Malpractice Question

[gvs.psych]

Hi Folks - a rather basic question I think about malpractice. In my own job I have malpractice through the hospital and have a document showing the coverage with my name on it. My partner is an NP and recently took a job at a non-profit; when we asked to see the proof of his malpractice they sent a document that only lists the non profit for 'liability insurance' and they stated that they don't purchase individual malpractice insurance. Is this an important distinction? Would this mean that if he was sued directly the policy wouldn't apply? Thanks!

[DrSam]

Hi Folks - a rather basic question I think about malpractice. In my own job I have malpractice through the hospital and have a document showing the coverage with my name on it. My partner is an NP and recently took a job at a non-profit; when we asked to see the proof of his malpractice they sent a document that only lists the non profit for 'liability insurance' and they stated that they don't purchase individual malpractice insurance. Is this an important distinction? Would this mean that if he was sued directly the policy wouldn't apply? Thanks!

That sounds to me like your partner is potentially not covered. If they are insisting that the document they showed you indicates that your partner is in fact covered, I would insist on getting something to that effect in writing. If you still aren't sure about this, consult an attorney.

[jbmitt]

That sounds to me like your partner is potentially not covered. If they are insisting that the document they showed you indicates that your partner is in fact covered, I would insist on getting something to that effect in writing. If you still aren't sure about this, consult an attorney.

Agreed. Sounds sketchy to me. Most liability policies will carry exclusions where there could be substantial gaps in coverage. If the partner is working for both the nonprofit and the hospital, there is a potential that the in force hospital policy could get tagged for the non profit exposure. Obviously, the hospital would fight that pretty hard. This is venue dependent, and I'd encourage you to have the matter reviewed further to get clarification. I've also seen scenarios where midlevels aren't required to carry individual coverage and are covered by the organization.

It could simply be someone not knowing how to appropriately respond to your request or an actual oversight.