What is the difference between general liability and professional liability?

General liability covers bodily injury and property damage, the physical stuff that happens when a customer trips in your office.

What is professional liability or errors and omissions (E&O) insurance?

Pays when a service provider's mistake causes a client a financial loss. Like malpractice for non-medical professions.

What specialty commercial classes does Philadelphia Insurance cover in Georgia?

Philadelphia Insurance Companies (PHLY) is backed by Tokio Marine Group and specializes in industry niches.

What do claims-made limits mean on Georgia professional liability?

A claims-made policy only pays if both the incident and the claim are reported while the policy is active, and it uses a retroactive date; tail coverage extends the reporting window after cancellation.

How does claims-made coverage work for Georgia professional liability?

Professional liability (errors and omissions) insurance is claims-made, meaning coverage applies only when both the work was performed and the claim is reported.

Professional Liability FAQs

What insurance do Lawrenceville healthcare professionals need?

All FAQs

Quick answer: Lawrenceville has a large healthcare and medical professional community concentrated around Gwinnett Medical Center.

What types of insurance do Lawrenceville healthcare professionals typically need?

Lawrenceville healthcare professionals generally need a layered set of policies because a single homeowners or auto policy will not protect a clinical career. The core coverage is professional liability, often called malpractice insurance, which pays to defend and settle claims that a patient was harmed by a treatment decision or error. Beyond that, most providers also need general liability, a business owners policy, workers compensation if they have staff, and personal liability coverage to protect what they have built.

What does a business owners policy cover for a Lawrenceville medical practice?

A business owners policy bundles property coverage for suite contents with general liability for everyday accidents, such as a patient slipping in the waiting room. For a mid-size practice leasing space off Pleasant Hill Road or along Highway 316, this policy typically runs $1,000 to $2,500 per year depending on square footage and revenue.

For example, a physical therapist leasing a 1,200-square-foot suite in Lawrenceville adds a business owners policy that covers her treatment tables and equipment and the general liability exposure from patients moving through the space. When a patient trips on a threshold and breaks a wrist, the general liability portion responds to the claim. Learn more about which businesses qualify for a business owners policy.

What professional liability limits do Lawrenceville providers commonly carry?

Professional liability limits vary by specialty. A primary care physician in Gwinnett County might carry $1 million per claim and $3 million aggregate. Surgeons and OB-GYNs typically need higher limits because claims in those specialties settle for more. Dentists, chiropractors, nurse practitioners, and therapists each need limits matched to their specialty and the nature of claims that arise from that type of care. See how professional liability insurance works and what it covers.

Professional liability does not cover general accidents in the practice space, and a general liability policy does not cover a clinical error. Gaps between these two policies are where claims fall through.

Does a Lawrenceville medical practice need workers compensation?

Georgia requires workers compensation once a business has three or more employees, including part-timers. A solo dentist who brings on a hygienist and a front-desk coordinator crosses that threshold immediately. Fines for non-compliance start at $500 per day under Georgia law. For more on how Georgia counts employees, see how Georgia counts employees for workers compensation.

For example, a solo Lawrenceville chiropractor hires a front-desk coordinator and a massage therapist. With three people in the practice, workers compensation becomes legally required. If the massage therapist injures her back lifting a patient and the practice has no coverage, the owner faces both the uncovered claim and a State Board penalty.

What personal coverage matters most for a higher-income medical professional?

A higher-income professional has more at stake in a lawsuit. A personal umbrella policy adds liability above home and auto limits, typically $1 million to $5 million in additional coverage for a few hundred dollars a year. Cyber liability is also relevant for practices that store patient records, because breach response, HIPAA counsel, and notification letters for a few hundred patients can easily run $25,000 or more. See whether a small practice needs cyber liability.

The right limits and mix depend on specialty, staff count, lease terms, and personal net worth. A coverage review at Olive Cover, the consumer brand of Olive Insurance Services, LLC, can map out what fits a specific practice. Schedule a free coverage review.