In a white paper published Aug. 12, Coverys, a medical liability insurance provider, analyzed the average malpractice insurance payout for common diagnostic errors made in office-based practices.
The white paper analyzes over five years of closed medical malpractice claims, totaling 6,009 events from 2020 to 2024. Cancer misdiagnosis accounted for nearly 45% of events.
Here’s a breakdown of the average malpractice insurance payout for the four most common diagnostic errors, according to the white paper:
1. Prostate cancer
- Average payment: $749,000
2. Lung cancer
- Average payment: $555,000
3. Breast cancer
- Average payment: $698,000
4. Colorectal cancer
- Average payment: $750,000
