Liability Insurance Coverage Options for physical therapists, kinesiotherapists, more.
As a physical therapist you can be held personally liable for a number of work-related errors and omissions claims. Whether it’s for medical negligence or a cyber data breach exposing sensitive patient information, you can be held responsible even if you are not at fault. For that reason, it is important to understand all of the liability insurance coverage options offered through CM&F. Professional physical therapist liability insurance is a basic necessity for all active physical rehabilitation professionals, and adding on a few coverage options below can ensure your career, assets, and future are fully protected.
What is physical therapist professional liability insurance?
Professional physical therapist liability insurance, also known as physical therapist malpractice insurance, protects PT providers from legal claims associated with wrongful practice resulting in bodily injury, medical expenses and/or property damage, as well as the cost of defending yourself in lawsuits related to such claims. There are two types of physical therapy malpractice insurance coverage: claims-made and occurrence policies. A claims-made policy offers coverage only when a claim is filed during a policy period. Occurrence policies accommodate long tail events, or situations that don’t produce lawsuits or claims right away. While a claims-made policy may have a lower premium than occurrence, a claims-made policy owner may need tail coverage to protect themselves from claims made after the policy expires.
Some examples of malpractice claims include:
- Failure to diagnose an existing medical condition that a reasonably competent professional is capable of diagnosing
- Improper patient care or negligent medical treatment that negatively impacted a patient
- Failure to warn a patient of all the possible risks involved with a procedure or treatment method
What is workplace liability insurance?
Workplace liability insurance protects business owners from financial losses should a client or patient be injured while professional services are being provided. The injury can be both work-related, or simply just an unfortunate accident. All of CM&F’s physical therapy group professional liability insurance policies include workplace liability coverage.
Some examples of workplace liability claims include:
- A patient comes to your office and they slip on a wet tile causing injury
- A patient falls off the table when a PT provider is assisting
What is general liability insurance?
General liability covers physical risks, such as bodily injury or property damage. It differs from professional liability insurance, which is coverage for errors and omissions in provider services. General liability is available as an add-on coverage available to self-employed physical therapist individuals, as well as physical therapist group liability insurance holders with CM&F.
Some examples of general liability claims include:
- A patient that suffers a slip and fall incident at a workplace
- Property damage that you or an employee is responsible for causing
What is cyber liability insurance?
Cyber liability insurance covers the cost for a business to recover from a data breach, virus, or other cyberattacks where patient PII is compromised. It also covers the legal claims that result from a patient data breach. Physical therapist group/clinic owners should invest in a cyber liability insurance policy to protect the future of their business.
Some examples of a cyber liability claim include:
- Computer software is stolen that contains sensitive patient information. The cost to rectify the situation is covered by cyber liability insurance.
- A spyware virus compromises patient information. In turn, patients with information compromised by the virus file a lawsuit. The cost of legal fees will be covered with cyber liability insurance.
CM&F has made it their goal to protect all physical therapists, orthopedic physical therapists, rehabilitation assistants and other physical therapy professionals by offering a full-suite of affordable liability insurance options that are designed to bring you peace of mind as you grow your career.
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CM&F was founded over a century ago. Through up and down markets, CM&F’s dedication to physical therapists has never wavered. CM&F remains committed to making it easy and cost-effective to secure vital professional coverage with:
- A++ Rated Insurance & Lowest Priced Physical Therapy Liability Insurance Products
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