Veterinarian malpractice insurance

Veterinarian malpractice insurance is a type of professional liability insurance that protects veterinarians against claims of negligence or errors in animal care. This insurance covers legal defense costs and settlements if a client sues for injury, death, or harm to an animal due to alleged veterinary mistakes.

Insurers such as AVMA PLIT and Nationwide offer veterinarian malpractice policies tailored to individual practices, YourInsurance.info reports. Premiums typically range from $400 to $1,500 per year depending on location, services offered, and claim history.

Most states do not legally require veterinarians to carry malpractice insurance, but employers and clients often demand proof of coverage. Common covered incidents include surgical errors (e.g. spay/neuter complications), misdiagnosis leading to pet death (such as failure to detect heartworm), or medication overdoses causing harm (like anesthesia accidents).

Policies usually exclude intentional wrongdoing or criminal acts by the veterinarian. Veterinarians can increase their policy limits–commonly set at $1 million per occurrence–to address higher-risk procedures like equine surgery or exotic animal treatment.