Medical Liability Monitor June 2025 issue highlights

June 9, 2025 by matray

Below are some headlines and article synopses from the June 2025 issue of Medical Liability Monitor. To read the articles in their entirety, please subscribe today.

MPL Insurers Struggle with Underwriting Losses As Investment Gains Boost Profit, AM Best Reports
The medical professional liability (MPL) insurance market continues to face mounting pressure as underwriting results deteriorate amid a challenging and rapidly evolving risk environment, according to Medical Professional Liability: Underwriting Results Pressured by Evolving & Complex Landscape, AM Best’s latest market segment report. While the profitability of Best’s MPL insurer composite improved for the second consecutive year — thanks largely to growth in net investment income — insurers are contending with a rise in loss and loss adjustment expenses, declining reserve redundancies, and increasing claims severity …

New York Budget Preserves Free Excess Malpractice Coverage After Pushback
New York lawmakers finalized the state’s Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget last month without including a controversial proposal that would have significantly altered funding for the state’s Excess Medical Malpractice Insurance Program. The final budget rejected a plan that would require physicians to cover half the cost of this supplemental medical liability insurance — coverage that has traditionally been provided free of charge …

Florida Governor Vetoes Bill Repealing ‘Free Kill’ Law That Would Expand Eligibility for Noneconomic Damages
Gov. Ron Desantis last month vetoed House Bill 6017, legislation that would have ended a decades-old medical malpractice law, often called a “free kill” law, expanding survivor eligibility for noneconomic damages in wrongful death medical negligence actions …

Medical Professional Liability Industry Assembles in Austin to Address Persistent and Emerging Challenges
The 2025 Medical Professional Liability (MPL) Association Annual Conference convened May 21–23 at the JW Marriott in Austin, Texas, drawing medical professional liability leaders, underwriters, risk managers, attorneys and healthcare executives from across the country and abroad. In addition to its renowned networking opportunities, this year’s event featured a dynamic lineup of educational sessions focused on the industry’s most urgent and emerging challenges, including artificial intelligence, gender-affirming care, physician burnout, escalating jury verdicts and tort reform erosion …

EmPRO Opens Boston Office, Hires Industry Vets to Lead Northeast Region
EmPRO Insurance Co. last month announced the opening of its Boston office, the company’s first location in Massachusetts. The move marks a milestone in EmPRO’s strategic expansion into the New England market, which the medical liability insurer says reflects its commitment to becoming a leading medical malpractice insurance provider throughout the Northeast Region, following earlier entries into New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. …

Ransomware Primary Driver of Healthcare Data Breaches
A new study conducted by researchers from Michigan State University, Yale University and Johns Hopkins University reveals that ransomware attacks have become the primary driver of healthcare data breaches in the United States, compromising more than 285 million patient records over 15 years …

Subscribe today to get this issue (as well as the 2024 and 2025 Annual Rate Survey at no additional cost).

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NCMIC Names David Siebert New CEO

June 6, 2025 by matray

NCMIC announced the appointment of David Siebert as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately. Siebert succeeds Mike McCoy, who is retiring.

Siebert joined NCMIC in 1995 as a claims representative and has grown along with the company, serving as a litigation consultant, senior director, assistant vice president and senior vice president. He was named the president of NCMIC Insurance Co. in 2020, where he helped the company grow to a record number of policyholders and led multiple strategic growth initiatives. Prior to joining NCMIC, Siebert spent two years in claims at Crawford & Company where he worked with self-insured risks. He graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

“I’m honored and energized to step into this role and lead NCMIC forward. After nearly 30 years here, I know that our strength comes from the incredible people who live out ‘We Take Care of Our Own’ every day," said Siebert. "Our doctors are at the heart of everything we do, and I'm excited to build on our successes, embrace new opportunities, and keep growing together as a team. I truly believe our best days are ahead."

As CEO, Siebert will oversee all operations and strategic initiatives across the enterprise, ensuring NCMIC’s continued commitment to supporting doctors of chiropractic, naturopathic doctors, and other healthcare professionals with specialized insurance and financial products.

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Sunlight Simplify and Preverity Announce Strategic Integration

June 6, 2025 by matray

Sunlight Simplify, a provider of cloud-based, no-code and low-code policy administration solutions for insurance carriers and managing general agents (MGAs), and healthcare data science and analytics company Preverity Inc. announced a new partnership aiming to "revolutionize how insurers manage policy lifecycles by embedding real-time medical and billing intelligence directly into underwriting, claims processing, and policy servicing workflows."

“This partnership reflects our commitment to innovation and automation in insurance operations,” said Bernadette Leh, Sunlight Simplify president. “By connecting Sunlight Simplify with verified medical and billing information, our customers can make faster, more informed decisions, ultimately improving service quality and operational efficiency.”

Preverity brings deep domain expertise and a robust network of data sources, delivering accurate, real-time medical records and billing data nthrough a secure API framework. By embedding this intelligence into the Sunlight Simplify ecosystem, insurers gain a powerful tool to reduce fraud, accelerate underwriting, and simplify audits.

“We’re excited to work with Sunlight Simplify to help carriers modernize their approach to policy management,” said Gene Boerger, Preverity president and COO. “This integration empowers insurance providers with the data transparency they need to stay competitive in a digital-first marketplace.”

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LAMMICO CEO Dr. J. Michael Conerly Named Chair of MPL Association Board

June 3, 2025 by matray

J. Michael Conerly, MD, FACS, MBA, president and chief executive officer of LAMMICO, has been appointed chair of the Medical Professional Liability Association (MPL Association), the international organization representing the medical and hospital professional liability insurance community.

The MPL Association’s board of directors also named Joseph G. Murphy, president and CEO of Coverys, to serve as vice chair and treasurer, and Edward L. Rand, Jr., president and CEO of ProAssurance Corp., to serve as secretary.

In addition to their new leadership roles, Conerly and Murphy were re-elected to three-year terms on the MPL Association board during its annual meeting of members.

“We are pleased to have Dr. Conerly at the helm of the board,” said MPL Association interim president and CEO Eric R. Anderson. “He has an extensive and distinguished career in the healthcare and medical professional liability fields, and we will benefit greatly from his guidance and expertise.

“We are also extremely appreciative of the commitments of our other board officers and directors,” Anderson continued. “All of these leaders bring tremendous expertise and knowledge to the MPL Association, and we look forward to working with them as we strive to advance the interests of the MPL industry and deliver on the mission of the organization.”

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AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of New Zealand Medical Indemnity Insurance Limited

May 22, 2025 by matray

AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B+ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb-” (Good) of New Zealand Medical Indemnity Insurance Limited (NZMII) (New Zealand). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect NZMII’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as adequate, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM).

NZMII’s balance sheet strength is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation being at the strongest level as of 31 March 2024 (fiscal year-end 2024), as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). Prospective risk-adjusted capitalisation remains sensitive to the pace of the company’s business growth and the size of future dividend distributions given its modest capital base. Additionally, the company’s balance sheet strength is supported by its conservative investment portfolio, consisting mainly of cash and fixed-income securities. Partially offsetting factors include the company’s small absolute capital base, which increases the sensitivity of capital to shock events, and its limited financial flexibility.

NZMII’s operating performance is assessed as adequate, supported by a return-on-equity ratio of 25.8% and a net/net combined ratio of 66.3% in fiscal year 2024, as calculated by AM Best. The company’s overall operating performance has improved significantly since fiscal year 2021, as a result of remedial actions taken by the company’s management, including premium rate adjustments and shifting the composition of the investment portfolio to reduce investment risk. In addition, NZMII’s earnings remain supported by healthy investment income, with a net investment yield (including gains) of 8.2% in fiscal year 2024.

AM Best assesses NZMII’s business profile as limited given its position as a small and niche insurer in New Zealand providing medical indemnity insurance to medical practitioners and health professionals. The company’s claims consist largely of legal fees excluding medical injury costs. As a monoline insurer with operations in a single country, AM Best views NZMII as having limited geographic and product diversification. Access to new business is supported by the company’s affiliation with the New Zealand Resident Doctors’ Association.

NZMII’s ERM is assessed as appropriate given the size and complexity of its operations. A key risk over the medium to long term is the disestablishment of district health boards in New Zealand, which provide considerable support to the company in accessing new business. To date, NZMII has successfully managed this risk by actively engaging with Health New Zealand, the new centralised body that replaced the district health boards, and strengthening its network.

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The Doctors Company Appoints Three New Healthcare Leaders to Its Board of Governors

May 20, 2025 by matray

The Doctors Company, part of TDC Group, announced the appointment of John M. Haupert, FACHE; Henna A. Karna, PhD; and Ami Parekh, MD, JD, to its Board of Governors.

The Doctors Company Board of Governors is composed of physicians and healthcare leaders and distinguished executives of Fortune 100 companies, representing many of the nation's leading health systems, banks, technology companies, financial advisors, and property/casualty insurers.

John M. Haupert, FACHE, is a board certified Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and recipient of the ACHE Regent's Leadership Award. He currently serves as the President and CEO of Grady Health System, based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Henna A. Karna, PhD, is a tech entrepreneur and a proven expert in patented product design, development, and launch. She is a highly respected global leader in establishing effective and committed teams. Dr. Karna has won numerous awards for digital innovations that leverage artificial intelligence (AI), data, and complex analytics across various industries, including high-tech, CPG, risk management, and financial services (capital markets, payments, and commercial insurance). Dr. Karna serves on several public and private boards and holds degrees in mathematics from UMass and WPI, an MBA from MIT Sloan, and is a Senior Fellow of Harvard University.

Ami Parekh, MD, JD, is currently the Chief Health Officer at Included Health, where she leads their national primary care, urgent care, behavioral health, clinical navigation, and population health management practices. Previously, she served as the Chief Medical Officer of Population Health and Clinical Integration at UCSF Health. Her expertise is in driving system-level change toward value for the patients and purchasers of American healthcare.

"I am pleased to welcome these distinguished experts to our board," said Richard E. Anderson, MD, FACP, Chairman and CEO of The Doctors Company and TDC Group. "Their expertise in medicine, technology, and executive leadership will significantly bolster our efforts to provide best imaginable service to the rapidly evolving world of American healthcare as we fulfill our mission to advance, protect, and reward the practice of good medicine."

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Katherine Williams, MD, Elected to LAMMICO Board of Directors

May 19, 2025 by matray

The LAMMICO Board of Directors elected Katherine Williams, MD, to serve as a member. A practicing obstetrician-gynecologist at the Center for Women’s Health in Covington, La., Williams is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology, a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and certified in the use of various lasers and robots. Williams has served as a member of LAMMICO's  Investment & Budget Committee since 2022.

Williams received her medical degree from Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Medicine and completed her residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at LSU Medical Center in New Orleans. In 2015, she earned her fellowship with the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health. Williams has been active with professional associations and organizations, including the Louisiana Medical Disclosure Panel, St. Tammany Parish Hospital Board of Advisors, St. Tammany Parish Hospital/Ochsner Health System Physician Advisory Council, You Night Cancer Survivor Empowerment Program and St. Tammany Parish Medical Society. She is also a past president of the Louisiana State Medical Society.

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Coverys Appoints Saadia Khilji as Global Chief Information Officer

May 19, 2025 by matray

Coverys has hired Saadia Khilji as its global chief information officer (CIO). In this newly created role, Khilji will report to Catherine Donahue, chief operating officer, and will leverage her experience to shape and execute Coverys’ global IT strategy. She will also lead initiatives to modernize the company’s infrastructure, implement advanced technologies, and streamline legacy systems to drive continued growth and operational excellence.

“This marks a significant milestone for our company, as it is the first time we have a dedicated leader overseeing our global IT function,” Donahue said. “Saadia brings over 20 years of experience driving large-scale digital transformation, leading IT strategy, and executing modernization efforts at Fortune 100 companies. With her leadership and the strength of our current team, we are confident in our ability to enhance technological capabilities, optimize operational efficiency, and foster innovation across all areas of our business.”

Khilji joins Coverys from MassMutual, where she most recently served as vice president, overseeing enterprise-wide technologies and IT services. During her tenure at MassMutual, she successfully led technology modernizations, streamlined IT operations and led global technology teams to deliver measurable business outcomes. She also held leadership roles at The Hartford and Travelers Insurance, where she spearheaded digital transformation initiatives and championed innovation across complex organizations.

“I’m honored to join Coverys as its first Global Chief Information Officer,” said Khilji. “The creation of this role signals the company’s clear commitment to enhance the way it supports policyholders and the healthcare community. Coverys is well-positioned to leverage new technologies to elevate risk mitigation, claims management, and data insights, and I look forward to helping shape the technology strategy that will enable the next phase of its evolution and growth.”

Khilji holds a Master of Science in management information systems from The George Washington University and a bachelor's degree in software engineering from Lahore University of Management Sciences. She recently completed McKinsey’s Asian Executive Leadership Program and is active in mentoring rising IT leaders and advocating for equal opportunities for all in technology.

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Indigo Expands Medical Malpractice Coverage with Expert Witness Protection

May 19, 2025 by matray

Indigo Insurance today announced significant enhancements to its coverage offerings, reinforcing its commitment to comprehensive protection for physicians.​ In recognition of the critical role medical professionals play as expert witnesses in legal proceedings, Indigo is introducing a novel product extension: Expert Witness Liability Coverage.

"Physicians are often asked to contribute to the legal process as expert witnesses, which extends their expertise beyond clinical settings and opens them up to potential risk," said Braden Davis, Indigo co-founder and chief insurance officer of Indigo. "Our new coverage ensures physicians can meet this request with confidence, knowing they have protection to help in these unique situations."

This specialized coverage is designed to safeguard expert witnesses against potential claims arising from their testimony, and the policy encompasses defense costs, deposition coverage and defense against allegations of professional negligence or misrepresentation. Indigo's data-driven approach tailors this coverage to align with the unique risks associated with expert witness roles.

Indigo's platform leverages artificial intelligence to provide customized pricing based on individual risk profiles, streamlining the insurance process for both physicians and brokers. With an A- (Excellent) rating by AM Best, Indigo continues to set new standards in medical professional liability coverage. ​

Backed by leading healthcare investment firms Rubicon Founders, Oak HC/FT, and Optum Ventures, Indigo has grown conservatively since binding its first policy in December 2023 to optimize for underwriting profit – a metric that has evaded the majority of InsurTechs born in the zero interest-rate policy era. Now poised with a national distribution network of highly curated brokers and industry leading technology (no application nor loss run to bind coverage), the company expects to triple premiums and insure over 1,000 physicians by year end.

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COPIC Named 2025 Top Place to Work

May 16, 2025 by matray

COPIC Insurance Co. has been named a 2025 Top Workplace of America. The annual Top Workplaces program recognizes employers based on third-party employee surveys. COPIC was one of 150 companies to earn a spot on this year’s list. Ninety-two percent of COPIC employees said their job makes them feel part of something meaningful and that the company operates by strong values. Eighty-seven percent feel appreciated and included, and 82% believe new ideas are encouraged and the company empowers them to work at their full potential.

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