Plastic surgeons experience one of the highest rates of medical malpractice lawsuits and need robust insurance protection for their practices.
Plastic surgery is a broad field that encompasses a wide range of care – everything from skin grafts for burn victims to body contouring and reshaping.
Studies show that plastic surgeons are at especially high risk of experiencing a lawsuit, with 13% of plastic surgeons facing malpractice claims annually
The majority of medical malpractice claims against plastic surgeons come from the elective, cosmetic portion of their practice
From 2009 to 2015, the mean plaintiff award in plastic surgery claims was over $1M
Though most lawsuits are eventually settled in favor of the surgeon, even winning cases can rack up exorbitant legal fees and defense costs
Why Plastic Surgeons Need Medical Malpractice Insurance
No matter how competent the surgeon may be, it is impossible to eliminate the risk of litigation.
One of the main reasons people sue for malpractice can be traced back to a lack of communication. This is especially true for plastic surgeons. Many patients have high expectations of the aesthetic procedures they undergo. Surgeons need to be able to interpret a patient’s desires and communicate whether or not those expectations are realistic.
Typical complaints in plastic surgery malpractice claims include issues that develop post-op, like nerve or aesthetic damage. Plastic surgeons are most commonly sued for problems related to:
Breast surgery (the most commonly performed plastic surgery procedure)
Liposuction
Body Contouring
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the best way to mitigate medical malpractice risk is to develop a genuine relationship with the patient that is built on open communication and that agrees upon what a reasonable surgical outcome will look like.
In the event of a lawsuit brought about by a dissatisfied or injured patient, the right medical malpractice insurance will protect you from:
Monetary damages awarded to the plaintiff
Attorney’s fees
Though not all states require surgeons to carry malpractice insurance, many plastic surgeons choose to be insured because of the high risk that they will experience an expensive lawsuit during their career.
Medical Malpractice Insurance Rates for Plastic Surgeons
Rates for plastic surgeons cost more than an average physician policy but less than other specialties like neuro and cardiovascular surgery. Premiums are affected by a variety of factors including types of procedures offered, experience, claims history, and location.
Mature claims-made estimates below are for informational purposes only. Occurrence coverage may be available. To get your personalized rate estimate, please request a quote.
| City | State | Premium Estimate | Limits of Liability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | AL | $25,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Little Rock | AR | $25,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Phoenix | AZ | $30,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Los Angeles | CA | $20,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Denver | CO | $40,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Bridgeport | CT | $60,000 | $1,000,000/$4,000,000 |
| Wilmington | DE | $40,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Washington DC | $65,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 | |
| Miami | FL* | $60,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Miami | FL* | $45,000 | $250,000/$750,000 |
| Atlanta | GA | $35,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Honolulu | HI | $40,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Des Moines | IA | $20,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Boise | ID | $15,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Chicago | IL | $70,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Wichita | KS | $20,000 + KS HCSF | $200,000/$600,000 |
| Louisville | KY | $30,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Indianapolis | IN | $20,000 + IN PCF | $250,000/$750,000 |
| New Orleans | LA | $20,000 + LA PCF | $100,000/$300,000 |
| Boston | MA | $35,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Baltimore | MD | $40,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Portland | ME | $25,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Detroit | MI | $50,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| St. Louis | MO | $40,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Minneapolis | MN | $15,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Jackson | MS | $45,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Billings | MT | $50,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Charlotte | NC | $15,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Fargo | ND | $15,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Omaha | NE | $15,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Manchester | NH | $40,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Albuquerque | NM | $25,000 + NM PCF | $200,000/600,000 (Only Occurrence; no Claims-Made coverage) |
| Newark | NJ | $45,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Las Vegas | NV | $40,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Manhattan, NY | NY | $115,000 | $1,300,000/$3,900,000 |
| Columbus | OH | $20,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Oklahoma City | OK | $35,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Portland | OR | $20,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Philadelphia | PA | $45,000 + MCARE | $500,000/$1,500,000 |
| Providence | RI | $30,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Charleston | SC | $20,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Sioux Falls | SD | $15,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Nashville | TN | $30,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Houston | TX* | $20,000 | $200,000/$600,000 |
| Houston | TX* | $30,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Salt Lake City | UT | $30,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Burlington | VT | $20,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Seattle | WA | $30,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Virginia Beach | VA | $30,000 | $2,450,000/$7,350,000 |
| Milwaukee | WI | $15,000 + PCF | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
|
Charleston
|
WV | $50,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
| Cheyenne | WY | $40,000 | $1,000,000/$3,000,000 |
*These states offer limit options