Virginia 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
24th highest state
Damage Caps
Virginia Professional Liability - 2025 Guide
Virginia maintains a relatively stable medical malpractice insurance market with moderate premiums. The state's total damages cap, which increases annually, provides predictability for insurers and healthcare providers.
Medical Malpractice Insurance Requirements in Virginia
Virginia does not mandate malpractice insurance for physicians. However, most hospitals and healthcare facilities require coverage. Common policy limits are $2 million per occurrence and $6 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 Virginia
Claims-made policies are more commonly purchased in Virginia, 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 Virginia
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
ProAssurance
The Doctors Company
MedPro
Malpractice Insurance Cost in Virginia
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 | 17,800 | 9,114 |
| Cardiovascular Disease - Minor Surgery | 21,900 | 11,714 |
| Dermatology - No Surgery | 7,900 | 5,027 |
| Emergency Medicine | 27,900 | 18,854 |
| Family Practice - No Surgery | 16,600 | 7,227 |
| Gastroenterology - No Surgery | 18,800 | 9,447 |
| General Practice - No Surgery | 16,600 | 7,227 |
| General Surgery | 45,500 | 18,854 |
| Internal Medicine - No Surgery | 17,500 | 8,124 |
| Neurology - No Surgery | 15,100 | 9,447 |
| Obstetrics and Gynecology - Major Surgery | 62,600 | 31,424 |
| Occupational Medicine | 11,800 | 5,027 |
| Ophthalmology - Major Surgery | 18,000 | N/A |
| Ophthalmology - No Surgery | 7,900 | 4,400 |
| Orthopedic Surgery - No Spine | 36,900 | 18,854 |
| Pathology - No Surgery | 9,700 | 6,285 |
| Pediatrics - No Surgery | 16,900 | 7,227 |
| Psychiatry | 13,800 | 5,027 |
| Pulmonary Disease - No Surgery | 15,100 | 9,447 |
| Radiology - Diagnostic | 19,800 | 9,114 |
Working with Medical Malpractice Insurance Brokers in Virginia
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.
Virginia Claims Payouts
Historical trends of medical malpractice claims and payouts in Virginia
Virginia Statute of Limitations
Medical malpractice claims in Virginia must be filed within two years of the date of injury. For cases involving foreign objects or fraud, claims must be filed within one year of discovery, but no more than ten years from the incident.
Tort Reform in Virginia
Virginia's tort reforms include: i) a total cap on all damages (both economic and non-economic) that increases annually ($2.5 million as of 2022), ii) periodic payment options for future damages, iii) expert certification requirements before filing suit, and iv) limits on punitive damages to $350,000.