January 2006

CBS continues to drop rates

Seven states see premiums decrease an average of 15%

Doctors of chiropractic in seven states who are insured through the Chiropractic Benefit Services (CBS) program will see their malpractice premiums drop an average of 15%, according to company president Timothy Feuling. The rate change is the latest in a series of reductions in premiums offered by CBS, which is experiencing what Feuling called "explosive growth."

The changes will affect "Class 2" doctors in Calif., Fla., Ga., Iowa, Minn., Mo., and Ore. and will take effect at the time of renewal once the rate change is filed with the state insurance agencies. Doctors not yet insured through the CBS program will be offered the new, lower rates as soon as the changes are approved by the states. Class 2 covers those doctors who utilize electrical modalities in their practices.

"CBS is committed to providing doctors of chiropractic with the best coverage available at the lowest cost possible," Feuling stated. "While other companies are raising their rates, we are leveraging our position in the market to bring premiums down without sacrificing the protection all DCs need."

He emphasized that even when CBS drops its rates, the coverage remains the same.

"Often, we've seen companies drop their rates by imposing deductibles or adding exclusions. That's not the case with CBS RPG. The rates are going down but the policies still offer the best protection available today, backed by one of the most secure underwriters in the industry."

The unique combination of competitive rates, top notch coverage, and a proven commitment to supporting the chiropractic community has made CBS one of the most successful and respected companies in the profession. It has been endorsed and used by many chiropractic leaders including Drs. Christopher Kent, Patrick Gentempo, Ben Lerner, Jay Holder, Jon Baker, David Singer, CJ Mertz, Dennis Nikitow, Peter Fernandez, Ed Plentz, Kevin Pallis, Tony Palermo, Eric Plasker, and others.

One reason for the popularity of the program is stability. Policies are underwritten by CNA Casualty Insurance Company ‑‑ the country's fourth largest commercial insurance writer, the 11th largest property and casualty company and the 51st largest life insurance company ‑‑ with an AM Best 'A' rating and more than $60 billion in assets. Too many doctors have been burned in recent years by insurance companies that suddenly went out of business or discontinued malpractice policies. Other companies have been downgraded or weakened by industry changes. The stability of a company like CNA has allowed doctors to have complete confidence in their malpractice coverage.

In addition, CBS offers a number of key elements not found in other policies, such as a consent‑to‑settle clause, giving doctors the right to decide whether or not to settle a case out of court. Without this important clause, an insurance company could force the doctor to settle a case even if there was no wrongdoing on the doctor's part.

Policies offered through CBS also provide defense for sexual misconduct complaints, which are among the most common types of malpractice cases brought against doctors. Many professional liability policies do not offer that coverage, leaving doctors to fight such complaints on their own.

Another important feature of the policy is $30,000 coverage for professional board dispute defense. Many legal experts warn that board complaints can be worse than lawsuits, since doctors have few or no legal rights. A good attorney has become essential whenever a doctor is the subject of a board complaint, and few policies provide coverage to pay for that defense. Other coverage offered by the CBS RPG program is $10,000 in HIPAA defense.

"Just as important as the size of the premium," Feuling noted, "is the number of exclusions. Some policies are filled with exclusions, including claims filed by patients who have been sent to collections, certain pregnant women and infants, as well as employees who receive adjustments as a benefit of employment.

For many doctors, there are other less obvious reasons to obtain coverage through CBS RPG. Some choose CBS RPG because they prefer to support a company owned and run by a chiropractic family and catering exclusively to chiropractors. They also approve of CBS RPG's policy of providing substantial financial support of various organizations and efforts focusing on subluxation‑based research, political action and advocacy, and public education.

According to Joni Lorraine Siekawitch, DC, "As a new practitioner, I wanted to make sure the malpractice insurance that I purchased supported my values and philosophy, in other words, supported subluxation‑based chiropractic. The CBS RPG Malpractice Insurance Program does all of that and the service is great."

"Everything in your life must be congruent with your values," agreed CBS RPG members Drs. Daniel & Richelle Knowles. "We go the extra mile in educating our practice members about the services we provide and defining the doctor patient relationship through our terms of acceptance and informed consent document. To be insured by a company that knows that by taking that step you have lowered your malpractice risk only makes common sense. If you are insured by a company that sees otherwise you are only funding your own destruction."

The other "intangible" that has won CBS RPG tremendous support through the years is its emphasis on personal service. Doctors who call CBS RPG are able to speak directly to a representative who understands chiropractic needs, often to Feuling himself.

"I am really impressed with the personal service I received as a new member," remarked Lydia Dever, DC. "And the courtesy and thoughtfulness of all the staff members in helping me pick out the right policy for me. That was really important to me as a new doctor."

CBS RPG puts an equal emphasis on education, using its website to provide practical information to all DCs about the best way to avoid or defend against malpractice suits. "Our goal is to protect doctors by teaching them to bullet proof their practices, and giving them the best possible coverage and service," Feuling stated.

Doctors wanting more information can contact Timothy Feuling at 800‑883‑0412 or by e‑mail at feuling@cbsmalpractice.com. To obtain a free "quick quote" from CBS RPG, visit the CBS RPG website at www.cbsmalpractice.com. The website also provides additional information and advice on a variety of risk management topics.