EMT-B Malpractice Insurance / Liability Insurance for the EMT.

[EMTzimp]

Hi, I'm an EMT-B in Orange County, CA. I am currently work for an ambulance company and am looking for another job to do on the side... so, i started looking at Special Event companies... I got a company to make me a job offer but then they told me I have to have Malpractice / Liability Insurance. Is this true? What are your thoughts about it?

Any insurance companies you would recommend? (any idea of cost?)

Is it really worth it for me to do this job for $11 bucks an hour....?

Thanks for your Help!

 

[EMTzimp]

Admin: I started this thread but later found the some helpful answers in other threads... Feel free to remove this if you'd like!

 

[EMSLaw]

HSPO has policies. I ran through the quick quote, and it seems like it's about $140 for a full-time EMT-B. That's for a $1M/$3M policy. Depending on your circumstances, it might be less.

www.hspo.com.

As for worth it... well, it's not a bad deal. I pay a lot less, but I'm a volunteer, and only EMT part time, so there you go.

 

[EMTzimp]

EMSLaw: Thanks for the help man! Yeah, i have seen quite a few people mention HPSO. I'm thinkin thats the company to go with....

 

[EMS_rabbit]

Thats good to know but isn't that the responsibility of your employer?

 

[EMTzimp]

EMS-Rabbit:
I thought it was employers responsibility to... But I guess its just a small event company and they said I should have my own insurance if I want to work there....

 

[EMSLaw]

Your employer doubtless has to be insured. But if you are providing EMT services at an event, depending on the particular arrangement, you could be doing it as an independent contractor, in which case, you would have to provide for all of your own expenses (and pay your own taxes).

It's something you'd have to look into before agreeing to the job. On the upside, insurance is likely to be required when and if you become a paramedic student, and HPSO will throw in the student policy for free with your regular one. ;p

 

[EMTzimp]

your right rabbit. they did say say I would be an independent contractor and that I would have to do the taxes... What is your personal opionion about it? Would you ever consider doing something like this?

 

[EMSLaw]

There are advantages and disadvantages to it. You're really on your own, in terms of liability and providing your own tools, etc. On the other hand, you have more autonomy in the way the job gets done - at least, that's the classic definition of an IC. I'm not entirely sure how they apply that to an EMT-B, since theoretically you should always be under the control of somebody's medical director.

Just consider it carefully before you sign on the dotted line.

 

[EMTzimp]

Thanks for the advice EMSlaw. I will definently research more and see if its really for me. thanks for the help!

 

[MMiz]

Thats good to know but isn't that the responsibility of your employer?

Your employer and their legal resources have a responsibility to protect their interests. You need to protect your interests.

Liability insurance, for how cheap it is, is an absolute no-brainer. It covers you both on the job and otherwise. I know several people who have used their professional liability insurance for a variety of reasons. Get it.

 

[usafmedic45]

Even when I worked full time and was "technically" covered by the county's malpractice insurance ($1M/$4M if memory serves), I still carried a seperate $5M/$15M policy on myself and the physician practice group I worked for (I was actually an employee of my medical director and not of the ambulance service itself...long story) also carried a $10M/$25M individual policy on me and each of the several other EMS personnel that worked for them. Rule #1: Cover your butt (as MMiz said). No one else has your interests truly at heart once lawyers get involved. Malpractice insurance is to cheap not to protect yourself.

 

[rescue99]

Even when I worked full time and was "technically" covered by the county's malpractice insurance ($1M/$4M if memory serves), I still carried a seperate $5M/$15M policy on myself and the physician practice group I worked for (I was actually an employee of my medical director and not of the ambulance service itself...long story) also carried a $10M/$25M individual policy on me and each of the several other EMS personnel that worked for them. Rule #1: Cover your butt (as MMiz said). No one else has your interests truly at heart once lawyers get involved. Malpractice insurance is to cheap not to protect yourself.

Agreed. Keeping additional insurance is a security blanket. Cost is low. Warm and fuzzies, high. Premiums for Medic and I/C cost less than $260 a year combined.

 

[armywifeemt]

On a related side note, if you have homeowners or property insurance, you might take a second look at it too.

I was reading through mine one day and I have some personal liability coverage included in my property insurance premium. If I remember, it is less than 1M but I am sure I could bump it up if I wanted to. I haven't really checked into it all that much, I just thought it was cool that it was in there, and a good thing to keep in the back of my mind.

We go through USAA for all of our insurance, so it isn't available to anyone but those who have served in the military, but I am sure there are a couple other insurance companies that do this too.

I don't know whether or not USAA carries any kind of professional liability insurance. Maybe it is something I should check into.

 

[eveningsky339]

Can we EMT-B's afford malpractice premiums when we make 50 cents an hour?

 

[EMSLaw]

Can we EMT-B's afford malpractice premiums when we make 50 cents an hour?

I would say "can you afford not to have it?" But that's like some kind of LSAT question, and the answer is that it's a false statement because it uses the word "afford" in two different senses.

Really, though, it's not much money for peace of mind, and having someone there to represent your interests if things go pear shaped.

 

[usafmedic45]

Can we EMT-B's afford malpractice premiums when we make 50 cents an hour?

I still paid my premiums when I made minimum wage as an EMT-B. It's not that expensive. You probably spend more on beer/cigarettes/soda/junk food.

 

[ah2388]

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