Missouri Surgeons 2024 Buying Guide to Medical Malpractice Insurance

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If you are a surgeon needing medical malpractice insurancwe in Missouri, SURGPLI will work for you as your only trusted broker. Our brokers have deep knowledge of Missouri’s medical malpractice insurance marketplace, plus they stay up-to-date on the state’s legislation and tort reforms that affect rates and coverage requirements for your surgical specialty. Use the information in this 2024 Buying Guide to get ready to discuss your medical malpractice insurance needs with a SURGPLI broker.

With no caps on economic damages, and high non-economic caps set to increase yearly in Missouri, general surgeons – and particularly those in high-risk specialties such as OB/GYN, bariatric surgery, and orthopedic surgery – need robust medical malpractice coverage. An independent SURGPLI broker will work with you to find the right coverage and carrier at a competitive rate.

Surgeons in Missouri are not required by law to obtain medical malpractice insurance. However, SURGPLI advises Missouri surgeons to secure and maintain strong medical malpractice coverage to reduce risk to the practice and protect against personal financial loss if sued – including high-dollar attorney’s fees and monetary damages awarded to plaintiffs.

Each carrier uses its own proprietary methods of setting rates, which vary among carriers and specialties. Each malpractice insurance policy is underwritten individually, but the following are approximate rates across all Missouri locations to give you an idea of costs by high-risk specialty.

*Using the MO standard limits of $1,000,000 Each Claim / $3,000,000 Aggregate per year in coverage.

Some Missouri healthcare facilities may require surgeons to carry medical malpractice insurance to have admitting privileges.

Also, if you need tail insurance coverage as a contracted surgeon changing jobs, you may need more coverage than the minimum required by your hospital. SURGPLI specializes in both medical malpractice insurance and tail insurance coverage for Missouri surgeons, so contact us for a personalized quote based on your unique needs.

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Surgeons in Missouri have many good options for medical liability insurance. SURGPLI recommends carriers rated “A” by A.M. Best. These companies are A-rated because of their long-term financial solvency and a history of providing robust legal support for Missouri surgeons. Some of the top carriers include:

• MedPro Group
• The Doctors Company
• ISMIE Group

• ProAssurance
• NORCAL Group (A Part of ProAssurance)
• Coverys Group

Save time and effort by getting a wide range of A-rated carrier quotes through SURGPLI as a single point of contact. Get a quote with us today.

GET A QUOTE TODAY

Save time and effort by getting a wide range of A-rated carrier quotes through SURGPLI as a single point of contact.

Here is a brief overview of the most common types of medical malpractice insurance for surgeons in Missouri:

Claims Made Insurance

Claims-made malpractice insurance provides coverage if the policy is in effect both when the incident took place AND when the claim is filed. If a claim is filed after the end of the policy date, the claim is NOT covered.

With a claims-made policy you need tail malpractice insurance, which is a separately purchased insurance policy or endorsement, to make sure you have full protection.

Claims-made insurance policies “step up” as they mature, so the first year rate is lower than subsequent years.

Occurrence Insurance

Occurrence malpractice insurance provides coverage for incidents that occurred during the policy year, regardless of when a claim is reported to the carrier. 

Occurrence policies are more costly at the start of the policy, but the rate does not “step up”, and there is no need for tail coverage when the policy ends.

Tail Insurance

Since most malpractice insurance policies are underwritten on a claims-made basis, you will be exposed to a lawsuit if a former patient files a claim against you and you do not secure tail coverage.

When you are preparing to leave your employer, you should seek tail coverage options with an independent broker like SURGPLI. Tail insurance covers you for a specific time period. The new employer’s policy is not going to cover you for prior acts of a former practice, hence tail coverage is needed.  

Read more about tail malpractice insurance. 

Reach out to an experienced SURGPLI broker who will do the work for you to find a tail policy at a great price.

Missouri has no caps on economic and non-economic damages, which makes surgeons more vulnerable to personal financial loss if they do not have strong medical malpractice coverage. Note that the total medical malpractice payout in Missouri was $56,998,750 in 2022.

Here are some of the most common iatrogenic patient injuries that have been named in medical malpractice lawsuits against surgeons practicing in high-risk specialties:

Neurosurgery – Claims relating to laminectomy surgeries (anterior cervical fusion and posterior lumbar fusion), including: improper performance of surgery, retained foreign body, delay in surgery, and unnecessary surgery.

Bariatric Surgery – Lack of identifying and treating complications of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy; and bowel perforation during surgery.

Orthopedic Surgery – Post-operative implant and prosthesis infections; sciatic nerve injury in hip replacements; deep vein thrombosis developing into pulmonary embolism.

OB/GYN Surgery – Birth injuries caused by improper use of medical devices or techniques; profound brain injuries at birth; misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of fetal distress.

Plastic Surgery – Improper performance and poor outcomes of higher-risk elective cosmetic surgeries; surgical errors and negligence regarding post-operative infections, bad facial filler injections, uneven breast augmentations, and visible scarring.

General Surgery – Surgical errors, such as when surgery is performed on the wrong body part, or when a sponge or surgical instrument is left in the patient’s body leading to a post-operative complication or death; or failing to close a bleeding vein or artery.

Check out the SURGPLI Medical Malpractice Insurance Blog for articles that discuss ways private practice surgeons can best manage the risk of being sued for malpractice, as well as other information on medical malpractice insurance trends and legislation.

Notable tort reforms in Missouri include:

• IThe state enacted its first cap on damages in 1986 after insurance premiums increased by a whopping 131% in 1981. In the early 2000’s, premiums began to creep up again, and several large insurance carriers either became insolvent or left the state market.
• After a decade and a half of legislation aimed at bringing medical providers back into the state, lawmakers passed bipartisan legislation in 2015 that capped non-economic damages for both catastrophic and non-catastrophic injuries.
• In 2021, Missouri’s State Supreme Court reviewed the 2015 legislation and ruled that the non-economic damage caps do not violate Missouri’s constitution.

• There are no caps on economic damages or punitive damages in Missouri’s medical malpractice cases.
• Missouri passed a law in 2015 capping non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases at $400,000 for non-catastrophic injuries and $700,000 for catastrophic injuries, with an annual 1.7 percent increase each year indefinitely. For example:

• Catastrophic injuries are defined by state law as “an injury resulting in quadriplegia, paraplegia, the loss of two or more limbs, significant and permanent cognitive impairment, irreversible failure of a major organ, or significant loss of vision.”

The following guidelines outline the state’s statute of limitations:

• An individual in Missouri is required to file a medical malpractice claim within two years from the date of injury or date of discovery (or date of reasonable discovery).
• The state has a “statute of repose” law in place stating that all medical malpractice cases must be filed within 10 years.
• Minors have until their 20th birthday to file a medical malpractice claim, whichever is later.
• Missouri state law also requires plaintiffs to file an affidavit of merit with the court within 90 days of filing a malpractice complaint. This affidavit must be signed by a qualified expert witness, agreeing that the defendant’s deviation from the standard of care resulted in the claimant’s injury.

The statutes of limitations for medical malpractice can be complex and can vary from case to case. Consulting with SURGPLI brokers who understand the ins and outs of this system is an important part of protecting your medical practice with the right amount of medical malpractice insurance coverage.

Reach out to SURGPLI to ensure you have strong medical malpractice coverage for your private surgical practice in Missouri. Also, we help contracted surgeons secure tail coverage when changing jobs. Whether you’re a bariatric surgeon in Kansas City, a plastic surgeon in St. Louis, or an OB/GYN in Springfield, SURGPLI brokers will help you obtain coverage from an A-rated carrier.

Max Schloemann is a medical malpractice insurance broker, focused on helping physicians secure Medical Professional Liability coverage. He helps Doctors and Surgeons, as well as Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, and healthcare entrepreneurs launch new medical practices across the country. Max graduated Magna cum Laude from Southern Illinois University College of Business and was named the Outstanding Management Senior. Max’s career in medical malpractice insurance began in 2008 with an industry-leading firm. Max founded SURGPLI in 2023 to help surgeons navigate the complexities of medical malpractice insurance in the new era of healthcare. Max’s wife, Kristen, a Physician Assistant, and their 4 kids (plus 1 dog) enjoy hiking, golf, and cooking.