Medical liability is a pervasive concern for physicians because of the potential effects of a settlement and the costs of fighting a prolonged and costly legal battle.

 

While laws capping tort damages have been effective in some states, physicians often are targeted in medical liability suits, especially in states where hospitals are protected under charitable immunity provisions.

 

There are many non-medical liability sources, such as liability for employees’ actions or employee lawsuits, that can put you and your family at risk.

 

While medical liability insurance is designed to protect personal and business assets from malpractice claims, there are limits to your coverage. Many policies explicitly exclude coverage for suits arising from activities that aren’t directly related to the patient-physician relationship. Jury awards in liability cases often are unpredictable and may exceed your coverage limits. If your liability coverage isn’t enough, your personal assets could be at risk if they aren’t sufficiently protected. Even when physicians try to shield their assets by putting them in the name of a child or spouse—financial information may still become unshielded.

 

You’ve worked hard for what you own, and you want to keep it safe. While no asset-protection strategy is suitable for everyone, there are many tools at your disposal to help protect you and your family from costly litigation.

 

Some of the ways to protect your assets include the following:

• Umbrella insurance policies to expand your liability coverage
• Trusts and other ownership strategies
• Advanced risk-management techniques
• Investment diversification

 

Asset protection and protecting yourself from liability are two very big pieces of the healthcare industry’s wealth-creation puzzle. The better you can protect your assets from creditors, litigators, and malpractice claims, the more you’ll have to build a prosperous future for you and your family.

 

 

You’re busy with your practice, but you still need your portfolio to work just as hard as you do. One smart move is to seek the guidance of a financial professional that can help find coverage you need.

 

Securities offered through SCF Securities, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC 155 E. Shaw Ave. Suite 102, Fresno, CA 93710 | (800) 955-2517 | Fax (559) 456- 6109. SCF Securities, Inc. and Creative Financial Strategies LLC are independently owned and operated. www.scfsecurities.com Note: Securities offered through SCF Securities Inc., Investment Advisory Services offered through SCF Investment Advisors, Inc. This document is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as legal or tax advice. One should consult a legal or tax professional regarding their own personal situation. Any comments regarding safe and secure investments and guaranteed income streams refer only to fixed insurance products offered by an insurance company. They do not refer in any way to securities or investment advisory products. Insurance policy applications are vetted through an underwriting process set forth by the issuing insurance company. Some applications may not be accepted based upon adverse underwriting results. Death benefit payouts are based upon the claims paying ability of the issuing insurance company. The firm providing this document is not affiliated with the Social Security Administration or any other government entity.

 

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