Frequently Asked Questions

Because you are responsible for the work of your entire staff.  Because people make mistakes.  Because just one error can lead to a malpractice lawsuit.  Because you don’t want to pay for a malpractice claim out of your own pocket.

• The average cost of a malpractice claim against a dentist is $107,915. 
• The average cost of a claim involving an alleged failure to diagnose a tumor or cancer is $266,115. 
• Costs go even higher for claims involving permanent injuries that require long-term medical care.

With insurance comes a legal team that is experienced at defending dental malpractice claims.  With insurance, your career, finances and reputation will survive to practice another day.  Want to know the reason most healthcare professionals tell us they buy professional liability?  Peace of mind.

Resource: Dental Professional Liability 2016 Claim Report, CNA Insurance, October 2017.

At minimum you need General Liability insurance, which you can add by endorsement to your professional liability policy. Our General Liability package endorsements cover you for liability claims outside of malpractice claims. For instance, our general liability package endorsement includes:

• Products Liability: for claims such as using, selling or providing faulty products, oral devices or materials
• Premises Liability: for slip and fall accidents at your location
• Employment Practices Liability: for employee generated claims such as sexual harassment, failure to promote and unwarranted termination
• Non-owned/Hired Auto Liability: for claims involving employees using their vehicles on company time that name you in the lawsuit, and accidents involving rental vehicles

Yes, you can for your professional liability insurance. 

If you have not done so already, register for our Online Self-Service portal.  You will need your policy number.  Once registered you can print out a certificate of insurance, and perform other functions like making payments, print invoices, reporting claims and changing your mailing address.

Established in 1899, A.M. Best is the world's oldest and most respected rating agency with a focus on the insurance industry.  A.M. Best issues financial ratings that measure an insurance company’s financial stability and ability to pay claims. 

Consumers use A.M. Best’s ratings to assess an insurer’s financial strength.  CNA Insurance Company, the providers of the Dentist’s Advantage insurance program has an A.M. Best rating of ‘A’ (Excellent).

The occurrence policy protects you against incidents that occur while your professional liability policy is in force, regardless of when the claim is reported.

Example:  You initiated coverage in 1990 and retired in 2018.  In 2019, a patient you treated in 2017 files a malpractice lawsuit against you.  Because the patient was treated while the policy was in force, even though it is now expired, you are covered for the 2017 claim.

A claims-made policy provides coverage for claims that occur during the policy period and are reported while the policy is in force.

Example:  You initiated coverage in 1990 and retired in 2018.  In 2019, a patient you treated in 2017 files a malpractice lawsuit against you.  Because the claim was reported after the policy expired, there is no coverage.  For coverage to exist, you would need to an Extended Reporting Period endorsement at retirement.

Also called ‘tail’ coverage, after a claims-made policy has expired, the ERP endorsement extends the amount of time you have to report a claim.  They are often sold for 1, 3, 5 and unlimited time periods.

One of the key benefits of the Dentist’s Advantage policy is FREE unlimited tail coverage upon retirement (or leaving practice), as long as you are 50 years old or older and your policy has been in force at least 5 years.

This is the date listed in a claims-made policy that establishes the first date of coverage.  Coverage is provided for claims that are made against you for incidents and services that took place after the retroactive date.

Because claims-made policies include a retroactive date, when switching insurance companies, there is a potential gap in coverage for claims reported after the original policy has expired.  When switching claims-made policies, it is important that your new policy include Prior Acts coverage. 

The effect is for your new insurer to pick up your old policy’s retroactive date.  Your new policy will then cover any claims filed for events that occurred after the retroactive date, even if those events took place when you had insurance from another provider.

The consent to settle provision states that our insurer CNA will not settle a claim out of court without your written consent.  If you believe you are innocent and a settlement would be an admission of guilt, if you wish to see the case through to trial to clear your name, you have that right under our policy.

Some insurance policies do not contain this provision.  If the insurer feels it is in their best interests, they can settle a lawsuit out of court without your consent.

Some insurance policies contain a consent to settle provision with a ‘hammer’ clause.  They will take the matter to trial if you wish, but if the case is lost, you are forced to pay a percentage (anywhere from 20% to 50%) of the judgement and legal expenses that are over the original settlement offer. 

The Dentist’s Advantage policies contain an ‘absolute’ consent to settle provision.  We have no hammer clause.  Even if you lose a trial and it costs more than a previous settlement offer, you will not be forced to pay a percentage of the judgement.

Yes. Your professional liability policy possibly includes a number of important coverage extensions, subject to policy terms, including:

• License Defense Protection
• HIPAA Violations
• Sexual Misconduct Allegations
• Personal and Advertising Injury 
• Media Event Expenses   
• Defendants Expenses Reimbursement

Yes, you can pay your premium by credit card through the Dentist’s Advantage Powered by CoverWallet platform.  

A number of premium financing options will be provided at the time of quote or policy renewal.