice Insurance for all physicians.

Pennsylvania Medical Malpractice Insurance Market Summary

Through the late 1990s and until recently, medical malpractice insurance premiums in Pennsylvania were rising sharply. However, in the last few years, many malpractice insurance carriers have decreased their rates amid an improving malpractice environment.

The total coverage limits provided to physicians is $500,000 for the primary coverage and $500,000 for the MCARE coverage, totaling $1 million limit per claim.

The MCARE Fund insures doctors and hospitals for so-called "excess" claims, which means claims where there is provable medical or hospital negligence, and a relationship between the negligence and harm where the damages exceed $500,000. The Fund is an arm of the Pennsylvania Insurance Department and was created by Act 13 of 2002 signed into law March 20, 2002, although it is a successor to the Medical Professional Liability Catastrophe Loss Fund, known by the acronym CAT Fund.

Each health care provider in Pennsylvania which provides 50% or more of professional health care business or practice within Pennsylvania must obtain primary coverage in the amount of $500,000 or an approved self-insurance plan. Participation in MCARE is mandatory for physicians, hospitals, nursing homes, birth centers, and a variety of other health care providers.

Pennsylvania Medical Malpractice Insurance Carriers

Medical malpractice insurance in Pennsylvania is available from admitted insurers, surplus lines insurers, risk retention groups, and the Pennsylvania Professional Liability Joint Underwriting Association (JUA). Since April of 2002, the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance has licensed or approved 57 new entities to offer medical malpractice insurance coverage to hospitals and physicians. Some companies have voluntarily ceased writing medical malpractice insurance in Pennsylvania, such as Princeton Insurance Company and First Professionals Insurance Company.

Statute of Limitations

Medical malpractice actions for injury or wrongful death must be brought within two years. 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5524(2) (2007). The statute does not begin to run until the injured party discovers or reasonably should have discovered that he has been injured. This discovery rule does not apply to death cases, however.

Comparative Negligence

Pennsylvania has adopted a modified rule of comparative negligence. A plaintiff's recovery is barred only if his contributory negligence is greater than the causal negligence of the defendants against whom recovery is sought. Otherwise, the plaintiff's damages are diminished in proportion to the amount of negligence attributable to him. 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 7102(a) (2007).

Damage Limits

Pennsylvania does not impose a cap on compensatory damages. Punitive damages against a physician cannot exceed 200 percent of the compensatory damages absent intentional misconduct. Pa. Stat. Ann. tit. 40, § 1303.505(d) (2007).

Pennsylvania 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

Med-Mal Coverage also available for:

Diederich Healthcare is able to offer medical malpractice insurance to the following counties in Pennsylvania:

Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bradford, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Perry, Philadelphia, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, Wyoming, York 

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

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