"Understanding your group practice is our business and we keep abreast of the professional liability insurance needs of behavioral healthcare providers. We have designed insurance protection to cover both the everyday risks inherent in behavioral healthcare practice as well as the more unusual risks."
-- Martin G. Tracy, President & CEO, PRMS, Inc.

Make it simple!

All practitioners - psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and other behavioral healthcare providers practicing in a group - can be covered under one policy, along with the group practice itself.

Providers can all be covered under one policy and still maintain a single defense under one claim if the situation ever arises.

The many benefits of the individual Psychiatrists' Program, including the risk management services, are extended to the corporate entity and everyone associated with it. Groups may be eligible for up to an additional 5% discount.

Many thousands of behavioral healthcare providers have looked to The Program for professional liability protection for over 20 years and we look forward to welcoming your group.

· Download Group Coverage Application
· Group Program Benefits
· Coverage Features
· Protection and Defense

Benefits

Administrative Ease

· All practitioners can be covered under one policy along with the group practice itself.
· Reduced paperwork - no need to track numerous renewal dates and premium payments.
· Eliminate the time and inconvenience of working with multiple carriers.
· Your service representative, an experienced underwriter, knows and understands the needs of your group and is available to answer your questions via our toll-free number, fax, e-mail or through our web site.

Defense

· If your group is ever faced with a claim, you can be confident of the best defense.
· We provide top-notch legal counsel with a demonstrated expertise in defending psychiatric malpractice actions. Many of the firms have been with The Program since its inception.

Prevention

· Program risk management services and strategies are specifically tailored to help your group avoid potential incidents and lawsuits.
· The toll-free Risk Management Consultation Service Helpline provides important advice and guidance on risk management issues encountered in your group practice. Staffed by experienced professionals with both legal and clinical backgrounds, this service can help prevent an incident from becoming a lawsuit.

Strength and Stability

· Highly rated insurance carrier
· Endorsed by the American Psychiatric Association
· Sponsored by the Psychiatrists' Purchasing Group
· Managed by Professional Risk Management Services, Inc.

Features
(may vary by state and subject to underwriting)

· Both claims-made and occurrence policies are available
· Premium discounts and rate reductions are available including:

· Up to 5% behavioral healthcare groups
· Up to 50% part-time practitioners
· Up to 60% early career psychiatrists
· 50% members-in-training
· 15% child and adolescent psychiatrists
· 5% risk management education
· 5% psychoanalysis as majority of practice

· Forensic activities are covered at no additional charge.
· Administrative and Governmental Billing Defense Costs Endorsement included at no additional cost
· Prior acts coverage available
· Tail premium for a claims-made policy waived:
   - after 10 years continuous, and loss free, claims-made coverage with      The Program
   - for permanent retirement (at age 55 or older) after five years
     continuous claims-made coverage with The Program
   - for permanent disability at any age
   - for death
· Policies issued required the insured's consent to settle - no "hammer clause" (see policy for details)
· Premium financing available
· Vicarious liability of other employed professional or independent contractors coverage available
· Vicarious liability for supervision of professional not employed or contracted by psychiatrist included
· Defense costs as a supplement to policy limits
· Professional premises liability (not available in NY)
· Professional services provided as a Medical Director
· Publication of articles or books and broadcasting or telecasting activities directly relating to psychiatric services (when less than 20% of income is derived from such activities)
· Formal clinical teaching activities
· Services as a member of a formal accreditation, credentialing or standards review or similar professional board or committee
· Good Samaritan medical treatment
· Psychiatric peer review, utilization review and participation on medical or medicine review committees
· General medicine incidental to psychiatry
· ECT/EST included at no additional charge

Coverage Options
(may vary by state and subject to underwriting)

In most states, coverage may be written on a claims-made or an occurrence policy form. Our group program provides a choice of a shared limit for the entity and its professional staff or individual limits of liability to each owner and employee of your organization.

The group policy will extend to practice locations for any provider practicing outside the scope of employment with the group, if required. The group policy will also provide coverage for your independent contractors for all of their practice activities or just those services rendered on behalf of your group.

To help you secure the coverage you need, we provide you with a breakdown of premium for each member of the organization. Some organizations prefer to finance their professional liability policy as a group expense; in others, each member contributes his or her share.

Types of Coverage

An occurrence policy responds to claims resulting from incidents which occur during the policy period, regardless of when the actual claim is made. Coverage need not be in force at the time the claim is reported. It is only necessary that coverage was in force at the time the alleged negligence occurred.

A claims-made policy responds to claims which are filed during the policy period arising from treatment provided after the retroactive date of the claims-made policy. As long as the claims-made policy is renewed, coverage will apply. If the policy is canceled, an extended claim reporting endorsement (tail) may need to be purchased. An extended claim reporting endorsement is provided at no additional cost to members whose coverage is canceled as a result of death or permanent disability. At retirement, a reporting endorsement is also provided at no additional cost when a member reaches age 55 and has maintained a claims-made policy for at least five years immediately preceding retirement. An extended claim reporting endorsement at no additional charge may also available to any insured who has had 10 continuous years of claims-made coverage with The Program if they meet underwriting guidelines.

A modified occurrence or claims-made with prepaid reporting endorsement combine the best features of both occurrence and claims-made coverages. Coverage is provided for the services rendered during the policy period. The cost of the extended claim reporting endorsement is included in the premium paid each year the policy is in force.
To learn more about insurance policies and related information, visit our Online Education Center for a complimentary multimedia tutorial.

For more information about group coverage call (800) 245-3333, ext. 310, contact us via e-mail or visit our online information request.