Malpractice Insurance for Independent Doctors: What to Know Before You Go Solo

Starting an independent practice — even a small, virtual one — comes with a mix of excitement and questions.

One of the most common (and reasonable) questions we hear from clinicians exploring independence is:

“What do I do about malpractice insurance?”

If you’ve previously practiced under a hospital, health system, or platform that provided coverage, stepping out on your own can feel like unfamiliar territory. The good news is that malpractice insurance for solo and virtual practices is usually more straightforward — and more affordable — than many clinicians expect.

This guide is meant to demystify the basics so you can make an informed decision with confidence.

First: a quick clarification

If you are seeing patients independently — outside of a hospital or platform — you generally need your own malpractice insurance for that work.

Coverage provided by employers or telemedicine platforms typically only applies to care delivered within that organization. Once you begin seeing your own patients, billing directly, or using your own systems, you’re operating as an independent provider.

That’s normal. And it’s very common.

Is malpractice insurance expensive for solo doctors?

It depends on a few factors, but for many clinicians starting a low-volume, cash-pay, virtual practice, malpractice insurance is often much more affordable than expected.

Costs vary based on:

• Specialty
• State(s) you’re licensed in
• Whether you practice full-time or part-time
• In-person vs virtual care
• Claims history

For many primary care, integrative medicine, and mental health clinicians running small or part-time practices, policies may fall in the hundreds to low thousands of dollars per year range. Higher-risk procedural specialties are typically more expensive.

The key takeaway: malpractice insurance is a real cost — but for many solo providers, it’s manageable and proportional to the size of the practice.

Claims-made vs occurrence policies (in plain English)

When comparing policies, you’ll usually see two types:

Claims-made

• Covers claims made while the policy is active
• Often lower upfront cost
• Requires “tail coverage” if you stop practicing or switch insurers

Occurrence

• Covers incidents that occur during the policy period, even if the claim is filed later
• Typically more expensive
• No tail coverage needed

Many solo and part-time clinicians choose claims-made policies, especially when starting out. An insurance broker can help you understand what’s most appropriate for your situation.

What to look for as a solo or virtual provider

When evaluating malpractice options, consider asking:

• Does this policy explicitly cover telemedicine?
• Does it cover cash-pay / direct care?
• Are all states I practice in included?
• Can the policy be adjusted if I’m part-time or low-volume?
• What are the coverage limits?
• Is tail coverage required if I stop practicing?

You don’t need the biggest, most expensive policy — you need one that matches how you actually practice.

Common malpractice providers solo clinicians explore

Many independent clinicians work with national malpractice insurers or brokers who specialize in physician-owned practices and telemedicine.

Some commonly explored options include:

• Traditional physician malpractice carriers
• Specialty insurers for telemedicine or mental health
• Independent insurance brokers who shop policies across carriers

Rather than recommending a single provider, we generally suggest speaking with a broker who understands virtual and part-time practices. They can help you compare options and avoid over-insuring.

A note for clinicians starting “on the side”

Many doctors don’t start independent practice full-time. They begin with:

• A small patient panel
• Limited weekly availability
• A virtual-only model

If this is you, be upfront about that when speaking with insurers. Policies can often be structured to reflect actual risk and volume, not a traditional full-time clinic.

How we fit into this

Reviva doesn’t provide malpractice insurance — and we don’t believe software companies should own clinical risk.

What we do believe is that clinicians deserve:

• Clear, honest information
• Tools that reduce operational complexity
• A low-pressure path to independence

Our role is to make it easy to start and run a virtual, cash-pay practice — while you retain full ownership of your clinical decisions, patients, and professional coverage.