How to Market Yourself with a Doctor Liability Claim History
If you’ve had a doctor liability claim, and/or been named in a suit, you know that it can be a very stressful process. Not only do you have to continue to run your practice, but you have to deal with the legal system, and your doctor liability company. Because it is happening to you, it may seem like an isolated event, but doctor liability companies deal with thousands of claims every day. So, like the World War II adage goes, Keep Calm and Carry On. This is not the end of the world. Once you’ve made it through the claim, here are a couple things you can do to minimize the impact that the claim will have on your doctor liability insurance. Let’s talk about that today.
1. Open claim reserve amount. Many times when our doctors are applying for doctor liability insurance and have a claim, we ask them what their current insurance company has set aside for their open claim. When a claim arises, the doctor liability insurance company thoroughly reviews the claim and sets aside a certain amount, or reserve, that is intended to give them an idea of what the claim may cost, including possible payout. If you end up applying to a new insurance company while you have an open claim, they will want to know what the reserve amount is along with the details of the claim.
2. Detailed Records of Claim(s). As a doctor who has gone through medical school, residency and possibly a fellowship, you are probably used to taking copious notes, being organized and knowing the details of your cases. Don’t lose that skill when you are going though the claim process. The doctor liability company is going to want the date that the claim was made, the dates(s) of seeing the patient and any other pertinent information that will help to decide whether or not to accept you for coverage. As a quick reminder, the agents at MyMedicalMalpracticeInsurance.com, remind you to NEVER change the patient’s file after a claim had been made against you.
Once you’ve gathered all of the documentation necessary and you’re working with your doctor liability agent to find a new liability insurance company, your agent will present you to the new insurance company and hopefully market you as a good risk for that insurance company. They’ll take your practice history as a whole, explain the claim in detail to the underwriter, and they will press for accepting you into their company for coverage.
If you’ve had a claim and you now want to discuss this in detail, remember that conversations with MyMedicalMalpracticeInsurance.com agents are always held in strict confidentiality and we’re always here to help.
