Malpractice insurance for Physicians- Get a Quote

Physicians face one of the highest malpractice exposure rates in healthcare, with nearly one in three doctors sued at least once during their careers. Even when claims are unfounded, the stress, time, and financial implications can be substantial. Whether you work in a hospital, private clinic, or group practice, robust professional liability protection is essential to safeguard your career and reputation.

Homewood Insurance helps physicians across all specialties secure comprehensive malpractice and general liability coverage. From primary care and pediatrics to high-acuity specialties like surgery, OB/GYN, and cardiology, our brokers match you with insurers who understand your specific risks.

This page outlines the following:

What Insurance Includes – a breakdown of Professional and General Liability protection for physicians.
Cost of Coverage – typical annual premium ranges and the main factors influencing rates.
Higher-Risk Procedures – interventions and surgical specialties that elevate premiums or trigger carrier scrutiny.
Why Work With Homewood – how we help physicians secure competitively priced, comprehensive coverage.
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Malpractice Insurance for Physicians can include:

Shields against malpractice claims arising from patient care, procedures, or treatment decisions.
Protects against allegations of diagnostic error, surgical complications, or failure to refer.
Designed for solo practitioners, hospital-employed physicians, and outpatient-based providers.
Includes coverage for documentation issues, patient consent, and scope-of-practice disputes.
Limits up to $1M per claim / $3M aggregate; tail and prior acts coverage available

More information

Malpractice Insurance for Physicians can include:

Malpractice or liability insurance can provide essential protection against these risks:

Professional Liability (Malpractice Insurance)
1. Covers allegations of negligence, omissions, or errors in diagnosis, treatment, or surgical procedures.
2. Legal defense and settlements for claims tied to missed diagnoses, incorrect treatment, or procedural complications.
3. Protection for medication errors, failure to obtain informed consent, or delayed referrals.
4. Applies to physicians in internal medicine, surgery, emergency care, pediatrics, obstetrics, pain management, and other specialties.
5. Includes coverage for documentation errors, miscommunication, or patient record disputes.
6. Optional endorsements for telemedicine, in-home care, or cross-state medical practice.
7. Policies available as claims-made or occurrence, with tail coverage and prior-acts protection.
General Liability Insurance
1. Covers bodily injury or property damage unrelated to direct medical care (e.g., slips, falls, or waiting room incidents).
2. Includes personal and advertising injury (e.g., libel or slander).
3. Provides separate occurrence limits for clinics, private practices, or medical groups.
4. Defense costs covered in addition to policy limits.
Recommended Add-ons
1. 1. Cyber liability Insurance – for EMR breaches, ransomware, or unauthorized disclosure of patient data.
  2. Employment practices liability – covers HR or discrimination claims in group practices.
  3. Regulatory defense – for billing audits, DEA or CMS investigations, and peer reviews.
  4. Excess/Umbrella – increases limits up to $10M for surgical and hospital-based roles.
  5. Locum tenens endorsement – maintains coverage when working across multiple facilities.

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Family Practice / Pediatrics: $2,000 – $5,000
Internal Medicine / Cardiology: $5,000 – $10,000
General Surgery / Orthopedics: $15,000 – $50,000
OB/GYN / Neurosurgery: $80,000 – $150,000+
High-litigation states (NY, FL, IL, CA): +30–60% increase
Prior claims or board actions can double premiums.

Small office practice: $400 – $1,000 annually
Multi-provider clinic: $1,000 – $3,000
Premiums rise 15–30% for high-traffic or multi-location practices.

Cyber Liability Insurance: $250 – $800
Employment practices liability: $400 – $1,200
Regulatory defense: $300 – $700
Umbrella coverage: $1,000+ depending on limit
Locum tenens or telemedicine riders: $100 – $500

Procedure Category	Risk Description	Impact on Coverage
Obstetric / Gynecologic Surgeries	High-severity outcomes such as infant injury or maternal death. Litigation frequency among highest of all specialties.	Premiums may double; OB-specific coverage endorsement required in most states.
Neurosurgical & Orthopedic Procedures	Involve high complication risk—nerve damage, paralysis, and long-term disability claims common.	+30–50% PL increase; underwriters review surgical outcomes and caseload.
General & Thoracic Surgery	High-risk of infection, bleeding, and anesthesia complications. Elective procedures drive higher litigation rates.	+25–40% premium rise; additional documentation protocols required.
Cosmetic / Elective Procedures	Frequent dissatisfaction-related suits despite low injury rates.	+20–35% surcharge; may require separate cosmetic rider or endorsement.
Experimental / Off-Label Interventions	Unapproved stem cell, robotic, or AI-guided procedures carry uncertain risk and regulatory scrutiny.	Possible exclusion; full disclosure mandatory to maintain coverage validity.

Carriers rarely deny coverage entirely unless acts exceed scope or licensure—but high-volume surgical and OB work continues to drive the sharpest premium increases nationwide.