Comparison of Physician Malpractice Insurance Indices

摘要

The report provides results for three approaches to measuring changes in physician malpractice insurance costs. One approach uses premium rate changes over time for policies with a fixed level of maximum coverage. The second approach uses changes over time in amounts physicians spend for malpractice insurance. The third version examines changes for coverage that would minimize physician risk that malpractice awards would exceed coverage limits. Empirical comparisons are developed using premium data of a major insurer and physician survey data from the American Medical Association over the period from 1975 to 1985.