Malpractice Coverage/ Insurance

Malpractice  insurance  is  the one  that  covers  your  expenses, in case, a  patient  sues  you for  deviating from the  ethics  of  medicine.
This  a  very  rare  chance, especially  for  a  student, but  you  cant  practice  medicine in  USA  without this  insurance. Therefore, you have  to  have  this  insurance. All  the  institutions  will  ask  you  to  send a  copy  of your  malpractice  insurance.

• Although www.proliability.com is considered to be the most wise option for malpractice insurance by simply following few easy steps as mentioned below. But now let me bring your attention to what their customer care center's representative told me.The Genuine Visiting Medical Student Insuranse by proliability.com is of 5000$. Have a look at the following series of emails by their staff
• Our company can offer an annual policy for medical students for a premium of around $5,000. However, if you are working for a shorter time period than that, we do not have any coverage available. I would recommend contacting the school or hospital where you will be working to see if they can provide you with medical malpractice insurance.
  Thank you,
  Noel Marra, RPLU
  Sales Associate
  Marsh US Consumer
  Noel.M.Marra@marshpm.com
  Phone: 208-338-6425
  Fax: 208-338-6485
  Toll-Free: 800-523-9345 ext. 425
• 1. All of our student applications state that if you are going to any type medical school you are not eligible for this program. I am truly sorry but we have absolutely nothing available for medical students.
  Thank you,
  Vickie Tilden
  2. We realize that there are some students who are somehow slipping through the cracks and getting coverage, however if a claim were to happen; the policy would not cover the claim due to fact that they are truely"medical students", not medical assistant students which this policy is designed to cover. The curriculum you forwarded clearly states you are a medical student and unfortunately you are not eligible for coverage.
  Thank you,
  Vickie Tilden
  3. Medical assistants take classes to work in Dr.s offices performing administrative and clinical duties. The student program does not cover anyone who is taking this class as an elective towards there medical schooling. You are attending medical school, so you are ineligible for this program.
  Thank you,
  Vickie Tilden
  4. Proliability.com is part of our company, it is our location to apply for coverage on-line, but as I stated previously, we can not offer coverage to medical students.
  Thank you,
  Vickie Tilden
  5. Thank you for your inquiry regarding professional liability insurance. Unfortunately, our student program does not cover medical students, so at this time we do not have any insurance to offer you as a medical student.
  Thank you,
  Vickie Tilden
  Marsh ConsumerConnexions
  A Service of Seabury & Smith
  6. Thank you for your email.
  As you are not studying at a university in either the UK, Ireland, South Africa, Hong Kong, West Indies, New Zealand, Singapore or Malaysia, MPS are unable to provide you with indemnity for your elective in the US.
  I would recommend contacting your university or elective institution for advice on who can provide you with insurance.
  I am sorry MPS have been unable to help you on this occasion.
  I hope this answers your questions.
  Yours sincerely
  Juliette Sabatini
  Following is the email from one of our seniors when I asked him to help us in this matter
  'All of my class-fellows and I got insurances from this same website and interestingly we were not aware of the difference between medical student and medical assistant student. We sent the printed certificate of insurance and it worked with all the universities. None of us needed a claim and I have never heard of any claims from any seniors.'
  In case you are still interested in getting insured as "medical assistant" there are many insurance companies that offer this online insurance like www.proliability.com and Marsh Insurance e.g hpso.com.
  For proliability.com, following guideline may be helpful to you.
  You  can have  this insurance  done  from   the  website  of  professional liability, that  is  www.proliability.com
  You need to have following things before  applying for insurance on this website.
  A valid USA address and Phone number
  A valid Credit/Debit card number,  card type,  card owner�s complete name as on the card and  date  of  expiry of card.
  (All this information is usually present on the card itself)
  Once you are on the site, follow these steps:
  Select your profession as STUDENT and press continue.
  Then from step 1, select STUDENT (NON PHYSICIAN) and from step 2 select NO ASSOCIATION/ASSOCIATION NOT LISTED. Then press, Instant Quote.
  In the next step, they ask for start of insurance date. You  will  have  to  enter  any  date  valid  within  next  45  days. Remember, your   proliability insurance  will  be for one  year, so  you  should  plan  your  elective  dates  in a  way  that  they  will  be  covered  by  this insurance.
  Then, enter any source of information about this site, you can  say friends/family.
  Then, enter your practice type as  student.
  For state of practice, you can mention any state where you are  applying for  electives.
  Last one is optional, and you don�t need to fill it.
  In the next step, again you will have to select your profession. Select STUDENT MEDICAL ASSISSTANT. (remember: you are not being insured as medical student and this insurance is of no use if you are going for electives as a visiting medical student)
  Then, select type of  coverage. You can select the  one  with  35  dollars  or  the  one  with  41  dollars which has  better coverage. Its  better  to  select  the  one  with  41  dollars, as some universities want  you to have more  coverage.
  In the next page, fill out the  whole  form. The important  things  here  are:
  A valid day time phone  number which  is  to be  entered  without  USA code no. and  without spaces or  dashes  inside  the phone  number.
  Then comes the address, which  is  most  important. This  should  be a valid  address  and  you  must  know  that the  insurance  company  will  send  your  confirmatory  documents  to  this  mailing  address. So, there  should be  some one on this  address who can  send  you  these  documents  if required.  Its  better  not to enter  the  address  of someone  in a  university/college or a hospital.
  Then enter the name of  college  where  you are  applying  for  electives. It should be in the state  which  you mentioned  as  the  state of practice.
  Then, you will  have  to  select   YES  in the  box  saying  that  you  are  attending  an  American College, otherwise they wont give you  insurance.(note you are insured as an American 'medical assistant' student, not Foreign Medical student)
  Then comes next page. Fill in the  credit card information. For  billing  address, click  on  YES  for  address  being  the  same  as  the  one  you  gave  earlier.
  In  the  end, don't  forget  to  take  out  the  print outs of MEMORANDUM OF INSURANCE. Because, it will be  the  memorandum  whose  copies  you  will be  sending along with  elective  application. 
  Many people use  this  insurance  for  all  elective  applications(whereas its a fake one) in all states of USA, because on  the  memorandum  they  don't  mention  the  state  of  practice  or  the institution  attending. For the USA address, you  must  have  someone on that  address  who  can help  you timely. So, enter a valid address.
  If u are not ready to buy a fake insurance then the question arises what to do! I contacted more than 50 insurance companies including all those mentioned and only about few of them offer genuine malpractice insurance for medical students, have a look at few replies that might be of some use!
  1. Thank you for your inquiry.  Yes, we can provide you with the malpractice insurance you will need.  Cost may be affected by the location of the medical center where you train, but we can give you some indication, or range.  As it happens, our offices will be closed for a long holiday weekend.  Someone will email you next week.
  Jay Roberts
  janet@academicins.com
  (the best malpractice coverage, according to me)
  2. The application you requested.
  Please complete in its entirety and return to me.
  After it is reviewed you will be sent a quote for cost of coverage.Any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
  Steven Capone
  steve@academicins.com(the best malpractice coverage, according to me)
• 3. After reviewing your application for enrollment, listed below is your occurrence premium and capital contribution amount quotation for medical professional liability insurance with Academic Medical Professional Insurance Exchange RRG AMPIE for the period of 6 months. Limits of liability are $1,000,000/$3,000,000.   
               $237+$117=$354  
  Please note that the capital contribution amount is a one-time only payment due when a subscriber enrolls in Academic.  Subscribers are liable for their entire capital contribution amount even if they do not complete their period of enrollment with AMPIE.
  Occurrence premium and capital contribution amounts must be paid in full (in US currency only) prior to enrollment.
  Please contact me by email or telephone (646 808-0591) if you wish to enroll in the Academic Medical Professional Insurance Exchange RRG.
  Sincerely,
  Janet Williams
  Medical Student Coordinator
  AMPE, RRG
  janet@academicins.com(the best malpractice coverage, according to me)
  4. Based on the information provided, we are able to provide you with the following premium quotation for Rhode Island Medical Professional Liability Insurance:
  Effective Dates:                                    1/15/2009 to 5/15/2009
  Limits:$1,000,000 per claim/$3,000,000 annual aggregate
  Classification: Medical Student (Brown University)
  Coverage Type: Occurrence
• Total Annual Premium:                                                            $424.00 US
  Note: Coverage cannot be bound until premium payment has been received by the JUA. It must be received prior to quote effective date to avoid any lapse in coverage.
  Please remit payment by 1/15/09 to the following address:
  MMJUA-RI
  One Turks Head Plaza, Suite #200
  Providence, RI 02903
  PAYMENT PLAN OPTIONS:
  1. Payment in full

  If this quotation is acceptable to you, please forward deposit with confirmation of the desired payment plan. Make checks payable to: MMJUA-RI and send to the address above. Payment options cannot be changed during the policy period.
  Please review the information above to assure we have met your needs. 
  Thank you,
  Bonnie Swann
  Account Manager
  bswann@beechercarlson.com
  5. Thank you for your inquiry for Student Malpractice Insurance. We can usually provide the required coverage of most U.S. Hospitals ($1,000,000. Each occurrence and $3,000,000. Annual aggregate).  The policy is a CLAIMS MADE form of Insurance and is written on a one year basis from the date of the students first rotation at a U.S. Hospital that requires these limits. There is no pro ration of the policy premium. The policy is only issued for a one year term only. (No short term policies are written)  This means that the premium is the same for any period of time needed up to one year.  Thus the premium is fully earned once the policy is ordered. Currently the premium has been quoted at approximately $1200. It is important to let me know in advance in what states you will apply for your rotation so that I may confirm that the insurance can be purchased in that state. I am attaching the instructions and required application for your review.  I strongly urge you to begin the process of obtaining the insurance between 45 to 60 days before you will need the policy. It serves no purpose to make application in advance of 60 days, as the quote will not be firm. Please email me any questions you may have. I look forward to working with you.
                                                                  IMPORTANT
  If you are a post medical school graduate, the insurance company will need a detailed statement from you explaining what your professional activities have been since graduation and what activities you will perform while at the insured rotation.  
  Upon receipt of your application, I can give you a letter stating we will be able to place your insurance at the time your clerkship begins. 
  Since it would be unwise to buy a policy before you are accepted to a medical clerkship. When you send me an application with it completed as best you know now, I will send you the letter I describe above to help you get your acceptance. That would be the best any one can do since we cannot sell you a policy without the name and dates of the rotation.
  Very truly yours,
  David
  DAVID LEFTON
  Levy & Levy & Lefton Ins. Agency
  40 NE Loop 410, Suite 533
  San Antonio, Texas 78216
  Phone 210-349-2500 Fax 210-349-7150
  Email: LLLeftoninsure@aol.com
  6.  
  The insurance company will not sell you a policy until there is a hospital that has accepted you with the dates of the rotation provided.
  I can send you a letter to whom it may concern that will assist you. The attached is a sample of the letter.
  I will need to know where you are applying as we cannot provide a policy in all states.
  David
  DAVID LEFTON
  Levy & Levy & Lefton Ins. Agency
  40 NE Loop 410, Suite 533
  San Antonio, Texas 78216
  Phone 210-349-2500 Fax 210-349-7150
  Email: LLLeftoninsure@aol.com

   
  7.
  Thank you for your interest with The Psychiatrists' Program.  Medical schools in the United States usually offer medical malpractice coverage for their members.  You may wish to contact the medical school to confirm insurance coverage.  Please call me if you have any questions at 800-245-3333, ext. 389.
   
  Rich Stagnato
  Accounts Representative
  Professional Risk Management Services
  1515 Wilson Blvd., Suite 800
  Arlington, VA  22209
  Phone:  800-245-3333, ext. 389
  Fax:  703-276-0873
  Email:  stagnato@prms.com
  Website for The Psychiatrists' Program:  www.psychprogram.com
  Website for The Neurologists' Program:  www.tnpinsurance.com
  8.
  Hello, here is some information regarding the program that we have to offer.  Coverage is offered through Evanston Insurance on a Claims Made Basis (which covers claims first made, reported or filed during the year the policy is in force for any incidents that occur during your elective).  The cost of the program is $1,250 premium plus applicable surplus lines taxes and fee, it provides a $1,000,000/$3,000,000 limits of liability with a $0 deductible, and a 100% minimum earned premium.
  In order to obtain a quotation we must have the attached application completed along with a current resume/cv.  Once we have reviewed your application and resume we will provide a formal quotation.  We can not bind coverage until the start date of your elective is confirm along with full payment.  (Other students have used the quotation with their applications)
  If you complete the application question #1 needs to indicate a US address of where you will be living while doing your elective. Question #7 should be answered yes as the hospital that you will be training in; should be in compliance.  You should ask your coordinator for the name. This is a regulation that every healthcare institute must follow which pertain to the privacy of an individual.
  Please note that coverage is a one year policy.  The company does not offer short term policies, however you are able to add any additional electives that you may choose to attend within the policy period as long as you advise us prior to the start date of the new electives we can add to the policy at no additional premium in the first year.
  Let me know if you should have any questions.
  Barbara Babiak
  Vice President
  AmWins Brokerage of Illinois , LLC - Financial Risk Group
  10 South LaSalle Street, Suite 3200
  Chicago, IL   60603
  Phone:  312-575-9268
  Fax:      312-575-9297
  Barbara.Babiak@amwins.com
  Natalie Syria
  Assistant Broker
  Phone: 312-575-9266
  Fax:     312-575-9297
  Natalie.syria@amwins.com
  Note: The rates and figures are not true representative of the quotes, kindly contact the related companies by the above mentioned email addresses to request a quote.

• Updates to clear out Confusion new

  Submitted by vaibhav on Thu, 11/05/2009 - 00:21.
  
  Friends.. this is the procedure at this company for MPI
   Academicins procedure - 
  1. You mail Steve saying you need a MPI for a certain period.
  2. He mails u back a student form in which u have to fill in details.
   - here u mention all the colleges you are going to apply. 
  3. This is processed and a quotation is sent for the period u demand an MPI.
   note- the quotation is based on the no. of months and has nothing to do with the no. of colleges.
  ( i got a quotation of  $ 523 for 3 months).
  4. Then if u accept this quotation u mail steve stating that u accept.
  5. Then when u accept this quotation the documents are sent. 
  - one is the letter which will state that u will be covered for MPI when accepted.it is a general letter so it can be presented to any college u apply.
  - second is the agreement between you and the company. u hae to sign and return this to the company.
  -third is the payment u have to make
  note- the payment has to be made before hand. i enquired in detail. if in case u r not selected for the electives the money will be refunded fully.
  So this is the procedure . It takes minimun of  6 days and a max of 20 days to get all this done.Depends on the processing.
  I hope this clears everything about this MPI.( Andy hope this helps) 
  All the best friends... 
  God bless Umar bhai, Medisid, Purav