Frequent Medical Malpractice Insurance Service Requests and How We Help With Them

Frequent Medical Malpractice Insurance Service Requests and How We Help With Them 

Tropolis is an innovative insurance broker dedicated to empowering independent insurance agencies with the tools, technology, and support for accelerated growth. This article is part of a series featuring insights and stories from our valued Tropolis partners and employees.

Medical professionals work in high-stress, fast-paced environments that are continuously evolving. With that, changes to your practice often necessitate the need to update your medical professional liability insurance (aka malpractice insurance) to match the risk.  

You need to have access to someone who can quickly assist with obtaining policy and coverage information and answer your questions. As an account specialist, I am here to help. I not only answer your questions, facilitate changes, and assist with the management of your policy, but I also provide advice and recommendations. 

 Some of the most common requests we receive and how we are here to help include: 

Policyholders often need copies of certificates of insurance (COI’s) and policy documents. These are needed frequently for hospital credentialing and to meet regulatory requirements. These are sent out annually at renewal, and we are available to send these to you via email, fax, or mail depending on your preference throughout the policy term. We can also assist you with accessing your carrier’s online portal where you would have 24/7 on-demand access to these documents as well. 

Loss run reports. These are other frequently requested documents that are often required by hospital contracts to maintain privileges. We receive requests directly from insureds as well as hospitals. This information cannot be released to third-party requestors without signed consent from the insured. 

Adding or removing providers. We are here to assist you with these requests. When adding a new provider, we will assist you with the application and underwriting process to secure coverage and assist with removing providers upon departure. 

Updating personal information. Name changes, address changes, and contact information occur frequently. We help to ensure that your policy is kept up to date and that you continue to receive important communications.  

Limit change requests. Most inquiries are to increase policy limits based on changing needs, contractual requirements, legal environment, and estate planning. Most limit changes can only be made at renewal; however, a contractual requirement is the exception. We are here to facilitate these requests and ensure you have the coverage you need. 

Clarification on what type of coverage is carried. There are 3 main types of malpractice insurance coverage and understanding the differences can be complicated. Depending on your coverage type, you may have questions about retroactive dates or extended reporting period endorsements (aka Tail coverage). 

You may also have questions about the practice locations your coverage extends to or if there are any exclusions on the policy. 

Corporate structure changes can occur for a variety of reasons. New corporations are created, or partnerships may have been formed, and these entities may need to be included in your malpractice insurance policies. We assist you with determining the type of coverage available for your situation, along with the underwriting process for these entities. 

Invoices can be difficult to interpret. We are available to assist you with reviewing for billing accuracy as well as explaining changes that may be unclear.  

Changes to autopayment information and how to update this information are also common requests. We strive to provide you with clear instructions on how to make these changes. 

Our team is dedicated to assisting you with your malpractice insurance and keeping your policy and coverage up to date to match your evolving practice. Whether you have a question, a request for a simple document, or have a more complex situation that you need to discuss, we are here and available to help.