Pharmacist Professional Liability Insurance

The pharmacist’s role continues to expand, including providing consultations and vaccinations. With this expansion comes increased exposure for a professional liability claim. In a recent claim study, the two most common allegations against pharmacists were wrong drug and wrong dose. Together, these two allegations comprised 75% of all lawsuits against pharmacists. Regardless of the protocols and processes in place, mistakes happen. You’ve invested everything in becoming a pharmacist—now is the time to help safeguard that investment by purchasing professional liability insurance coverage.

This American Pharmacists Association (APhA) sponsored program through HPSO provides pharmacist individual professional liability insurance coverage to help protect your livelihood. With more than 30 years of experience providing insurance solutions to healthcare professionals, we have the background and expertise to help safeguard your most valuable asset – YOU! 

Employer-provided professional liability insurance is focused on coverage for your employer. Pharmacists need insurance coverage that puts their interests first. Consider that the average cost of the defense of a pharmacist claim is $14,503 (2013 Pharmacist Liability: A Ten-year Analysis, CNA). With a policy through HPSO, you can help avoid paying these expensive claims.

As a pharmacist, coverage through HPSO provides you with expanded benefits and features: 

• Professional Liability Coverage 

• Covers you, up to $1 million each claim, for amounts that you become legally obligated to pay as a result of a professional liability claim arising out of a covered medical incident. 

• Covers you, up to $3 million annual aggregate, for all covered claims in the policy period. 

• License Protection – up to $25,000 annual aggregate, up to $25,000 per proceeding

• If your client, a spouse, family member, etc. complains about you to a state licensing board, you could face the challenge of defending your practice and license—and thousands of dollars in legal fees. A policy through HPSO will reimburse you up to the applicable limit for your defense of disciplinary charges and other covered expenses arising out of a covered incident. 

• Defendant Expense Benefit – up to $25,000 annual aggregate, up to $1,000 per day 

• Your policy through HPSO will reimburse you up to the applicable limit for lost wages and covered expenses incurred when you are required to attend a trial, hearing, or proceeding as a defendant in a covered claim. 

• Deposition Representation – up to $10,000 annual aggregate 

• A patient or client is injured at the facility where you work. You are not named in the lawsuit, but you receive a subpoena for testimony during the policy period. Your coverage through HPSO will pay for attorney’s fees of an attorney designated by the insurer as a result of your required appearance at a deposition that arises out of professional services. 

• Personal Liability Coverage – up to $1 million annual aggregate

• Covers you for legal liability for covered claims resulting from incidents at your residence, unrelated to your work.

• Defense Attorney Provided 

• With your own individual coverage, you’ll have your own defense attorney designated by the insurer to represent you in court, when necessary. Legal fees will be paid for covered claims, in addition to your liability limits - WIN OR LOSE. 

• Assault Coverage – up to $25,000 annual aggregate 

• Violence in the workplace is a tragic reality. If you become the victim of a violent action at work or on your way to or from work, this coverage will reimburse you for your medical expenses, including workplace violence counseling or damage to your property up to the applicable limit. (Not available in Texas). 

• Personal Injury Coverage 

• Covers you, up to the applicable limits of liability, for covered claims arising from allegations of slander, libel, assault and battery, and other alleged personal injuries arising through the performance of your professional services.

• Medical Payments – up to $25,000 per person, up to $100,000 annual aggregate 

• Pays for reimbursement of medical expenses to others injured at your residence or business premises up to the applicable limit.

• Damage to Property of Others – up to $10,000 annual aggregate 

• Your policy pays up to the applicable limit for unintentional damage you cause to someone else's property while at your personal residence or your workplace.

• First Aid Expenses – up to $10,000 annual aggregate 

• This benefit provides reimbursement for expenses you incur while rendering first aid to another person. For example, these expenses may include supplies from your personal first aid kit that you used to help a victim of an automobile accident. 

• Sexual Misconduct/Abuse – up to $25,000 annual aggregate 

• The policy pays to defend you against allegations of sexual misconduct up to the applicable limit of liability, for amounts you are legally obligated to pay as a result of covered claims involving acts of sexual misconduct related to professional services. 

• Information Privacy Coverage (HIPAA) – up to $25,000 annual aggregate 

• People today are very conscious of their privacy. Most are aware of the protection they receive under the HIPAA laws. This coverage reimburses you for costs to notify patients of a breach of confidential personal information in compliance with privacy protection laws. It also covers HIPAA fines and penalties that you become legally obligated to pay as a result of a covered proceeding. 
  
  

In addition, a professional liability insurance policy through HPSO is portable, so you can take it with you wherever you go. Whether you have a second job, volunteer, move, or change jobs, your policy is there to help insure you.

Do you have all the coverage that you need for your non-medical activities? Click here​ to learn more.​

Questions? Check out our FAQs for pharmacists.