New Mexico

New Mexico Medical Malpractice Basics

• 1 malpractice insurance company insures over 50% of the market.
• 76 professional liability companies licensed in the state – many do not offer coverage at this time.
• Number of Physicians: 5,075

Tort Reform

Since 1996, New Mexico law places a limit of $600,000 on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases. There is no cap on economic damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, etc. The state established a patient compensation fund in 1976, which physicians must pay in to and limits each defendant’s liability to $200,000. Insurance carriers collect the surcharges for the fund and premiums for the underlying insurance. Any damages awarded over the $200,000 limit are paid from the fund. In addition, there is a requirement that any malpractice claim must first be reviewed by the medical review commission.

Statute of Limitations

In New Mexico, a patient has 3 years from the date of a medical incident to file a medical malpractice claim. In the case of children under 6 years old, the limit expires when the child turns 9 years old.

Liability Limits

Physicians are only required to carry liability limits of $200,000 per occurrence, because the patient compensation fund covers anything over this limit. However, many New Mexico physicians carry a higher liability limit, because the fund does not cover punitive damages. 

Carriers

New Mexico has many companies licensed in the state to sell medical professional liability insurance, but the market is dominated by one large carrier. The good news is that there are options available at competitive rates if physicians are willing to explore the market. In recent years, several national, A-Rated companies have begun offering coverage in New Mexico.

Summary of the New Mexico Medical Malpractice Insurance Market

The state has had a history of challenges in the medical malpractice insurance market. In the 1970s and again in the 1990s, legislators reacted to those challenges with reforms that have helped to stabilize the market. Both the damage cap and the patient compensation fund have helped to limit the liabilities of physicians, but the insurance premiums are still not as low as many other states. In the past decade, New Mexico has seen an increase in the number of affordable options for medical malpractice insurance, which may lead to more competition and pressure to lower rates.

External Links & Resources for New Mexico Doctors

• New Mexico Medical Society (NMMS)
• Medical Associates of Northern New Mexico (MANNM)
• Greater Albuquerque Medical Association (GAMA)
• New Mexico Medical Review Association (NMMRA)
• New Mexico Osteopathic Medical Association
• New Mexico Hospital Association (NMHA)
• New Mexico Hispanic Medical Association (NMHMA)

Top Medical Malpractice Insurance Providers in New Mexico – Call eQuoteMD Today

Want to learn more about medical malpractice insurance policies in your state? Call our main office in St. Louis, Missouri, at (855) 823-5283 for all your questions about malpractice policies in New Mexico. Get your free quote today!