Most malpractice carriers estimate that about 1 in 3 dentists and dental specialists are sued at some point in their careers. How your policy is built decides what happens next: who controls a settlement, how long you’re covered, and whether your carrier can afford a large claim.
We compare, carriers don’t. Our team reviews the qualified and endorsed options for your state and specialty, instead of selling one company’s plan.
Two things decide how a malpractice policy treats you when a claim is filed: whether the carrier can pay, and whether it can settle without asking you.
Ratings from agencies like AM Best and Moody’s show how financially healthy an insurer is. A carrier rated below A may struggle to pay a multi-million-dollar lawsuit.
With about 1 in 3 dentists sued over a career, your carrier needs to absorb many claims at once, not just yours.
An insurer is a business. If it can settle a claim for $5,000 or defend it for $50,000, it usually prefers the cheaper option. Pure consent stops the carrier from settling without your written consent , so you decide whether to fight a claim you believe is unfounded.
Why a settlement is never just a paymentYou may have to present the case to your state dental board, which can restrict, suspend, or revoke a license.
Malpractice payments made on your behalf are reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank, which licensing boards, hospitals, and other organizations check.
Many carriers drop a dentist after a settlement. Staying with a strong carrier can cost $10,000 to $20,000 a year, and high-risk carriers often charge far more for less coverage.
Some carriers only sell one type, or push one as the right answer for everyone. Neither is always better. It depends on your specialty, your job, and how long you plan to stay.
Early in a career, occurrence is usually the safer starting point. Once your path is set, switching to claims-made can make sense. Get that advice from someone who doesn’t work for your employer or a single carrier.
Every malpractice policy and employment contract lists limits as two numbers, like $1,000,000 / $3,000,000. The first is the most the policy pays for any one claim. The second is the most it pays for all claims combined during the policy period.
Your state sets a minimum, and employers often require more. Higher-risk specialties usually carry higher limits.
$1M / $3M
Professional liability is tricky to buy. Our team works through the qualified and endorsed options so your policy fits the risks of the work you actually do.
Not sure what your current policy includes? Send it to us and an advisor will review it. Contact us
A tail, also called extended reporting coverage, keeps a claims-made policy responding to claims about treatment you did while the policy was active, after the policy ends. You typically need one when you leave a job or switch carriers before retiring. Occurrence policies don’t need a tail.
It’s a clause in the carrier’s contract that stops the insurer from settling a claim without your written consent. Without it, a carrier can settle a claim to save money, even if you believe it has no merit, and the settlement follows you.
Payments made on your behalf are reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank. You may also have to present the case to your state dental board, and your premiums can rise sharply. Many carriers drop dentists after a settlement.
It might be. Check whether the policy is occurrence or claims-made, whether it includes pure consent to settle, what the limits are, and who pays the tail when you leave. Many corporate and DSO jobs charge an exit fee if you aren’t on an occurrence policy.
Higher-risk procedures and treating children tend to lead to larger claims, and claims involving children can be filed many years after treatment. Occurrence coverage keeps each year’s limits in place permanently, which spreads that risk across a career.
At least your state’s minimum, plus whatever your employer or contracts require. Orthodontists and general dentists often carry lower limits, while pediatric dentists, oral surgeons, and other higher-risk practices usually carry more. Your advisor will match limits to your state and specialty.
Tell us your specialty, your state, and how you practice. Your advisor will check your rating, consent clause, policy type, and limits, then compare the options that fit.
