What is the primary function of malpractice insurance?

The primary function of malpractice insurance is to cover physician liability for patient injuries. This type of insurance is specifically designed to protect healthcare professionals from the financial repercussions of claims made by patients who allege that they have been harmed due to errors or omissions in the provision of their medical services.

Malpractice insurance helps to ensure that physicians can afford to defend themselves against lawsuits and cover any settlements or judgments that may arise. This is particularly important in the healthcare sector, where the potential for litigation is significant due to the nature of the services provided and the high stakes involved in patient care. By having malpractice insurance, physicians can practice with a level of financial security, which is essential for their professional peace of mind.

Other choices do address insurance concepts but are not relevant to the specific context of malpractice: workplace injuries pertain more to workers' compensation, financial fraud claims relate to professional liability in financial contexts, and coverage for property against natural disasters falls under property insurance, not malpractice. Each of these serves different purposes not related to the liability of medical practitioners for patient care.