Tail Insurance, also known as Extended Reporting Period coverage, must be purchased when a physician has claims-made professional liability insurance coverage. How Much Does Tail Insurance Cost for a Physician? Tail insurance covers the gap between when a physician leaves an employer and when the statute of limitations on filing a medical malpractice claim ends.
Malpractice coverage is professional liability coverage that helps protect physicians and other medical professionals from the financial risks associated with lawsuits in which patients believe they were harmed due to an incident involving medical care. The coverage depends on how much the policy is worth (premium), and your specialty – personal injury attorneys are more likely to take cases against physicians working in hospitals than those who practice family medicine or internal medicine in private practice.
Many Policy Options
Most malpractice insurance carriers provide insurance coverage with a deductible clause that can range between $0 -$100k per incident, with most doctors opting for higher deductibles due to lower premiums. A deductible clause in a malpractice policy stipulates that the insurance company will not cover any expenses incurred by the insured for injuries or damages up to an agreed-upon amount. A deductible clause in a malpractice policy stipulates that the insurance company will not cover any expenses incurred by the insured for injuries or damages up to an agreed-upon amount per incident. The typical company\’s deductible is usually $5000, but it can be higher, sometimes as high as $50,000, depending on individual state requirements and insurance claims history.
How Much Does Tail Insurance Cost?
A good rule of thumb is tail insurance costs around two times your annual medical malpractice insurance premium. Thus, if your annual premium costs $6000, your tail cost would be around $12,000. Your tail insurance cost is a one-time payment, not an annual cost.
The cost of insurance coverage is based upon the claims history of the provider and the number of individual and group patients seen per year. Providers with high annual visit counts will have a lower insurance premium, since their claims are spread out over more people. Thus, the choice of claims-made or occurrence is essential.
Additionally, doctors who perform below average in terms of malpractice insurance claims will pay less than doctors who incur higher claim rates. A provider\’s business risk profile is also considered when determining the rate an insurance company will charge for the occurrence-based policy. Provider age is also factored into the equation, as younger doctors are at higher risk of committing acts that could lead to liability or making an error than older practitioners.
Who Does Pay for Tail Malpractice Insurance?
The physician’s employment agreement will specify whether the physician or the employer pays for the tail insurance. This is a point of contention in many employment agreement negotiations, with resources from both parties advocating for their position.
Claims-made coverage is used in cases where there may be periods when coverage is not available, such as physicians changing jobs. In these situations, the tail policy will protect for up to three years after leaving an employer. The tail policy also has other limitations and exclusions, making it difficult for physicians who leave employers often or have a history of high liability claims against them to find affordable malpractice insurance.
As with any insurance, you must understand what your tail covers before purchasing one. There are two types of tails – open and closed – each with benefits and drawbacks.
Length of Practice Matters
One of the essential factors in determining how much you will pay for your tail insurance is how long you have been practicing medicine. If you are starting, your rates could be lower than someone practicing for over ten years.
Solo vs. Multi-Physician Practice
The final factor determining how much your tail insurance costs is the type of practice you have. If you work in a solo practice, your rates will be higher than if you work with another physician or as part of a clinic where there is coverage and indemnity for each other’s errors.
Medical Employment Contract Attorney
Contracts are a pervasive and obligatory part of nearly all business and legal transactions. Well-drafted contracts help to enumerate the responsibilities of the involved parties, divide liabilities, protect legal rights, and ensure future relationship statuses. These touchstones are even more crucial when applying their roles to the case of a physician employed by a hospital, medical group, or other health care provider. While contract drafting and negotiation can be a long and arduous process, legal representation is a must to ensure that your rights are being protected.
The present-day conclusion is simple: A physician should not enter into any contract without having the agreement reviewed by legal counsel.
There is too much at risk for a physician to take contract matters into their own hands. In addition to the specific professional implications, contract terms can significantly impact a physician’s family, lifestyle, and future. There are many important contract terms and clauses which can present complex and diverse issues for any physician, including:
- Non-compete clauses
- Damages
- Indemnification
- Verbal guarantees
- Insurance statements
Additionally, often the most influential terms and clauses in any employment contract are the ones that are not present. With the advent of productivity based employment agreements any physician must have an employment agreement reviewed before it is executed. Attorney Robert Chelle has practical experience drafting and reviewing physician contracts for nearly every specialty.
A thorough contract review can benefit new residents, attending physicians, doctors entering into their first employment contract or established physicians looking for new employment. By employing an experienced attorney for your representation, you can ensure that you will be able to fully understand the extensive and complex wording included in your contract. By having a full and complete understanding of the contract, you will be in a better position to decide whether or not you want to enter into the agreement, which will affect your career life for years to come.
The financial benefits gained from having your contract reviewed and negotiated by an experienced healthcare attorney far outweigh the costs of a review. You are a valuable resource, and you should be treated and respected as such. Attorney Robert Chelle will personally dedicate his time to ensure that you are fully protected and will assist you in the contract process so that your interests are fairly represented.
Every physician contract is unique. However, nearly all contracts for health care providers should contain several essential terms. If these essential terms are not spelled out in contracts, disputes can arise when there is a disagreement between the parties regarding the details of the specific term. For instance, if the doctor expects to work Monday through Thursday and the employer expects the provider to work Monday through Friday, but the specific workdays are absent from the Agreement, who prevails?
Spelling out the details of your job is crucial to avoid contract conflicts during the term of your employment. Below is a checklist of essential terms that contracts should contain (and a brief explanation of each term):
- Locations: Which facilities will you be scheduled to provide care at (outpatient clinic, surgical sites, in-patient services, etc.)?
- Outside Activities: Are you permitted to pursue moonlighting or locum tenens opportunities? Do you need permission from the employer before you accept those practice of medicine related positions?
- Practice Call Schedule: How often are you on call (after hours office call, hospital call (if applicable))?
- Electronic Medical Records (EMR): What EMR system is used in medicine? Will you receive training or time to review the system before providing care?
- Base Compensation: What is the annual base salary? What is the pay period frequency? Does the base compensation increase over the term of the Agreement? Is there an annual review or quarterly review of compensation?
- Productivity Compensation: If there is productivity compensation, how is it calculated (wRVU, net collections, patient encounters, etc.)? Is there an annual review?
- Practice Benefits Summary: Are standard benefits offered: health, vision, dental, life, retirement, etc.? Who is the advisor of human resource benefits?
- Paid Time Off: How much time off does the job offer? What is the split between vacation, sick days, CME attendance and holidays? Is there a HR guide?
- Continuing Medical Education (CME): What is the annual allowance for CME expenses and how much time off is offered?
- Dues and Fees: Which business financial expenses are covered (board licensing, DEA registration, privileging, AMA membership, Board review)?
- Relocation Assistance: Is relocation assistance offered? What are the repayment obligations if the Agreement is terminated before the expiration of the initial term?
- Signing Bonus: Is an employee signing bonus offered? When is it paid? Do you have to pay it back if you leave before the initial term is completed? Are student loans paid back? Is there a forgiveness period for student loans?
- Professional Liability Insurance: What type of liability insurance (malpractice) is offered: claims made, occurrence, self-insurance?
- Tail Insurance: If tail insurance is necessary, who will pay for it when the Agreement is terminated?
- Term: What is the length of the initial term? Does the Agreement automatically renew after the initial term?
- Without Cause Termination: How much notice is required for either party to terminate the Agreement without case?
- Non-Compete: How long does the non-compete last and what is the prohibited geographic scope?
- Non-Solicitation: How long does it last and does it cover employees, patients, and business associates?
Coming into a new organization with a favorable contract can put the physician in a positive financial situation for years. Before signing the most important contract of your life, contact Attorney Robert Chelle for assistance.
If you have questions about your current medical malpractice policy or want your employment agreement reviewed, contact Chelle Law today.