Insurance Carriers
General Liability
Virginia’s liability insurance carriers play a key role in the success of the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program. As with the physician assessments, when determined necessary by the State Corporation Commission’s Bureau of Insurance, liability insurers in Virginia are assessed one-quarter of one percent (.0025) of net direct premiums to support the Program (§38.2-5021).
Malpractice Insurers
Many malpractice carriers now either require or highly recommend that the delivering physicians they insure participate in the Birth-Injury Program. These companies believe it’s a wise decision for everyone involved. If you are a malpractice carrier and have questions about the Program, please contact us.
Reporting Form
State law requires that malpractice carriers notify the Birth-Injury Program when they become aware of a possible qualifying birth attended by a physician they insure and a participant in the Birth-Injury Program. Please use the form below to make such reports.
Other Providers
While obstetricians and other delivering providers may become participants in the Birth-Injury Program, all other licensed Virginia physicians also play a key role. The Virginia General Assembly established the Program to help hold down malpractice insurance rates for all physicians, which studies show it has accomplished.* As a part of the original statute (§38.2-5020), when deemed necessary by the Virginia Bureau of Insurance, all non-participating licensed physicians in Virginia, of any specialty, are assessed an annual $300 fee to help fund the Program. (Other times participant fees are the only income, no state general funds are provided to the Birth-Injury Program) This physician assessment has been implemented about half of the years since the Program’s creation, and currently is in place. Whenever the physician assessment is implemented, an assessment on liability insurers operating in Virginia also is implemented. Physician assessments currently provide less than 20 percent of the Program’s annual income.
Assessment Process
(Note: All licensed physicians are required to notify the State Board of Medicine of an address change within 30-days of the change.)