Over the past decade, the number of registered dietitians in the field has risen by 21%. As one of those dietitians, you’ve worked hard to get to where you are and have a passion for it all. Did you know that as a dietitian you also face risk while on the job? It may not seem like there is anything risky about offering dietetics advice, but the truth is that you face a professional liability risk. If you’re not sure what that means, don’t fret!
Insurance Canopy is here today to explain the risks dietitians face and how they can mitigate those risks with dietitian insurance. We’ll tell you all about what dietitian insurance is, how it can help, and why you need it.
Let’s get started.
WHAT IS DIETITIAN INSURANCE?
Dietitian insurance is professional liability insurance. Professional liability insurance is also known as malpractice insurance. This insurance coverage protects you against claims that arise due to negligence in your professional work. Negligence occurs when skill is not used.
As a registered dietitian, you have a lot to lose if you were to ever be sued. Being registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration means you’ve sat for exams and spent countless hours studying and learning all you can about dietetics. Losing that certification could cost you your career. Protecting your profession should be at the top of your priority list and with dietitian insurance you’re insured against negligence claims that you caused.
WHEN WOULD I USE DIETITIAN INSURANCE?
It can be difficult to understand when you would use dietitian insurance–it’s not like you expect anything bad to happen. You might have to think hard about where you could go wrong as a dietitian but you should know that it has happened before.
Here are a couple of examples in which you would want your dietitian insurance to come in:
Say a dietitian is given a diabetic patient to work with and come up with a care plan for. The patient is on a myriad of medications and the dietitian assigns the patient a new diet that actually counters the medications. The patient suffers an injury as a result of the combination. The patient sues you and their medical team as a result.
A dietitian offers advice to a patient without knowing or reading through their entire history. The dietitian prescribes a plan for the patient which actually does more harm than good due to being negligent in understanding the case in its entirety. The patient sues for lasting damage to them.
These examples may be extreme and you might think they’d never happen but you’d be surprised what professional negligence can result in. By carrying dietitian insurance you can avoid worst-case scenarios and be prepared to fight against claims against you.
WHO NEEDS DIETITIAN INSURANCE?
In our book, all registered dietitians need dietitian insurance. Like all licensed professionals, you want to protect what you’ve worked so hard to obtain. If you work as a dietitian at a hospital, clinic, treatment center, or another private facility, you should carry dietitian insurance.
HOW MUCH IS DIETITIAN INSURANCE?
Dietitian insurance from Insurance Canopy costs $204 for a full year of coverage. Insurance Canopy also offers a monthly payment option on our dietitian insurance policy with payments of $17 a month. Our policies are competitively priced and provide you with coverage from A rated carriers.
BUYING DIETITIAN INSURANCE
When you purchase a dietitian insurance policy, you are doing one of the most important and valuable things you can do for yourself as a dietitian. You show you understand the risks involved with being a registered dietitian and that you care for your clients and patients. Insurance Canopy’s dietitian insurance can be purchased online in less than 10 minutes, making it easier than ever to be insured.
