North Carolina 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
44th highest state
Damage Caps
North Carolina Professional Liability - 2025 Guide
North Carolina physicians enjoy a relatively stable malpractice insurance market with low claim frequency and a competitive pool of insurers. The state's emphasis on alternative dispute resolution and targeted tort reforms underpins this stability.
Medical Malpractice Insurance Requirements in North Carolina
North Carolina does not require physicians to carry malpractice insurance, but most hospitals and healthcare facilities mandate at least $1 million per claim and $3 million annual aggregate in coverage. High-risk specialties typically opt for higher limits to account for greater liability exposure.
Occurrence vs Claims Made Malpractice Policies in North Carolina
Both occurrence and claims-made policies are available in North Carolina. Claims-made policies often have lower initial costs but require tail coverage upon termination. Occurrence policies are pricier but offer indefinite protection for incidents occurring during the policy period.
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 North Carolina
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).
Curi
MagMutual
MedPro
The Doctors Company
Malpractice Insurance Cost in North Carolina
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 | 16,800 | 7,664 |
| Cardiovascular Disease - Minor Surgery | 19,600 | 7,622 |
| Dermatology - No Surgery | 6,300 | 4,227 |
| Emergency Medicine | 27,700 | 15,855 |
| Family Practice - No Surgery | 14,500 | 6,077 |
| Gastroenterology - No Surgery | 16,700 | 8,985 |
| General Surgery | 36,600 | 15,855 |
| Internal Medicine - No Surgery | 14,900 | 7,267 |
| Neurology - No Surgery | 18,600 | 8,985 |
| Obstetrics and Gynecology - Major Surgery | 58,600 | 41,672 |
| Occupational Medicine | 11,500 | 3,357 |
| Ophthalmology - No Surgery | 11,500 | 3,593 |
| Orthopedic Surgery - No Spine | 32,800 | 15,855 |
| Pathology - No Surgery | 8,600 | 5,285 |
| Pediatrics - No Surgery | 14,500 | 6,077 |
| Psychiatry | 11,900 | 4,227 |
| Pulmonary Disease - No Surgery | 12,000 | 7,647 |
| Radiology - Diagnostic | 17,600 | 7,664 |
Working with Medical Malpractice Insurance Brokers in North Carolina
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.
North Carolina Claims Payouts
Historical trends of medical malpractice claims and payouts in North Carolina
North Carolina Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations for malpractice claims in North Carolina is three years from the date of the alleged negligent act or one year from when the injury was discovered, whichever is later, with an absolute cutoff at four years. For minors under 10, the statute extends until their 10th birthday.
Tort Reform in North Carolina
North Carolina's tort reforms include: i) a $500,000 cap on non-economic damages (adjusted for inflation every three years), ii) alternative dispute resolution methods like mediation and arbitration to lower litigation costs, iii) the Voluntary Arbitration of Health Claims Act capping total damages at $1 million in binding arbitration, and iv) legal protections for emergency care providers acting in good faith.