Which is cheaper claims-made or occurrence?

Asked by: Mr. Geoffrey Tromp  |  Last update: September 17, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (35 votes)

An occurrence policy provides coverage for incidents that happen during your policy period, regardless of when you file a claim. These policies can be more expensive than a claims-made policy because of how long coverage applies.

Is per claim or per occurrence better?

Typically for the first five years of coverage, claims made policies tend to be less expensive than occurrence policies. But keep in mind that as your business faces more exposures, your premiums will increase; usually, after five years, the cost of a claims-made policy begins to even out with occurrence policies.

What is the difference between claims occurrence and claims made?

A claims-made policy only covers those that occur and are reported within the policy's timeframe, unless tail coverage is also purchased. An occurrence policy provides lifetime coverage for incidents that take place during a policy period, regardless of when the claim is reported.

Which malpractice is better, claims made or occurrence?

Occurrence policies provide the best protection and, though somewhat more expensive than claims made policies, offer long-term peace of mind. Unfortunately, they are becoming increasingly hard to find.

What is the main difference between the occurrence form and the claims made form of the commercial general liability policy?

Essentially, for a claim to be considered for coverage, an occurrence-based policy needs to be active when the act or incident occurs; claims made policies have to be active when the claim is made.

Occurrence vs. Claims-Made Case Studies (Real Life Examples)

24 related questions found

What is the difference between occurrence and claims-made cost?

What is the difference in cost between a claims-made policy and an occurrence policy? The claims-made policy costs at least 35% less when you compare the cost of buying a claims-made policy and the unlimited tail against having occurrence coverage for the same period.

What is a per occurrence deductible?

A per-occurrence deductible means you're responsible for paying a predetermined deductible each time you file an insurance claim.

Can you go from claims made to occurrence?

Keep in mind that as soon as you buy a Claims-Made insurance policy the clock starts ticking for that tail insurance. If you only carry the Claims-Made policy for 1 year and then want to switch to Occurrence, you can do so – but you have to buy tail for that 1 year that you carried the Claims-Made policy.

What is the hardest element to prove in a medical malpractice case?

Often, the hardest thing to prove is the breach of duty (what solicitors term as causation), yet it is the pivotal part of the lawsuit.

Who pays the highest malpractice insurance?

Malpractice insurance costs work out to about 3.2% of most physicians' incomes. And while malpractice insurance can be a hefty monthly bill for surgeons, obstetricians tend to pay the highest rates of all.

What is the first thing an insurer must investigate before taking on a claim?

Insurance companies must search for and consider evidence that supports coverage for the claim. Thus, insurance companies cannot close their eyes to evidence that supports coverage and focus solely on the evidence that denies coverage. Too narrow a focus of investigation?

Does malpractice insurance cover negligence?

Medical malpractice insurance is a type of professional liability insurance that covers healthcare professionals against claims of injury and medical negligence.

What does 3 million aggregate mean?

If you have per-claim insurance, the aggregate limit will never reset. If you choose a $3 million aggregate limit when you purchase your insurance, that is your limit for the duration of the policy. As soon as you hit your aggregate limit, you're no longer covered until you increase the limit.

How many claims is too many?

Officially, there is no set limit to the number of claims you can file. However, it's important to understand that frequent claims can have long-term effects on your policy. Insurers may view a history of multiple claims as an increased risk, which can influence your policy renewal and premium rates.

What is the average in insurance claims?

The average clause is a way of insurers paying out less than they need to if a policyholder is paying less than the premium they should be because they have inadequate cover. Insurers apply the average clause and only payout a proportionate amount for what you are claiming based on how much you are underinsured by.

Does Next Insurance pay claims?

Filing a claim with NEXT insurance can be quick and easy. Once you've gathered all the available information, you just need to enter it online to open your claim. Your dedicated claims advocate will then contact you within one business day after you report your claim.

What is the hardest thing to prove in court?

Of those four components, causation is often the hardest element to prove in court.

What are the 4 things that must be proven to win a medical malpractice suit?

What Are the Four Elements of Medical Malpractice?
  • Duty: The duty of care owed to patients.
  • Dereliction: Or breach of this duty of care.
  • Direct cause: Establishing that the breach caused injury to a patient.
  • Damages: The economic and noneconomic losses suffered by the patient as a result of their injury or illness.

What is the most common malpractice claim?

Multiple studies have concluded that misdiagnosis is the most common cause of malpractice claims. Misdiagnosis includes failure to diagnose a medical problem that exists or making a diagnosis that is incorrect.

Why is occurrence better than claims made?

A claims-made policy only covers incidents that happen and are reported within the policy's timeframe, unless a "tail" is purchased. An occurrence policy has lifetime coverage for the incidents that occur during a policy period, regardless of when the claim is reported.

How long do claims stay on your record?

In California, accidents typically stay on your driving record for a period of three years from the date of the accident. During this time, the accident will be considered a public record and, therefore, accessible by insurance companies, potential employers, and law enforcement agencies.

What counts as an occurrence?

An occurrence is an unscheduled absence or late arrival (Not protected by FMLA, WC, etc.). For example, arriving 30 minutes late would count as an occurrence and calling in to use sick leave, vacation, or comp time for a day would be an occurrence.

Do I have to pay a deductible for a doctor visit?

For example, if you get services during an office visit from an in-network provider and your health plan's allowed amount for an office visit is $100, you'll pay $100 for that visit if you haven't met your deductible, and the visit is subject to the deductible.

What is the $500 per occurrence?

A per occurrence deductible is like most auto or homeowners insurance you might be familiar with; you pay the $500, and that's the max you'll pay when something happens. But if your deductible is per claim, that means a separate deductible gets applied to every claim filed in a single occurrence.

Is occurrence or claims-made more expensive?

From a pricing viewpoint, occurrence policies are more expensive than comparable claims-made policies because they provide coverage for incidents that occurred during the policy year regardless of when the claim is reported.