Important Facts About Professional Liability Insurance For Nurses

In the health care industry this is a must have for all nurses. This is actually your protection for yourself against all unforeseen situations which you cannot avoid while doing your job. Moreover, this protects the health care provider for the costs of legal and board action which can be very expensive. You have to face the fact that legal actions, although unwanted, can be a part of every health care professional’s career. It is something looming at all times because of the sensitivity of what you are handling: human life. Unintentional errors may be commited and this insurance will protect you.

However some employers provide insurance to staff, it is a good idea to carry one on your own. It is a small price to pay to secure you from legal aspects of your career. There are cases when employers never settle the premiums although they guarantee their nurses that they have covered their professional insurance. Or sometimes when the liability or the cost of legal action is too big, insurance companies refuse to pay the amount like what went down in a legal battle in Massachusetts. Even though this is an exceptional case still we saw that this can actually happen.

What happens when you are performing your duties? Even simple everyday routine can be a cause of legal action. That is why health care professionals including doctors are very careful with regards to performing their jobs.

You could be legally sued in case a mistake is made or carelessness is done. This may be very easy once you look at it but the course of action could be huge and expensive. You might be innocent however you will be taken to court to prove that you are innocent of the charges.

Someone reported (the employer or another party) that you made a mistake in the patient's records.

A medical doctor will claim that you made a mistake or misunderstood his directions.

A patient or relative claims that you have provided inadequate patient care.

You are already off duty and you still helped someone with an injury or any health situation (although you mean well)

Having that said, you have to equip yourself with the right knowledge regarding Professional Liability Insurance. First, be sure that your employer is truly providing you with this insurance and that it stays active all the time. You could have them provide you with written verification which they do purchase malpractice insurance and provide you with the limits or what are included in that coverage. Next is you should also purchase your own insurance. You should definitely get this depending on where you work or where you live and what your specialization is. There are lots of insurance companies around. You should definitely look around first before settling to one.

Another essential point is the difference between the occurrence and the claims made. Briefly, occurrence refers to the actual time the alleged malpractice took place while claims made refer to the exact time the claim is communicated to you including retroactive coverage for prior activities. Make sure that what is included in your policy are the ones that you actually need.

These are quite a few of the things you should keep in mind while you are actively performing your job. Law suits can happen. That's the reason why making sure you are properly covered with Professional Liability Insurance is essential in the performance of your job as a nurse.

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