While HPL insurance policies across carriers share some similarities, there are important differences in their specific policy forms and endorsements, requiring tailored solutions for each insured's unique needs. Aon Healthcare's experts can audit a hospital's HPL and liability policies to assess whether the terms and conditions are appropriate and up-to-date. Using its database, Aon can also benchmark a hospital's limits, retention, premium, and claims against its peers to ensure adequacy. Hospitals face frequent, costly claims from various parties for issues like quality of care oversight and policy/procedure failures. A properly conducted audit can analyze coverage, claims trends, program recommendations, and benchmarking to help hospitals ensure their HPL insurance provides needed protection.
1. Are all HPL forms basically the same?
While hospital professional liability (HPL) carriers offer “shell” policy wording that is somewhat similar,
many differences exist between different carriers’ policy forms and endorsements. More importantly,
each insured’s insurance needs are unique, and require tailored solutions.
HPL Insurance Program Audit Services
Aon Healthcare’s team of healthcare experts can conduct a detailed analysis of HPL and general liability
policies to determine whether the terms and conditions are appropriate and “state of the art,” and will
provide you with a list of suggested coverage enhancements to your program. In addition, using its
proprietary client database, Aon Healthcare can provide you with benchmarking analyses to determine
whether your existing limits, retention and premium are in line with those of your peers, and are
adequate for your individual risk profile.
Hospitals are the target of frequent claims, with costly and sometimes severe consequences. Patients,
physicians and a host of third parties are all potential claimants, and the types of allegations they levy
against hospitals are numerous. Those allegations include:
Failure to oversee quality of care by staff physicians (credentialing, privileging, peer review)•
Failure to develop or follow appropriate policies and procedures•
Failure to hire qualified and/or specialized personnel•
Failure to staff to adequate levels•
Failure to prevent patient injury•
Responsibility for employed physicians and nurses (via the Respondeat Superior Doctrine)•
... and so on. While most hospitals purchase HPL insurance to provide protection against such claims, if
policies are not properly worded, the coverage may not respond when it is needed most.
An audit can include some or all of the following:
Insurance coverage and claims trends•
Program overview, analysis and recommendations•
Limits, retentions and rate-per-bed benchmarking•
Clinical outcome benchmarking•
Claims benchmarking•
Hospital Professional Liability
Insurance Program Audit Services
Aon Contact:
Gisele Norris
National Director,
Aon Healthcare
p: +1.415.458.2973
e: gisele_norris@asg.aon.com
Dan Schmidt
Senior Vice President,
Aon Healthcare
p: +1.415.486.7422
e: daniel_schmidt@ars.aon.com
Aon’s Credentials
Aon Healthcare provides risk assessment, advisory, insurance program placement and claims services
for hospitals, healthcare systems, for-profit healthcare facilities, elder services facilities (long-term
care, assisted care, etc.), managed care organizations, physician practices and other healthcare-
related businesses.
Aon Healthcare’s professionals have expertise in hospital and elder services administration, finance,
risk management, clinical care, claims, law, risk control, underwriting, government and managed
care. We stay abreast of national and local industry trends in healthcare, insurance, reinsurance, and
risk capital markets, as well as national and local regulations and legislation. Armed with this insight
and knowledge, we help you prepare for change.