Top 6 Medical Malpractice Insurance Carriers in Idaho
We recommend carriers with an AM Best “A” or higher rating. An A-rating indicates financial strength, long-term solvency, and an established history of protecting Idaho physicians.
2025 Idaho Malpractice Insurance Rates by Specialty
These rate estimates are for informational purposes only and are based on the ID standard limits of $1,000,000 per claim / $3,000,000 aggregate per year in coverage.
Quotes require a completed application and approval from the underwriter. Contact us for a custom estimate if you don’t see your specialty.
| Specialty | 2025 Annual Premium |
2025 Tail Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Anesthesiology | $18,000 | $36,000 |
| Cardiovascular Disease– Minor Surgery | $20,000 | $40,000 |
| Dermatology– No Surgery | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| Emergency Medicine | $30,000 | $60,000 |
| Family Practice– No Surgery | $12,000 | $24,000 |
| Gastroenterology– No Surgery | $15,000 | $30,000 |
| General Practice– No Surgery | $12,000 | $24,000 |
| General Surgery | $40,000 | $80,000 |
| Internal Medicine– No Surgery | $12,000 | $24,000 |
| Neurology– No Surgery | $16,000 | $32,000 |
| Obstetrics and Gynecology– Major Surgery | $75,000 | $150,000 |
| Occupational Medicine | $9,000 | $18,000 |
| Ophthalmology– No Surgery | $9,000 | $18,000 |
| Orthopedic Surgery– No Spine | $40,000 | $80,000 |
| Pathology– No Surgery | $11,000 | $22,000 |
| Pediatrics– No Surgery | $12,000 | $24,000 |
| Pulmonary Disease– No Surgery | $16,000 | $32,000 |
| Psychiatry | $9,000 | $18,000 |
| Radiology – Diagnostic | $15,000 | $30,000 |
Idaho Medical Malpractice Payouts From 2015-2024
The Hidden Link Between Weather Disasters and Rising Malpractice Insurance Rates
When floods, wildfires, and other severe weather events hit, the damage isn’t just physical; it drives up insurance costs statewide. As extreme weather events become more frequent, insurers are raising rates to cover the growing risks. But the impact goes beyond homeowners insurance; businesses, especially medical professionals, also feel the squeeze.
Why Are Insurance Rates Rising?
How Idaho’s Medical Malpractice Rates Are Impacted
Reinsurance providers now charge higher premiums and impose stricter payout conditions. In response, primary insurers, including those offering medical malpractice coverage in Idaho, increase premiums. In 2024, Idaho was among the states with the highest percentage of substantial malpractice premium increases.
Severe weather isn’t just a coastal problem; it’s reshaping insurance costs for everyone.
Types of Professional Liability Insurance for Idaho Physicians
Types of Professional Liability Insurance for Idaho Physicians
Doctors in Idaho can choose between these two primary types of medical malpractice insurance:
- Provides coverage for incidents that occurred during the policy period, IF the claim is filed while the policy is still active. If a claim is filed after the policy has ended, that claim is NOT covered.
- Typically, it offers lower premiums at the start of the policy, but rates increase yearly as the policy matures.
- Physicians must obtain tail insurance coverage when a claims-made policy ends to ensure protection against future claims related to incidents that occurred during the policy period. Tail insurance premiums require a one-time cash payment to the expiring carrier equal to approximately 200% of the claims-made policy’s annual premium.
- Idaho physicians may purchase nose coverage, or prior acts coverage, instead of tail coverage. Nose coverage can be purchased through a new carrier to protect physicians from claims that occurred before the effective date of the new policy, back to a specified date.
- Provides coverage for incidents that occurred during the policy period, regardless of when a claim is reported to the carrier.
- Typically, it offers more costly premiums at the start of the policy, but the rate stays constant throughout the policy’s duration.
- Physicians do not need tail coverage when an occurrence policy ends.
In 2024, Idaho physicians were held liable for 55 medical malpractice payouts.
- Average Payout: $414,118
- Total Payout: $22,776,500
(Source: National Practitioner Data Bank)
Does Idaho Have Damage Caps for Medical Malpractice Lawsuits?
Idaho Statute 6-1603 sets a non-economic damage cap at $250,000, to be adjusted annually for inflation. As of July 2024, the cap is $490,512.
Key Rules & Exceptions
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- Non-Economic Damages Definition: Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, inconvenience, emotional distress, damage to relationships, and other nonmonetary losses.
- No Cap on Economic Damages: Idaho does not limit the amount a jury can award for economic damages, including medical expenses and lost wages.
- Willful or Reckless Misconduct: The cap does not apply if the physician acted willfully or recklessly.
- Felony: The cap does not apply if the malpractice constitutes a felony under state or federal law.
- Punitive Damages: Punitive damages, which can be awarded in addition to economic and non-economic damages for “oppressive, fraudulent, malicious or outrageous conduct,” cannot exceed $250,000 or three times the compensatory damages awarded, whichever is greater.
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Idaho Statute of Limitations for Medical Malpractice Claims
Idaho Statute 5-219 states that a medical malpractice claim must be filed within 2 years of the date of injury or misconduct, with a few key exceptions:
- Minor Plaintiffs: If the plaintiff was a minor at the time the malpractice occurred, the statute of limitations is tolled for up to six years from the date of injury.
- Legal Disability: If the plaintiff has a legal disability, such as a mental illness or legal incompetency, the statute can be tolled for up to six years.
- Foreign Object: If a foreign object is left in a patient’s body, the patient has one year from when they discover, or should have discovered, the object to file suit, even if more than two years have passed.
- Fraudulent Concealment: If a health care provider’s fraudulent concealment prevents a patient from discovering the malpractice, the patient has one year from when they discover, or should have discovered, the injury to file suit, even if more than two years have passed.
Is Idaho a Physician-Friendly Place to Practice?
Idaho consistently ranks among the best states to practice medicine. It offers some big advantages for physicians, including:
However, the consistent increase in malpractice premiums offsets these benefits, making it less affordable to practice in Idaho and, in turn, contributing to physician shortages.
Idaho doctors can benefit from working with a knowledgeable malpractice insurance broker to manage rising costs. MEDPLI helps physicians find the right coverage at the best possible rate, bringing peace of mind through malpractice market uncertainty.
Idaho Doctors Partner with MEDPLI
We exclusively broker medical malpractice insurance, focusing daily on making the professional liability process less burdensome and expensive for doctors.
With MEDPLI, Idaho physicians:
MEDPLI helps doctors in every specialty.
Whether you’re a Plastic Surgeon in Boise or a Gastroenterologist in Twin Falls, MEDPLI will find you premier coverage at a competitive rate.
Call 800-969-1339 or Request a Quote.
