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Insurance Premiums for Med Spas on the Rise
Categories Insurance, Wellness Centers

Premiums Are On The Rise: Why & How Will It Impact Your Practice

WELLNESS CENTER & MED SPA INSURANCE PREMIUMS ARE ON THE RISE: WHY IS THIS HAPPENING & HOW WILL IT IMPACT MY PRACTICE?

You might be a start-up just entering the exciting world of Integrative Medicine or may have several years of experience in the industry with historically no insurance claims made. Unfortunately, the insurance market works by calculating the average, based on the sum of all practices.  In other words, the integrative medicine market receives risk scores based on the average by key categories of their policyholders collectively, rather than the individual practice or policy holder themselves.

Six Key Categories Impacting Your Insurance Policy Premium:

1) Years of practice:

The magic number is five years. This is enough time to provide history in the eyes of the insurance carriers for a good standing account.

2) Claims:

How many and how much? One of the most impactful claims rating factor is your claims history. Underwriters heavily consider how many claims you have had during your experience and how impactful they are. Was the claim closed? Was there a large settlement or jury verdict?

3) Service Type Risk:

Services such as Stem Cell Therapy & PRP are impacting the ENTIRE industry and most importantly the providers practicing properly.  There have been many claims and lawsuits filed for these categories, not long after gaining exposure and increased interest in the market. Some insurance carriers are opting to offer significantly increased premiums, offering reduced limits of liability or even excluding coverage for these services all together.

4) Procedure Volume to Personnel Ratio:

High volume of procedures and limited staffing is perceived as a greater risk for potential error that can result in a valid claim.

5) Training & Expertise:

Providers are requiring formal training, certifications, accreditations and education as coverage policy is not only reviewed based on the business practice but the expertise level for the service that is being provided. Investing in the proper education can result in better business practices, mitigating risk and avoiding premium increases. If you would like to receive information on our credible partners offering training & certification courses, connect with us and receive a partner discount.

6) Business & Professional Liability Licensing:

Is your license in good standing or are there any pending or outstanding issues? This category is heavily weighted for the underwriters risk assessment of your practice.

PREMIUM INCREASES: WMPG CURRENT SNAPSHOT & 2020 OUTLOOK 

At the Wellness Medical Protection Group, we continue to service thousands of providers across the United States for a vast variety of liability coverage for professional services. Here are our observations:

 

SIX WMPG CRITICAL MARKET OBSERVATIONS TO KNOW

1) Increase in Demand

There is an increase in claims for the medical malpractice class overall

2) Increase in Minimum Premiums

Increase in minimum premiums and base rates as companies make business changes and adjustments, especially for certain procedures. There is an overall increase in minimum premiums and base rates for medical malpractice as a whole.

3) A Rise in Renewal Pricing

Average renewal pricing is increasing. These increases are ranging from 20% to 50% depending on the service type

4) The Underwriting Process

Rigid underwriting process with insurance carriers and a decrease in limits of liability for procedures, especially Stem Cell Therapy

5) Exclusions in Coverage for Procedures

Claims coverage exclusions for no evidence of certified procedure training

6) Exclusions in Coverage for Patients

Claims coverage exclusions for no evidence of signed patient consent forms

 

MY INSURANCE POLICY PREMIUM IS HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR, NOW WHAT?

Your immediate instinct is to have your WMPG agent shop the policy right away. Our agency is contracted with all of the major A rated surplus line carriers in the market. We have the ability to look at alternative carriers, compare & contrast policy coverage vs. pricing and any exclusions.

 

In some instances, this may not be the way to go! For example, a practice may have been in business for years with a healthy track record and minimal to no claims and they decide to have their WMPG agent switch carriers for them.  Starting over with a new carrier means no premium history.

 

Let’s look at the math:

Assume the medical practice ABC Wellness has been with a carrier for six years and the insurance policy premiums respectively are:

Year One: $11,000

Year Two: $11,250

Year Three: $11,250

Year Four: $11,500

Year Five: $11,750

Year Six: $12,000

Total: $68,750.00

 

With minimal to no claims, the WMPG agent can position a statement of premium credit history to the carrier and remind the underwriter of ABC Wellness track record.

With a new carrier, the historical track record doesn’t exist because the new carrier did not benefit from the premium payments. You may be saving money, but starting over may have its risks.

 

CASE BY CASE, WMPG AGENTS ARE READY:

Our agents are equipped with combined experience of over 30 years, exclusively in integrative medicine, wellness practice, and medical spa surplus line insurance.  We are ready to stand by you and work with you, each step of the way.

In some instances, establishing a new policy or renewing will be very seamless, and immediate changes will be minimal. Regardless, every client is unique in their practice operations. Our agents treat each opportunity, on a case by case basis by considering the following:

1) Assess Your Practice

Assessing your practice and coverage requirements

2) Recommendations

Recommending practice documentation or additional training course recommendations.

3) Investigation and Assessment

Investigating any current policies for coverage types and any exclusions or potential pitfalls.

4) Customize Your Policy

Customizing your practice policy, targeting the top carriers related to your practice services, and acquiring the most competitive quotes for your coverage requirements.

Schedule a consult with a WMPG agent and let us worry about all of your insurance needs.  Regardless of what is happening in the market, we understand you and your practice.  We know how busy your days already are and look forward to taking on any of your insurance needs or challenges so you do not have to.

Categories Insurance, Med Spa, Wellness Centers

Your “Strategy for Protection” in Times of Uncertainty

Why are MedSpa Insurance Premiums on the Rise?

Your “Strategy for Protection” in Times of Uncertainty

As we all continue to experience COVID-19 together and how it has a major impact on our industry, businesses, patients and communities, it certainly shifted all the major insurance providers’ receptiveness to our clients.  Rather than connecting with us and our clients about how we may help each other, they have gone into survival mode. Let us help you navigate your way through the turbulence by helping you with your renewal strategy!

STRATEGY BASIC:

What Type of Liability Insurance is Available for MedSpa & Wellness Center Owners & Providers?

The type of insurance you buy for your med spa is referred to as “surplus lines” insurance.  This means when your application with standard medical practice coverage insurance companies gets declined or offer terms that will exclude all or part the liability coverage for what you are providing to your patients. Then you default to “surplus lines.”

Surplus lines insurance is a specialized coverage available from certain insurers because of the following reasons:

  1. MedSpa & Wellness Center business models differ greatly from the traditional medical practices and are unique on to their own, no practice is truly the same and there are hundreds of thousands of striving practices nationwide
  2. Many procedures such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) & IV Nutrition are non-FDA approved procedures that are excluded in traditional coverage, however, accepted and covered with a surplus line insurance product
  3. Non-medically licensed individuals employing or contracting medically licensed individuals requiring complex coverage for the business, the business owner, and the medical practitioner is acceptable in a surplus line product.
What are the DISADVANTAGES and ADVANTAGES of Surplus Lines Products?

Surplus lines insurance is a specialized coverage available from certain insurers not licensed in your state but eligible to do business in your state as a surplus lines carrier. Because they are not licensed in your state, these carriers are not subject to regulation of rate or form, giving them the ability to fit unique situations & circumstances, and charge whatever they want to adjust to the situation. The advantages are financial strength, the flexibility and ability to manuscript, or customize your coverage to adapt. The disadvantage is the vulnerability to rate increases and adding on coverage exclusions.

 

Why are MedSpa Premiums on the Rise?

Surplus lines insurers that are covering MedSpas are now adjusting their premiums to compensate for the following:

  1. Compensate for Claim Losses – Medical malpractice cases in general are reportedly up 50% over the past 10 years.
  2. Rising “Social Inflation Cost” – Defined by a combination of a variety of unforeseen events like COVID 19, riots, business interruption.
  3. Other Associated Risks – New products, new procedures, increase in virtual practices, less restrictions now for non-physician healthcare providers, etc.
  4. Property and casualty rates – They rise and fall in a market driven cycle and surplus lines insurance is becoming more expensive due to all these factors that are not within our direct control.

 

During this time of uncertainty, what can I do for my business?

It’s time to work with your insurance agent to develop a long term “renewal strategy” and learn how the hard market industry challenges are impacting you.

 

If you have an existing policy and just received your renewal quote and there is an increase, don’t assume it’s just your carrier.

The rising increase in market prices is causing a flood of submissions into underwriting. Their priority is their existing clients and first-time coverage, so the likelihood you can get a quick alternative quote from another agent in a tight time frame is minimal.

 

First Time Insurance Policy Buyer:

If you don’t have an existing policy, and applying for the first time, your agent or broker will send your application to ALL the available markets who write coverage for what you do. This means you get the best deal for the prevailing conditions to start with. In many cases, you may only get 2-3 quotes. This improves over time as you become a known quantity and markets are more inclined to be aggressive on known risks then start-ups. If you are interested in learning more, schedule a free consultation with a specialized WMPG agent today.

 

Policy “Tips & Tricks of the trade” to help you NAVIGATE:
  • Property and Casualty premiums historically go up and down in a cycle. Realize that you are in the upward pricing cycle for the next 18-24 months as the cycle rebounds.
  • Work through the cycle and realize there are only a handful of “surplus lines” companies who will cover what you do.
  • Work with your existing agent to have a renewal strategy. Its always better to stay with one market through the ups and downs, as opposed to shopping it and moving it every year. Over the long run, it will average out and sticking with one carrier builds loyalty when it comes to handling a claim.
  • Understand the nature of the “claims-made” type of policy and the “step rate” pricing. As your agent to explain this to you in detail.
  • Agents can provide “premium financing” that would help spread out the payments, typically 20% down and 10 monthly payments at APR’s @ 10%.

We know these are very difficult times and we are in this together. At WMPG, it’s business as “unusual”. If you have any questions, we are here for you. Contact us by phone, email, or schedule a consult.

Author: Ed Kuhn, Co-founder & Licensed Agent

Categories Insurance, Med Spa, Wellness Centers

3 Steps to Choose the Best Med Spa Insurance

Whether you are thinking about opening a new wellness center, integrative medicine practice or medical spa, or you’ve been practicing for years, it’s imperative to have the best insurance for your practice! And it doesn’t hurt to double check your policy from time to time either.

Often, at the Wellness Medical Protection Group (WMPG), we find medical spa owners or physicians contacting us after realizing their purchased coverage is not sufficient to properly cover the full scope of their operations. Many times, this realization occurs after an uncovered claim.In many circumstances, it can be challenging to assist providers, after a claim has been made against them.

Be Proactive! Your practice longevity and livelihood will thank you for it. Consider the following tips:

 

STEP ONE:

Select the right insurance Agent.

Selecting your liability coverage is equally as important as selecting your agent. It’s like when you are utilizing a real estate agent to sell, rent, or purchase a property. The representative who exercises the best knowledge and skill set in buying and selling homes, will likely be your preferred candidate for the job. This is no different with your insurance.

Integrative Wellness and Medical Spas are highly skilled niche practices and it is important that your agent keep up with the different types of services and products offered in the market.  By understanding your business in depth, they can assist you in obtaining what you’re looking for and help to educate you on what’s happening in your market.

At WMPG, all of our agents are trained, licensed and insured to assist you specifically on your practice.  This is our specialty and we are involved with clients nationwide, this provides us great insight on claim trends.  Get to know our agents & interview us.

We are constantly sharpening our knowledge by regularly are communicating with regulatory agencies, attorneys, insurance carriers, and clients of all sizes in the wellness market. We have put together solutions to continue in supporting the market. Initially, when the market was in its infancy, our founders started with a handful of clients starting out in the industry.  The industry has grown and evolved, and it will continue to do so.

 

STEP TWO:

Dealing with the right carrier for the right reasons.

Select the right insurance agent

Every client we come across is unique in their practice approach, therefore each policy needs to be customized to their coverage needs.  Over the last twenty years, WMPG has contracted with all of the major A rated insurance carriers that provide coverage for the alternative medical market.  We believe it is best to have a more broad selection of coverage options because not every carrier may be right for you.

Let’s go back to our example in Step One, selecting the right agent. Just like selecting the right real estate agent, it is counterproductive to have two agents working for you at the same time.  Not only that, it is difficult to do the job properly because when the first agent you select begins to obtain quotes from the carriers for you (regardless of how many carriers they may or may not have access to), the second agents will get blocked from the market entirely, and they can no longer work to provide you a true assessment of what’s the best quote or even access the most competitive carrier for you.

At WMPG, we have been working with many of these carriers for more than 2 decades with a well-established rapport.  After we receive your application, we are able to assess the best carriers to target for the most competitive quotes providing you the coverage that you need.

 

Things to consider when selecting a Med Spa policy:

1) Am I covered?

Am I covered for cyber security and HIPAA breach?

2) What’s included and what’s excluded?

Are Non-FDA Approved products, compounds or services included or excluded in the coverage or addressed?

3) Coverage for Personnel

Is there coverage for the personnel that are directly or indirectly working with my practice?

4) Legal Defense Coverage

Do I have legal defense coverage for any investigations, board complains, claim filings, or proceedings?

5) Fines and Penalties

Am I covered for regulatory fines and penalties?

6) Supplements and Skin Care Coverage

Are my supplements or skin care products that I provide my patients covered?

7) Renter and Fire Liability Coverage

Is there renter or fire liability coverage in case anything happens to my practice?

 

STEP THREE:

Cover the Basics

Don’t miss the basics! Often you are excited to hurry through the insurance process and might miss one or two required elements for your practice to be FULLY protected.

Make sure you double check property coverage, general liability and any business interruption insurance.  You can plan, project, and work hard towards your goals and your patient goals, but you can’t predict all outcomes.  It’s not worth it. Consider a strong policy as an investment for your practice and livelihood’s longevity.

Get Started
Categories Insurance, Wellness Centers

Premiums Are On The Rise: Why & How Will It Impact Your Practice

WELLNESS CENTER & MED SPA INSURANCE PREMIUMS ARE ON THE RISE: WHY IS THIS HAPPENING & HOW WILL IT IMPACT MY PRACTICE?

You might be a start-up just entering the exciting world of Integrative Medicine or may have several years of experience in the industry with historically no insurance claims made. Unfortunately, the insurance market works by calculating the average, based on the sum of all practices.  In other words, the integrative medicine market receives risk scores based on the average by key categories of their policyholders collectively, rather than the individual practice or policy holder themselves.

 

Six Key Categories Impacting Your Insurance Policy Premium:

1) Years of practice:

The magic number is five years. This is enough time to provide history in the eyes of the insurance carriers for a good standing account.

2) Claims:

How many and how much? One of the most impactful claims rating factor is your claims history. Underwriters heavily consider how many claims you have had during your experience and how impactful they are. Was the claim closed? Was there a large settlement or jury verdict?

3) Service Type Risk:

Services such as Stem Cell Therapy & PRP are impacting the ENTIRE industry and most importantly the providers practicing properly.  There have been many claims and lawsuits filed for these categories, not long after gaining exposure and increased interest in the market. Some insurance carriers are opting to offer significantly increased premiums, offering reduced limits of liability or even excluding coverage for these services all together.

4) Procedure Volume to Personnel Ratio:

High volume of procedures and limited staffing is perceived as a greater risk for potential error that can result in a valid claim.

5) Training & Expertise:

Providers are requiring formal training, certifications, accreditations and education as coverage policy is not only reviewed based on the business practice but the expertise level for the service that is being provided. Investing in the proper education can result in better business practices, mitigating risk and avoiding premium increases. If you would like to receive information on our credible partners offering training & certification courses, connect with us and receive a partner discount.

6) Business & Professional Liability Licensing:

Is your license in good standing or are there any pending or outstanding issues? This category is heavily weighted for the underwriters risk assessment of your practice.

Stem Cell Therapy with WMPG

PREMIUM INCREASES: WMPG CURRENT SNAPSHOT & 2020 OUTLOOK 

At the Wellness Medical Protection Group, we continue to service thousands of providers across the United States for a vast variety of liability coverage for professional services. Here are our observations:

 

SIX WMPG CRITICAL MARKET OBSERVATIONS TO KNOW

1) Increase in Demand

There is an increase in claims for the medical malpractice class overall

2) Increase in Minimum Premiums

Increase in minimum premiums and base rates as companies make business changes and adjustments, especially for certain procedures. There is an overall increase in minimum premiums and base rates for medical malpractice as a whole.

3) A Rise in Renewal Pricing

Average renewal pricing is increasing. These increases are ranging from 20% to 50% depending on the service type

4) The Underwriting Process

Rigid underwriting process with insurance carriers and a decrease in limits of liability for procedures, especially Stem Cell Therapy

5) Exclusions in Coverage for Procedures

Claims coverage exclusions for no evidence of certified procedure training

6) Exclusions in Coverage for Patients

Claims coverage exclusions for no evidence of signed patient consent forms

 

MARKETS LEAVING MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

Many insurance carriers are opting to limit their exposure to medical malpractice by omitting coverage for high risk services.  Others are opting to leave the market altogether. As a result, underwriters for many carriers are taking their time during reviewing each application.  When an application is incomplete, they are putting it in a large incomplete pile that may delay the renewal of the policy.

 

FOUR STEPS TO CONSIDER WITH YOUR INSURANCE APPLICATION

1: Fill out the application in its entirety.

The carriers are heavily focusing on training & expertise for services, personnel to service ratio, the volume of procedures and the total revenue produced from all services. Make sure this information is listed on the application!

2: Be Proactive.

Assess your practice 90 days before your policy is renewed. It’s good to start early so you don’t end up trying to find coverage last minute! Speak to one of our highly-specialized Agents  to successfully assist you in your new application or renewal. We can help guide you through the process and ensure you are getting placed at the top of the compliant stack of applications.

3: Assess your current policy!

Compare it to your practice as it stands today. Your application becomes a part of the policy, this is a great place to look to compare past and present. Let us help you review your current policy and spend five minutes of your time with one of our highly-specialized Agents to run through a few questions. Identify any exposure and  find a solution.

4: Be honest!

Developing a rapport with your insurance carrier as a trustworthy client will make the underwriting process more seamless. Underwriters who identify any findings that are not disclosed, may determine to decline a new insurance policy or renewal.

 

Meet with a WMPG Insurance Agent

MY INSURANCE POLICY PREMIUM IS HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR, NOW WHAT?

Your immediate instinct is to have your WMPG agent shop the policy right away. Our agency is contracted with all of the major A rated surplus line carriers in the market. We have the ability to look at alternative carriers, compare & contrast policy coverage vs. pricing and any exclusions.

 

In some instances, this may not be the way to go! For example, a practice may have been in business for years with a healthy track record and minimal to no claims and they decide to have their WMPG agent switch carriers for them.  Starting over with a new carrier means no premium history.

 

Let’s look at the math:

Assume the medical practice ABC Wellness has been with a carrier for six years and the insurance policy premiums respectively are:

Year One: $11,000

Year Two: $11,250

Year Three: $11,250

Year Four: $11,500

Year Five: $11,750

Year Six: $12,000

Total: $68,750.00

 

With minimal to no claims, the WMPG agent can position a statement of premium credit history to the carrier and remind the underwriter of ABC Wellness track record.

With a new carrier, the historical track record doesn’t exist because the new carrier did not benefit from the premium payments. You may be saving money, but starting over may have its risks.

 

CASE BY CASE, WMPG AGENTS ARE READY:

Our agents are equipped with combined experience of over 30 years, exclusively in integrative medicine, wellness practice, and medical spa surplus line insurance.  We are ready to stand by you and work with you, each step of the way.

In some instances, establishing a new policy or renewing will be very seamless, and immediate changes will be minimal. Regardless, every client is unique in their practice operations. Our agents treat each opportunity, on a case by case basis by considering the following:

1) Assess Your Practice

Assessing your practice and coverage requirements

2) Recommendations

Recommending practice documentation or additional training course recommendations.

3) Investigation and Assessment

Investigating any current policies for coverage types and any exclusions or potential pitfalls.

4) Customize Your Policy

Customizing your practice policy, targeting the top carriers related to your practice services, and acquiring the most competitive quotes for your coverage requirements.

 

Schedule a consult with a WMPG agent and let us worry about all of your insurance needs.  Regardless of what is happening in the market, we understand you and your practice.  We know how busy your days already are and look forward to taking on any of your insurance needs or challenges so you do not have to.

You Deserve Total Practice Coverage

Schedule a Free Insurance Coverage Consultation with a Licensed Agent!

Schedule Consult Now!
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