Data Breach Endorsement Added to Some Med Mal Policies
We talk a lot about medical data security here at MyMedicalMalpracticeInsurance.com. This topic has been growing in importance due to the fast-paced growth of medical technology, the transition to electronic medical records, and the explosion in portable devices. While we are first and foremost med mal insurance agents, we are also physician advocates, and we have several concerns related to this topic, which is why we write about it so frequently.
Today we are focusing on the fact that many physicians may not adequately protect their patients’ medical data. All it takes is one data breach to turn a physician’s practice upside down. When a data breach happens, physicians often have to contact patients and often incur patient notification expenses, credit monitoring expenses and data restoration expenses. And, some physicians’ med mal policies may not cover such expenses. Find out today if your med mal policy includes data breach. Don’t wait until a data breach happens to find out if your policy covers it or not.
We were excited to read today that Markel, one of the med mal insurance companies we work with, is now providing a data breach endorsement to its physicians. However, it should be noted that some physicians and practices may still require a stand alone policy. And, even if you are a Markel client, check with the company (or us if you have your med mal policy through us) to see if this new coverage applies to you and your policy. Or, contact us today if you’d like to discuss data breach coverage and what kind of coverage would be best for you and your practice.
Remember, the best defense is a good offense. Or, a stitch in time saves nine. However you like to look at it, it is in every physician’s best interest to find out if they have data breach coverage included in his or her med mal policy. And, every physician should take significant precautions to ensure that the medical data in their practice –be it on a computer, portable device, or smartphone –is secure.
