Malpractice Insurance for Doctors & Physicians in Arizona

How to buy malpractice insurance in Arizona

The best way to buy malpractice coverage is to work with a reputable malpractice insurance broker in Arizona who can generate multiple quotes. Your broker will walk you through the lengthy insurance application and underwriting process. Click to get your free medical malpractice insurance quotes from all the major Arizona malpractice insurance companies.

Typically, the malpractice insurance purchasing process goes like this:

1. Submit your information for your free medical malpractice insurance quote from every major insurance company in Arizona.
2. One of our veteran malpractice insurance agents who specializes in the Arizona market will contact you to learn more about your specific needs.
3. We shop your coverage to every major insurance company in Arizona.
4. We present you with a number of insurance quotes and give you the information necessary to make an educated and informed decision. Don’t worry. We’re here every step of the way, helping you get the best price with the best company.
5. At renewal time, we restart the process of shopping your coverage among every major carrier to keep your policy properly priced.

How to save money on your malpractice insurance

• The easiest way to save money on your medical malpractice insurance policy is by working with a broker who has the access to generate quotes from every major insurance company, offering an accurate view of the marketplace. As one of the top brokers in Arizona, we can guide you through the application and underwriting process so you’re confident you secured the best price with the right insurer for your situation.
• The most common limits in Arizona are $1 million/$3 million. Limits of liability play a major role in determining the overall cost of your policy. Some companies will offer lower limits to save you money. We don’t recommend this. We want your risks fully indemnified so you never have to pay an award out of pocket. Let us save you money by shopping your coverage rather than skimp on protection.
• Check out our 7 secrets your medical malpractice insurance agent won’t tell you page to get insider information on buying coverage in Arizona.
• The most common limits in Arizona are $1 million/$3 million. Limits of liability play a major role in determining you overall cost. Some companies might recommend lowering your limits to lower your malpractice premium cost. We do not. We do not ever want to see client forced to pay a verdict out of pocket.

Medical malpractice requirements in Arizona

Limits of Liability: The most important requirement are the limits of liability in Arizona which are $1 million/$3 million. What this means is that the insurance company we help place you with will cover you during the policy period up to $1 million per claim, with a cap of $3 million per year.

Most hospitals require a physician carry malpractice insurance prior to granting admitting privileges. Some of the hospital systems requiring this include, but are not limited to: Banner, Valleywise Health Medical Center, and Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Best Medical malpractice insurance companies in Arizona

1. Medical Protective
2. The Doctors Company
3. NORCAL
4. ProAssurance
5. Aspen

Why partner with Cunningham Group?

Partnering with Cunningham Group will give you a full view of the Arizona marketplace. We can get you quotes from all the major insurance companies and help you choose the policy that best fits your needs and budget. Our veteran insurance agents average 10+ years of industry experience. Let us help you secure medical malpractice insurance quotes from every major insurance company in Arizona.

Brief History and other important facts of medical malpractice insurance in Arizona

According to data from the National Practitioner Databank (NPDB), Arizona has fewer medical malpractice claims per 100 physicians than the national average; in 2019, Arizona had 0.61 claims per 100 physicians, compared to the U.S. figure of 0.93. Arizona also spent less per capita to pay out medical malpractice claims than the national average, at per capita $7.53 compared to $9.98 nationwide. Despite these positive figures, rates in Arizona have stayed higher in comparison to many other states.

Medical liability reform has not been successful in Arizona, but it hasn’t been for lack of trying. Arizona is one of several states with a constitution which specifically limits the ability of its legislative branch to pass tort reforms. There are three specific sections in the Arizona constitution that explicitly void the legislature’s ability to pass laws restricting access to the court system and/or compensation for injury as determined by a jury, including two sections that prohibit the legislature from limiting the amount of recoverable damages in tort cases. Lawmakers attempted ballot initiatives to change the constitution’s language in 1986, 1990 and 1994, but were defeated each time. More limited reforms have passed in Arizona, including a 2010 law to reform the standards for expert witness testimony and evidence. In 2017, the state Supreme Court clarified questions about the qualifications of expert witnesses in medical malpractice lawsuits. According to the court, an expert witness must have been engaged in active clinical practice or teaching the year immediately preceding the injury.

Frustrated by his state’s constitutional restriction on restricting the size of jury verdicts in medical malpractice cases, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has been one of the most-vocal governors to support the federal Protecting Access to Care Act, which would create a $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages in medical liability lawsuits, among other provisions that would preempt state laws governing medical malpractice lawsuits in the areas of statutes of limitation, joint and several liability, product liability and attorney contingency fees. The Protecting Access to Care Act was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in June of 2017, but did not receive a vote in the Senate.

Resources for Arizona Physicians

Arizona Medical Association
Arizona Department of Insurance
Arizona Medical Board
Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association
Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System
All MD Arizona Healthcare Defense Attorney Listing
Medical Malpractice Insurance Guide