Nurse practitioners, often called NPs, are special nurses who help many people with their health. They are like important doctors in many ways, helping people get better.

Why NPs Need Special Insurance

NPs have a very important job, but sometimes, even good people can make mistakes. These mistakes could be things like:

• Telling someone they have the wrong sickness (misdiagnosis).
• Giving someone the wrong medicine.
• Not sending a patient to the right doctor when they should.

When these kinds of mistakes happen, someone might sue the NP. A lawsuit means someone takes them to court because they believe a mistake caused them harm. These lawsuits can be very expensive, sometimes costing anywhere from $50,000 to $500,000. This amount of money could really hurt an NP’s career and their personal savings.

About 3 out of every 100 NPs get sued each year. A lot of the time, these lawsuits are because of mistakes in figuring out what was wrong with a patient.

So, NPs need something called malpractice insurance. This insurance is like a shield that helps them in court. It covers the money needed for lawyers and any money they might have to pay if they lose the case. It helps them avoid losing all their own money.

What Makes NP Insurance Different?

NPs face special risks that change how much insurance they need:

• What they are allowed to do: In some places, NPs can do a lot of things on their own, like in Oregon. In other places, they have more rules, like in Texas. When they have more freedom, there’s a higher chance of something going wrong, so they might need more insurance.
• What kind of health care they provide: NPs who work with whole families or with mental health often pay more for insurance. Those who work with only children (pediatrics) might pay less.
• Helping people online: When NPs talk to patients using video calls or computers (telehealth), there are new risks, like technology not working or rules about working in different states. They need special insurance for this.
• Working with doctors: If an NP works closely with a doctor, they might share the blame if a mistake happens. But if an NP works by themselves, they need their own insurance to cover everything they do.

Where NPs Can Get This Insurance

In 2025, there are good insurance companies that offer plans just for NPs. These companies can cover regular care, online care, and rules. Some of the best options include:

• NSO (Nurses Service Organization): This is a top choice, offering a lot of protection, like up to $1 million for one claim. They help with lawyer costs, protecting the NP’s license, and telehealth. It can start around $800.
• Berxi: This company offers plans that are affordable and don’t make you pay anything first if you have a claim. They cover online care and rules about keeping patient information private. Plans can be as low as $900 for part-time NPs.
• The Doctors Company: This is a very large insurance company owned by doctors. They offer full coverage, including telehealth and protection against computer problems. Prices start around $1,200.
• CM&F Group: This company focuses on NP insurance and offers different types of plans. They include telehealth and license protection. Prices can start at $850 for new NPs.
• Proliability: This company offers flexible plans for both in-person and online care. Prices usually range from $1,000 to $3,000.

What Makes Insurance Cost More or Less?

The price of malpractice insurance for an NP can change based on a few things:

• Where they live and work: In some states, like Florida or New York, it can cost up to $4,000 because more people sue there. In other states, like California or Minnesota, it can be as low as $800.
• What kind of health care they provide: NPs who work with families often pay more (around $2,000–$4,000) than those who work with children ($800–$1,500) because there’s a higher chance of a claim in family care.
• Where they work: NPs who own their own practice often pay more. If they work for a hospital, sometimes the hospital might pay for their insurance.
• The type of insurance plan: Some plans are cheaper but might need extra coverage later. Other plans cost more upfront but cover incidents no matter when the claim is made.
• If they’ve been sued before: If an NP has never been sued, their insurance might be 10-20% cheaper. If they have been sued before, it might cost more.

How NPs Can Pay Less for Insurance

NPs can use smart ways to find cheaper insurance:

• Get prices from different places: They can use a helper called a “broker” who finds prices from many different insurance companies. This can save them a lot of money, sometimes 20-30%.
• Join professional groups: If NPs are part of certain groups, they can get discounts, usually 5-10% off their insurance.
• Take safety classes: Some insurance companies give discounts (5-15%) if NPs take classes on how to keep patients safe or how to provide online care safely.
• Get insurance with a group: If many NPs who work together get insurance at the same time, they can often get a lower price.
• Choose to pay a bit more first: If an NP agrees to pay a higher amount themselves if a claim happens, their yearly insurance cost will be lower.

Why This Insurance Is So Important

Even if the law doesn’t always say they must have it, many places where NPs work and many state boards say they must have malpractice insurance. One single lawsuit can cost a huge amount of money and can hurt an NP’s career and their reputation. For example, a mistake in figuring out what’s wrong with someone could lead to a $200,000 payment. Even just proving they didn’t do anything wrong can cost $30,000.

Having good insurance means NPs can do their job helping people without constantly worrying about being sued. It’s a very important way for them to protect themselves and continue doing their vital work.

If an NP wants to get personalized prices, they can call a broker like MEDPLI at 800-969-1339 or visit their website.