Nurse Anesthetists / CRNA Malpractice Insurance

As a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), you are dedicated to patient safety every single day, but are you protecting yourself? Your vital, specialized work in the high-acuity area of anesthesia means you face significant liability risks, and providing excellent care to your patients is not enough to mitigate them.

Despite being exposed to many of the same risks as anesthesiologists, CRNAs are often not as well insured. You’ve invested nearly a decade into earning your CRNA credential—don’t leave it unprotected.

Protection That Keeps Pace With Where and How You Practice

If you’re a CRNA who’s self-employed or working as an independent contractor, getting the right CRNA malpractice insurance coverage is critical. You need a strong, proactive insurance partner on your side to safeguard your career and your reputation.

CRNAs who are employed directly by a hospital, healthcare system, pain management center, or other facility can find out too late that their employers’ coverage misses their risks or coverage limits are too low, because the dollar amounts of medical malpractice jury awards keep climbing.

A key consideration for all CRNAs with an employer-supplied policy is extended reporting period coverage, also known as tail coverage. Malpractice claims take on average 18 to 24 months from incident to lawsuit—if your employer’s insurance does not include tail coverage and you leave that employer or practice environment before a claim is filed, you won’t be covered for that claim, and that leaves you liable for legal expenses.

Why Do You Need Your Own Professional Liability Coverage?

A single licensing board complaint can:

• Take years to resolve
• Cost tens of thousands of dollars in legal expenses
• Put your license, career, and professional reputation at risk

Many CRNAs assume their employer's malpractice insurance provides sufficient protection, but coverage can vary significantly.

When reviewing your employment contract, pay close attention to liability limits:

• Individual limits: Coverage applies specifically to you
• Shared limits: Coverage is shared among multiple practitioners, such as other CRNAs, physicians, or your employer

Shared limits can increase your financial exposure if multiple claims arise under the same policy.

Supplemental (excess) malpractice insurance can provide an added layer of protection by complementing your employer's coverage. Benefits may include:

• Additional liability protection beyond employer-provided limits
• Dedicated legal representation focused on your interests
• Coverage for licensing board investigations and disciplinary actions
• Greater financial resources for defense costs
• Peace of mind knowing your reputation and livelihood are protected

If a claim occurs, your personal insurer and employer's insurer typically coordinate defense and settlement efforts, helping ensure you have comprehensive protection when it matters most.

Features of the Industry’s Best Coverage for CRNAs

TDC Group, through medical professional liability insurance carrier The Doctors Company and its affiliate The Doctors Company Risk Retention Group (RRG), has been protecting CRNAs since 1976. With $12 billion in assets, our financial strength gives us the power to protect our members today and tomorrow. Our member surplus is $3.4 billion, making us the strongest of any national member-owned liability carrier, and we are rated A by AM Best Company and Fitch Ratings.

More than 90 percent of our over 175,000 members and insureds nationwide report incredibly high levels of satisfaction with our efforts to prevent claims and defend their careers.

Unlike insurers that are investor-owned companies, The Doctors Company remains fiercely independent and dedicated to the interests of our members. We are dedicated to those who provide care—unlike carriers that are directed by their shareholders’ interests.

Our coverage features:

• Flexible coverage options: Choose coverage limits that align with your specialty, risk level, and practice needs. Both occurrence and claims-made policies are available. Claims-made policies include free tail coverage upon full retirement, permanent disability, or death.
• Industry-leading legal defense: Benefit from a promise to never settle a claim without your consent (subject to your policy terms and applicable law). Experienced legal advocates support you throughout the litigation process and help you play an active role in your defense.
• Protection for licensing and regulatory actions: MediGuard® regulatory risk coverage is included with your policy and provides up to $25,000 in coverage for licensing board and regulatory matters.
• Patient safety and risk management resources: Access free accredited education courses, self-assessment tools, and risk management resources designed to help reduce malpractice risk and improve patient outcomes.
• Practice support and expert guidance: Receive exclusive resources and strategies to help strengthen clinical protocols, enhance patient safety, and mitigate liability risks.
• Loyalty rewards: Eligible members benefit from the Tribute® Plan career award and our multiyear dividend program.
• Discounts for new-to-practice clinicians: Special savings may be available for clinicians who have graduated, changed specialties, or transitioned from government work or teaching within the past two years.
• Advocacy on your behalf: A dedicated Government Relations team works at both the state and federal levels to protect healthcare professionals, defend liability reforms, and support legislation that reduces liability exposure.

Additional Policy Coverage Options

• General liability insurance: Add-on coverage that protects a business against liability to others resulting from bodily injury, property damage, or personal injury. General liability insurance does not cover liability resulting from professional services, employment practices, or workers’ compensation injuries.
• Vicarious liability insurance: If you own your own practice and have employees, independent contractors, or others acting on your behalf, you should consider purchasing vicarious liability coverage because you could be held responsible for their acts or omissions. This is an endorsement added to your policy.
• Additional business owner’s coverage: Commercial property (owned and rented), business and cyber liability, workers’ compensation, employment practices liability insurance (EPLI), and life, health, and disability insurance policies are also available for independent practices. Please contact us at (800) 780-9975 for more information.

Types of Coverage—Get Exactly the Protection You Need

• Primary: If you currently have employer-provided medical professional liability coverage, but want your own policy to protect your own professional reputation, or if you’re an independent contractor, self-employed practitioner, or practice owner.
• Excess: If you want to rely on your primary policy as your first line of defense against a claim, but you’d like to purchase additional coverage to avoid paying out-of-pocket expenses after your primary policy limits are exhausted.
• Supervising and collaborating physicians: If you have a formal agreement in place with a collaborating physician, surgeon, or anesthesiologist, vicarious liability coverage can be added to your policy or theirs.

What to Look for in a CRNA Malpractice Insurance Policy

Not all malpractice insurance policies offer the same level of protection. When comparing CRNA malpractice insurance options, it's important to look beyond the premium and evaluate the coverage, support, and resources included with the policy.

Key factors to consider include:

• Coverage limits: Make sure policy limits align with your specialty, practice setting, and risk exposure.
• Occurrence vs. claims-made coverage: Understand how each policy type works and whether tail coverage may be needed in the future.
• Licensing board defense coverage: Verify that the policy includes protection for regulatory investigations and licensing board actions.
• Consent-to-settle provisions: Some insurers may settle claims without your approval. Look for policies that give you a voice in settlement decisions.
• Carrier financial strength: Choose an established insurer with the financial resources to defend claims and pay covered losses.
• Claims support and legal defense: Evaluate the insurer's reputation, defense experience, and access to specialized legal counsel.
• Tail coverage options: If selecting a claims-made policy, understand the availability and cost of tail coverage when changing jobs or retiring.
• Risk management resources: Educational programs, patient safety tools, and expert guidance can help reduce liability risks before claims occur.

The best CRNA professional liability insurance policy is one that provides comprehensive protection while supporting your unique practice environment, career goals, and long-term financial security.

Protect Your Career With CRNA Malpractice Insurance

Whether you're a new graduate, experienced CRNA, or moonlighting professional, having the right coverage can help protect your license, reputation, and financial future.

Get a personalized quote and find malpractice coverage tailored to your practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

†Policies underwritten by The Doctors Company Risk Retention Group are not eligible for the Tribute Plan or dividends.

CAQH Provider Data Portal is the largest database of self-reported provider data in the U.S., with 374,006 advanced practice clinicians (APCs) in their credentials database.