Dental Malpractice Insurance

Start with dental malpractice insurance and build from there

If someone alleges you made a treatment error that injured a patient, you face expenses to defend yourself. Dental malpractice insurance helps protect you against those expenses. A good policy also provides coverage for State Board complaints.

The type of policy you need depends on where you are in your career journey. A Risk Strategies advisor helps you identify the correct coverage for your specific situation.

Individual Professional Liability for Dentists

Even the best dentists occasionally face lawsuits from patients, who allege a treatment or recommendation caused harm. Professional liability insurance helps protect your reputation and pocketbook against claims of wrongdoing.

Entity Professional Liability

If a lawsuit names your practice as a defendant, entity professional liability helps with the costs. Note: While it may be possible to add your practice as an “additional insured” on your individual professional liability policy, you will need separate entity coverage if you employ other dental practitioners (i.e., associates, hygienists).

Group Professional Liability

As a solo practice turns into a group practice, coordinating the individual professional liability coverage of the associate doctors can be difficult. Also, as a practice grows, plaintiffs are more likely to sue the practice entity due to the perception of “deeper pockets.” Group professional liability insurance protects you.

Insurance for Dental Businesses

In addition to dental malpractice insurance, dental offices need to consider a variety of risks and insurance types. For example:

Dental Business Owners Policy (BOP)

This insurance safeguards business property you own (on premises) and protects against third-party public liability (e.g., someone trips in your office and sues you). You’ll need this coverage for every business location you occupy. The policy includes a property limit, which insures your building, leasehold improvements, furniture, equipment, and supplies against perils of fire, theft, windstorm, water, vandalism, and so forth. And it includes a “general liability” (public liability) limit for your practice.

Business Disability Insurance

Most doctors are familiar with “personal income replacement disability,” but what happens to a practice when an owner-dentist can’t work due to a disability? It’s possible to structure disability insurance to cover the ongoing expenses of a dental practice (or make a payment on a practice-related loan) if the owner/operator dentist cannot work because of a disability. This type of policy helps ensure business continuity.

Workers' Compensation

If an employee suffers a work-related injury or illness, workers’ compensation helps pay lost wages and medical expenses. Most states require workers’ comp, except Texas. Important note: If you do not carry workers’ compensation in Texas, you give up your common law defenses and therefore become immediately responsible for all expenses related to the work-related injury or illness. If you carry worker’s compensation coverage, an injured employee cannot sue you.