Occupational Therapy Insurance

Even though it's not often required by state law, there are still several reasons why an occupational therapist may need a professional liability insurance policy, also called malpractice insurance.

• You need it to sign a contract. Your employer will likely require you to carry malpractice coverage. You might need it to sign a client contract, join an occupational therapy health network, or work at specific homes or healthcare facilities.
• Your employer might provide limited coverage. Employers sometimes provide occupational therapists with malpractice insurance. However, your employer's insurance plan might only provide protection for a limited number of covered claims, or it might not provide sufficient coverage for a claim.
• You need protection against patient lawsuits. Anyone who is responsible for patient care should carry malpractice insurance as part of their risk management strategy. If you're accused of professional negligence, such as failure to improve a patient's ability to live independently, this policy can pay for your legal defense costs, including attorney's fees.

You can buy additional types of insurance for more complete protection, such as:

• Telehealth coverage for lawsuits related to virtual appointments
• HIPAA defense coverage for violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
• Sexual misconduct coverage for malpractice lawsuits related to violations of healthcare provider-patient boundaries