When Dr. Kelly decided to open an urgent care center in a rapidly growing neighborhood of Baton Rouge, she knew it was a smart business move. The area lacked accessible medical services, and residents often faced long waits at the nearest emergency rooms for non-life-threatening issues. However, as she navigated the process of setting up her clinic, she quickly realized that selecting the right insurance coverage was just as critical as choosing the location. Opening an urgent care facility came with a unique set of risks, especially when it came to liability.
General liability insurance is essential for any medical facility, including urgent care centers, because it covers some of the most common risks associated with day-to-day operations. This type of coverage protects the clinic from claims related to bodily injury, property damage, and advertising injury. In an urgent care clinic, where high foot traffic and fast-paced work environments are the norm, these risks are heightened.
Imagine a patient slipping on a wet floor in the waiting area, leading to an injury. The urgent care center could be held responsible for the medical bills and any legal fees associated with the accident. General liability insurance would help cover these costs, preventing financial losses that could threaten the business.
Similarly, if a staff member accidentally damages a patient’s personal property—such as a cell phone or laptop—while administering care, the clinic would be liable for replacement costs. Without general liability insurance, these seemingly small incidents could result in significant financial burdens.
Operating an urgent care center presents unique risks that differ from those faced by other healthcare providers, such as primary care physicians. Urgent care clinics often handle a wider range of medical care, treating everything from minor injuries to more urgent conditions like allergic reactions or sinus infections. While not typically life-threatening, these situations still pose risks that could lead to legal claims or even medical malpractice suits.
Slip-and-fall injuries: With patients frequently visiting for immediate care, the fast-paced environment of an urgent care clinic increases the risk of accidents on the premises.
Misdiagnosis or delayed care: Although urgent care centers aim to treat non-life-threatening conditions quickly, mistakes can happen. Misdiagnosing a patient or providing delayed care could result in legal action.
Equipment malfunction: Urgent care centers rely on specialized medical equipment, such as diagnostic machines and X-ray devices, which could malfunction and harm a patient. General liability insurance can cover the legal expenses related to such incidents.
Here are the most common types of liability risks covered under general liability insurance for urgent care clinics:
Bodily Injury: Covers medical bills, legal costs, and settlements if a patient or visitor is injured on the clinic’s premises.
Property Damage: Protects the clinic against claims that it damaged a patient’s personal property while providing medical services.
Advertising Injury: If the clinic inadvertently defames another healthcare provider in its marketing materials, general liability insurance would help cover the costs of a lawsuit.
While general liability insurance is crucial, it doesn’t cover every potential risk for urgent care centers. Dr. Kelly quickly realized she would need additional insurance policies to fully protect her clinic.
Professional Liability Insurance: Also known as medical malpractice insurance, this is critical for covering claims of professional negligence or medical errors. For example, if a patient sues the clinic for misdiagnosis or improper treatment, professional liability insurance would cover the legal defense and any settlements.
Cyber Liability Insurance: As urgent care facilities increasingly store sensitive patient data electronically, the risk of a cyberattack becomes a serious concern. Cyber liability insurance would cover the costs of a data breach, including legal fees and identity restoration services for affected patients.
Property Insurance: Given the high cost of medical equipment, Dr. Kelly knew she would need property insurance to protect against fire, theft, or other damages to her equipment and physical location. Equipment breakdown insurance would also be necessary to cover repairs and replacements for any malfunctioning diagnostic machines or medical devices.
Workers’ Compensation: With a team of medical professionals, including nurse practitioners and physician assistants, Dr. Kelly needed to ensure her employees were protected in the event of workplace injuries. Workers' compensation would cover the medical expenses and lost wages for injured staff members.
Case Study 1: Bodily Injury at the Clinic One afternoon, a patient slipped on a recently mopped floor at a Baton Rouge urgent care clinic, fracturing their wrist. The clinic was sued for failing to properly warn patients of the wet floor, leading to a claim for bodily injury. Thanks to the clinic's general liability insurance, the medical bills, legal defense costs, and settlement were all covered, preventing significant financial loss.
Case Study 2: Property Damage During Treatment During a busy shift, a nurse practitioner accidentally spilled disinfectant on a patient's tablet, rendering it unusable. The clinic faced a property damage claim to replace the device, which was fully covered by their general liability insurance policy.
To mitigate these risks, urgent care centers must take proactive steps in addition to having comprehensive insurance coverage. Regular staff training, maintaining safety protocols, and performing routine checks on medical equipment can all help reduce the likelihood of incidents that lead to insurance claims.
In addition, urgent care owners should work closely with their insurance company to assess the specific needs of their business and ensure they have adequate liability coverage. Each urgent care facility is unique, so policies should be tailored to fit the specific operations, size, and risk exposure of the clinic.
If you're opening or already managing an urgent care clinic, it's essential to understand the full scope of risks associated with your business. With the right combination of general liability, professional liability insurance, and additional policies such as cyber liability and property insurance, you can protect your clinic from both common and unexpected risks.
For more information on how to properly insure your urgent care center, visit our previous posts:
What is General Liability?
How Can I Protect My Equipment?
Why Does a Professional Office Need Workers’ Comp Coverage?
Does My General Liability Cover My Employees Driving Their Own Car?
By ensuring you have the appropriate insurance coverage, your urgent care business can continue to provide high-quality medical services to the community with peace of mind.
Founded in 2017, Kastner Insurance Group is a full-service, independent insurance broker based in Lafayette, LA. Our insurance agents specialize in offering a variety of insurance products tailored to individual and commercial needs, making sure clients receive personalized and comprehensive coverage options from a variety of insurance companies/insurance carriers.
With over 43 years of combined experience, the team at Kastner Insurance Group is dedicated to providing expert advice and exceptional service. They proudly serve professional offices and businesses across Lafayette city/parish, Youngsville, Broussard, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Alexandria, Acadiana, and statewide in Louisiana.
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