South 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
33rd highest state
Damage Caps
South Carolina Professional Liability - 2025 Guide
South Carolina's medical malpractice insurance market has stabilized following reforms enacted in 2005. The state's combination of noneconomic damage caps and structured liability reforms has helped maintain moderate premium rates.
Medical Malpractice Insurance Requirements in South Carolina
South Carolina does not require physicians to carry malpractice insurance. However, most hospitals and healthcare facilities mandate coverage. Typical policy limits are $1 million per occurrence and $3 million aggregate. The first amount is how much your insurance provider will pay per claim, and the second amount indicates your annual limit.
Occurrence vs Claims Made Malpractice Policies in South Carolina
Claims-made policies are more commonly purchased in South Carolina, though occurrence policies are available. Claims-made policies typically have lower initial premiums but require tail coverage when terminated.
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 South 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).
MagMutual
The Doctors Company
MedPro
ProAssurance
Malpractice Insurance Cost in South 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 | 12,600 | 8,182 |
| Cardiovascular Disease - Minor Surgery | 16,600 | 10,720 |
| Emergency Medicine | 23,900 | 16,926 |
| Family Practice - No Surgery | 9,800 | 6,488 |
| Gastroenterology - No Surgery | 11,900 | 8,755 |
| General Surgery | 36,800 | 16,926 |
| Internal Medicine - No Surgery | 10,800 | 7,758 |
| Neurology - No Surgery | 14,400 | 9,592 |
| Obstetrics and Gynecology - Major Surgery | 52,100 | 28,210 |
| Occupational Medicine | 6,700 | 4,513 |
| Ophthalmology - No Surgery | 6,900 | 3,950 |
| Orthopedic Surgery - No Spine | 30,800 | 16,926 |
| Pathology - No Surgery | 9,600 | 5,642 |
| Pediatrics - No Surgery | 9,900 | 6,488 |
| Psychiatry | 6,800 | 4,513 |
| Pulmonary Disease - No Surgery | 13,200 | 8,755 |
| Radiology - Diagnostic | 12,900 | 8,182 |
Working with Medical Malpractice Insurance Brokers in South 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.
South Carolina Claims Payouts
Historical trends of medical malpractice claims and payouts in South Carolina
South Carolina Statute of Limitations
Medical malpractice claims in South Carolina must be filed within three years of the date of the incident or discovery of the injury, but no more than six years from the date of occurrence. For minors, claims must be filed within seven years of the incident.
Tort Reform in South Carolina
South Carolina's tort reforms include: i) a $350,000 cap on noneconomic damages per defendant (adjusted annually for inflation), ii) a total cap of $1.05 million for all defendants, iii) pre-filing notice requirements giving defendants 90 days to evaluate claims, and iv) expert witness qualification standards requiring experts to be actively practicing in the same specialty.