Telemedicine Malpractice Insurance: What’s Covered in 2025

Imagine a doctor who helps people from far away using a computer or phone – this is called telemedicine. It’s like having a video call with your doctor. Even though it’s helpful, it also has some special things doctors need to think about.

Why Do Telemedicine Doctors Need Special Insurance?

Just like any doctor, a telemedicine doctor can make mistakes, like not figuring out what’s wrong with someone (misdiagnosis) or not sending them to another doctor when they should. But because they use technology, there are extra things that can go wrong:

• Technology Problems: What if the internet breaks during a call, or the computer program stops working? This could cause problems or delays in helping someone.
• Patient Information: Telemedicine uses digital records, which means there’s a risk that private patient information could get stolen by hackers. This is a big problem and doctors need to protect this information.
• Different Rules: Doctors need to follow the rules of the state where their patient lives, not just their own state. Rules about doctors and insurance can be different in every state.
• No Physical Check-ups: It’s hard for doctors to check a patient’s body properly through a screen. This can make it trickier to find all the problems someone might have.

When these kinds of problems happen, it can lead to something called a “malpractice claim.” This means someone says the doctor made a mistake that hurt them. These claims can be very expensive, sometimes costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. That’s why doctors need malpractice insurance. This insurance helps pay for lawyers and any money the doctor might owe if a patient wins a claim against them. It lets doctors do their job without constantly worrying about legal problems.

What Kind of Insurance Do They Get?

This special insurance often covers problems related to technology, like if patient data gets stolen (called cyber liability coverage). It’s really important to have at least $1 million in cyber coverage because data problems can cost a lot of money (about $200,000 for one incident).

Some popular companies that offer this kind of insurance in 2025 include:

• The Doctors Company: This company is owned by doctors and offers specific coverage for telemedicine, including help with cyber problems and following rules.
• MedPro Group: They let doctors customize their insurance plans and offer coverage for treating patients in many different states.
• Coverys: This company focuses on the special risks of virtual care, like technology issues.
• ProAssurance: They offer wide-ranging coverage, including for cyber problems and questions from medical boards.
• Berxi: This company is known for being affordable and lets doctors get quotes online easily.

How Much Does It Cost?

The cost for this insurance can change a lot. It usually ranges from $5,000 to $30,000 each year.

Here’s what makes the cost go up or down:

• What kind of doctor they are: A family doctor who does telemedicine usually pays less (around $5,000-$10,000) than a specialist like a doctor who helps with minds (who might pay $15,000-$30,000).
• Their history: If a doctor has never had a claim against them, they might get a discount.
• Where they practice: Some states have lower insurance costs because of their laws.

How Can Doctors Make It Cheaper?

Doctors can try these things to save money on their insurance:

• Compare prices: They can use a special helper (called a broker) to look at prices from different insurance companies. This can save them a lot of money.
• Take extra classes: Some insurance companies give discounts if doctors take special classes on how to be safer in telemedicine.
• Join a group: If a doctor works for a large telemedicine company or a big group of doctors, they might get a lower price.
• Choose a higher “deductible”: This means the doctor agrees to pay a bit more money out of their own pocket if there’s a problem, and in return, their yearly insurance cost goes down.

Why It’s a Must-Have

Even doctors who only do telemedicine part-time need this insurance. A single claim can be very expensive, hurting their money and their good name. Also, many online places where doctors work require them to have this insurance before they can even start. Having the right insurance helps doctors feel confident and focus on helping patients.