New Jersey Medical Malpractice Insurance
Compare top-rated insurers and find the best coverage for your practice
Standard Limits
Per Claim / Per Year
Affordability Rank
of 50 states
Average Claim Payout
19th highest state
Damage Caps
New Jersey Professional Liability - 2025 Guide
New Jersey physicians have historically encountered high frequency and severity of malpractice claims, leading to challenges in obtaining affordable coverage. However, reforms like the 2004 Medical Care Access and Responsibility and Patients First Act, plus a more competitive insurance market, have helped stabilize premiums and improve physician retention.
Medical Malpractice Insurance Requirements in New Jersey
New Jersey requires physicians to carry medical malpractice insurance with minimum limits of $1 million per claim and $3 million annual aggregate. The first amount is how much your insurance provider will pay per claim, and the second amount indicates your annual limit. Physicians in high-risk specialties often choose higher limits for additional protection.
Occurrence vs Claims Made Malpractice Policies in New Jersey
Claims-made policies are more commonly purchased in New Jersey, though occurrence policies are also available.
Coverage applies to incidents that occur during the policy period, regardless of when the claim is filed.
Coverage applies to claims filed during the policy period, requiring tail coverage for future claims.
Leading Medical Malpractice Insurance Companies in New Jersey
In addition to the below insurers, DocShield typically provides your practice with quotes from several other highly rated insurers. Ratings provided by AM Best (the leading insurance credit rating agency).
MedPro
MagMutual
Coverys
Curi
Malpractice Insurance Cost in New Jersey
The data below represent undiscounted premiums. DocShield is often able to save practices 30-50% relative to these rates.
| Medical Specialty | Average Premium | Lowest Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Anesthesiology | 22,400 | 11,496 |
| Cardiovascular Disease - Minor Surgery | 26,400 | 15,062 |
| Dermatology - No Surgery | 9,500 | 6,341 |
| Emergency Medicine | 39,400 | 23,163 |
| Family Practice - No Surgery | 19,500 | 9,116 |
| Gastroenterology - No Surgery | 21,800 | 13,477 |
| General Surgery | 47,800 | 23,782 |
| Internal Medicine - No Surgery | 20,400 | 10,901 |
| Neurology - No Surgery | 19,800 | 13,477 |
| Obstetrics and Gynecology - Major Surgery | 81,600 | 39,637 |
| Occupational Medicine | 13,900 | 6,341 |
| Ophthalmology - No Surgery | 16,100 | 5,550 |
| Orthopedic Surgery - No Spine | 47,700 | 23,782 |
| Pathology - No Surgery | 12,600 | 7,927 |
| Pediatrics - No Surgery | 19,300 | 9,116 |
| Psychiatry | 16,000 | 6,341 |
| Pulmonary Disease - No Surgery | 24,000 | 13,477 |
| Radiology - Diagnostic | 18,400 | 11,496 |
Working with Medical Malpractice Insurance Brokers in New Jersey
A licensed broker can help you navigate the administrative work involved in getting quotes and the nuances of choosing a policy that fits your particular practice. Importantly, brokers work for you, not a single insurer, so they can shop across multiple insurers to find you the most competitive premium for a high quality policy. This is especially important for medical malpractice insurance policies because premiums often vary significantly for the same doctor from one insurer to another.
Buy Affordable Malpractice Insurance with DocShield
We've built the fastest application process in the industry so you don't have to disrupt your schedule to shop for coverage. After you select a policy, we automatically scan the market every year before renewal to ensure you're paying a fair price.
Our platform streamlines all outpatient coverage needs, including excess policies, tail coverage, and group policies. We typically drive 20-30% premium savings for our customers without sacrificing on coverage quality, which translates to hundreds of thousands in savings for specialists over the course of their careers.
New Jersey Claims Payouts
Historical trends of medical malpractice claims and payouts in New Jersey
New Jersey Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations for medical malpractice claims in New Jersey is two years from when the negligent act was discovered or should have been discovered. For minors, claims can be filed until the child's 13th birthday.
Tort Reform in New Jersey
New Jersey's tort reforms include: i) a cap on punitive damages set at $350,000 or five times compensatory damages (whichever is greater), ii) restrictions on joint and several liability (defendants under 60% fault pay only their proportionate share), iii) an Affidavit of Merit requirement within 60 days of filing a lawsuit, and iv) limits on attorney fees that decrease as the award size increases.