Malpractice insurance is not optional for any practicing healthcare provider — and telehealth-specific considerations make it a more complex decision than simply purchasing the same policy you had in an employed position. Understanding what coverage you need, what telehealth-specific provisions to look for, and how to avoid coverage gaps is essential before you see your first telehealth patient.
The two primary types of malpractice coverage are occurrence policies and claims-made policies. Occurrence policies cover claims that arise from incidents that occurred during the policy period, regardless of when the claim is filed. Claims-made policies cover claims that are both made and filed during the active policy period — which means if you cancel or let a claims-made policy lapse, you may not be covered for past incidents that are claimed in the future. Most individual practitioners in private practice purchase occurrence policies for this reason, though they typically cost more upfront.
For telehealth specifically, your policy must cover the states in which you practice. If you are licensed in Texas and Florida and see patients in both states, your policy must explicitly cover both. Some policies list specific covered states and exclude others — read your policy carefully and update it as you expand your state licensure.
Coverage limits for a hormone optimization telehealth practice are typically in the $1 million per occurrence / $3 million aggregate range — this means $1 million maximum per individual claim and $3 million total across all claims in a policy year. Higher limits are available and advisable for practitioners with higher patient volume or who prescribe controlled substances.
Reputable carriers with strong telehealth coverage for NPs, PAs, and physicians include CM&F (Coverys), The Doctors Company, HPSO (for NPs and allied health), and ProAssurance. Get quotes from at least two carriers and compare both the premium and the policy terms, particularly the state coverage list and the telehealth provisions.
Session A covers practice setup including insurance. Book here. Call 844-734-2112.