Is it legal to practice medicine without malpractice insurance?

by **egan** » Fri Nov 25, 2011 5:36 am

What about law? can you be a lawyer without malpractice insurance?

by **reuben29** » Fri Nov 25, 2011 5:43 am

Yes but you are putting a gun to your head and waiting for someone else to pull the trigger.*

by **vruyk** » Fri Nov 25, 2011 5:45 am

Yes but you are putting a gun to your head and waiting for someone else to pull the trigger.*

yes -- malpractice insurance is optional. my family physician doesn't have it.

by **nann** » Fri Nov 25, 2011 5:52 am

No, it is not illegal..

But I would recommend the doctor set his practice up as an LLC so if he loses a lawsuit he will not lose his home.

Some doctors deliberately do not carry insurance and have things set up as an LLC where they are an employee for one specific reason, when a patient goes and tries to get a lawyer to sue the doctor, the lawyer finds out the most they could get is a few thousand in assets of the LLC and future earnings of the LLC. If the doctor simply quits working for his own LLC, there is no money at all. Lawyers will not take a case if they do not have a good chance of making money off of it. It is about the only way you can ensure a lawyer will not take a case just for a chance of getting money...

by **hampton83** » Fri Nov 25, 2011 6:01 am

Legal? Yes.

Smart? No

by **ingel** » Fri Nov 25, 2011 6:09 am

Legal? Yes.

Smart? No

Licensing requirements for physicians and for lawyers do not include requirements for malpractice insurance. It is optional.

Professionals who do not carry insurance are risking a lot. If, for instance, a former patient or client successfully sued, the judgment would allow that person post-judgment remedies, like garnishing the business's and the individual's bank accounts, taking non-exempt property for a sheriff's sale to satisfy the judgment, etc., etc. With insurance, the benefits would be available to pay the judgment creditor.

by **menw** » Fri Nov 25, 2011 6:10 am

Legal? Yes.

Smart? No

Licensing requirements for physicians and for lawyers do not include requirements for malpractice insurance. It is optional.

Professionals who do not carry insurance are risking a lot. If, for instance, a former patient or client successfully sued, the judgment would allow that person post-judgment remedies, like garnishing the business's and the individual's bank accounts, taking non-exempt property for a sheriff's sale to satisfy the judgment, etc., etc. With insurance, the benefits would be available to pay the judgment creditor.

It would depend on State law. My State requires that Drs have medical malpractice insurance, but does not require lawyers to have legal malpractice.

Richard

by **chay** » Fri Nov 25, 2011 6:12 am

Yes....

by **hanan** » Fri Nov 25, 2011 6:26 am

Yes, you can practice without it, but you better hope you don't get sued because if you do they can come after your personal assets. Unless there's some major tort reform that takes place, it would be wise at all to practice medicine without MPI.

by **cadby** » Fri Nov 25, 2011 6:34 am

Grow a brain.

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