Who We Are

For over 40-years, Physicians Insurance has been a trusted partner, healthcare advocate, and a premier provider for professional liability to the healthcare community.

 

 

Our History

We stake our reputation on protecting yours. 

Physicians Insurance was founded in 1981 under the auspices of the Washington State Medical Association. Physicians believed then, as they do now, that they would get better service and outcomes from a company that they owned. This idea launched our mutual company – and 40 purpose-driven years of protecting, defending, and supporting our Members with excellence and personalized service. 

Since then, other insurance carriers have entered and left the market, but Physicians Insurance A Mutual Company has remained as a stable and committed insurer for physicians, clinics, facilities, and hospitals. The company has cultivated steady growth and built a strong financial base by providing broad policy coverage, claims and risk management expertise, and exceptional customer service, all at competitive rates. 

It’s one thing to offer insurance, and quite another to see it through. In every communication, every expert opinion, every risk assessment, and every claim, all our Members experience the positive impact of our mission on their professional lives. And with over 8,500 Members and an AM Best* rating of A- (Excellent), this experience is now in evidence all over the nation. 

Especially in the most trying times, you want a partner who not only listens, but understands. Who not only understands, but who acts in your best interest. Who not only acts on your behalf, but who gets results for your practice, your healthcare organization, your business, and your life’s work. 

That’s Physicians Insurance.

Board Of Directors

Physicians Insurance A Mutual Company Board of Directors
Physicians Insurance is a mutual insurance company governed by a board of directors elected by the policyholders. Physician representation on the Board is guaranteed by the bylaws, and the company benefits from the expertise of several non-physician directors. Below are the names of the current Board members.

  • Shane Macaulay, MD, Board Chair (Diagnostic Radiology: Bellevue, WA)
  • David Carlson, DO (Family Medicine: Tacoma, WA)
  • William Cotter, President & CEO (Physicians Insurance, Seattle WA)
  • Joseph Deng, MD (Anesthesiology; Portland, OR)
  • Jordana Gaumond, MD (General Surgery: Portland, OR)
  • Gary Goin, MD (Family Medicine: Olympia WA)
  • Jennifer Hanscom, CEO (WA State Medical Association: Seattle, WA)
  • Skip Li, JD (Attorney: Seattle, WA)
  • Ursula Luckert, Clinic CEO (Portland, OR)
  • John Pasqualetto, President, Chairman, and CEO (Seabright Holdings: Seattle, WA)
  • Walter Skowronski, President Boeing Capital Corp. - retired (Kirkland, WA)
Financials

In January 1982, known then as Washington State Physicians Insurance Exchange (WSPIE), the Washington State Medical Association (WSMA), and individual physicians got together and wrote personal checks to provide $2.4 million in loans to start the company. 

Since then, Physicians Insurance has provided more than 40 years of financial strength and support for our Members. We hold an A-(Excellent) rating by AM Best*. Our policyholder surplus is approaching $270 million and in 2022 we generated more than $155 million in premium.

Physicians Insurance is a mutual company that is owned and directed by you, our Member owners. We are grateful for the opportunity to support and protect you, and we hope you see the long-term value of your company's support. There is always one thing you can count on:

Physicians Insurance will be alongside you every step of the way. 
After all, we are your company. 

Downloads:


* A.M. Best’s ratings are on a scale from A++ (superior) down to D (poor), with even lower ratings for companies under regulatory supervision or in liquidation.

Government Relations

Physicians Insurance Participates

Advocacy is crucial to ensuring that the concerns of our members and their patients are heard by lawmakers at both the state and national level. That's why the Government Relations program at Physicians Insurance works in close cooperation with many other organizations that pursue similar goals, and our staff have become trusted and valued sources of information and ideas for legislators, regulators, and others concerned about our issues.

As a result, we are frequently asked to serve on task forces to develop new laws and regulations and to serve on the boards of local and national organizations and coalitions. For instance, our in-house lobbyist Anne Bryant serves as the Chair of the Government Relations Committee for the Medical Professional Liability Association (MPL Association). We are established as a leading advocate for laws that impact health care liability, insurance, and patient safety. In addition, we work to promote civil justice issues from a defense perspective.

As we keep abreast of issues facing our region, our strong advocacy continues nationally and in states in which we provide coverage. We focus on work such as supporting Crisis Standard of Care, the Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act, COVID-19 liability and telemedicine liability protections. We also work to defeat proposals that increase the cap on non-economic damages recoverable in person injury and wrongful death actions in states that have damage caps in effect. In addition, we work closely with state hospital and medical associations and specialty societies in Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

We also recognize the importance of bipartisan support of candidates open to reasonable laws in our areas of emphasis: health care liability reform, insurance, and patient safety. We support efforts to recruit concerned, legislative and judicial candidates who have a balanced and fair approach and who are able and willing to look at all sides of these issues.

Our History
Our History

We stake our reputation on protecting yours. 

Physicians Insurance was founded in 1981 under the auspices of the Washington State Medical Association. Physicians believed then, as they do now, that they would get better service and outcomes from a company that they owned. This idea launched our mutual company – and 40 purpose-driven years of protecting, defending, and supporting our Members with excellence and personalized service. 

Since then, other insurance carriers have entered and left the market, but Physicians Insurance A Mutual Company has remained as a stable and committed insurer for physicians, clinics, facilities, and hospitals. The company has cultivated steady growth and built a strong financial base by providing broad policy coverage, claims and risk management expertise, and exceptional customer service, all at competitive rates. 

It’s one thing to offer insurance, and quite another to see it through. In every communication, every expert opinion, every risk assessment, and every claim, all our Members experience the positive impact of our mission on their professional lives. And with over 8,500 Members and an AM Best* rating of A- (Excellent), this experience is now in evidence all over the nation. 

Especially in the most trying times, you want a partner who not only listens, but understands. Who not only understands, but who acts in your best interest. Who not only acts on your behalf, but who gets results for your practice, your healthcare organization, your business, and your life’s work. 

That’s Physicians Insurance.

Board Of Directors
Board Of Directors

Physicians Insurance A Mutual Company Board of Directors
Physicians Insurance is a mutual insurance company governed by a board of directors elected by the policyholders. Physician representation on the Board is guaranteed by the bylaws, and the company benefits from the expertise of several non-physician directors. Below are the names of the current Board members.

  • Shane Macaulay, MD, Board Chair (Diagnostic Radiology: Bellevue, WA)
  • David Carlson, DO (Family Medicine: Tacoma, WA)
  • William Cotter, President & CEO (Physicians Insurance, Seattle WA)
  • Joseph Deng, MD (Anesthesiology; Portland, OR)
  • Jordana Gaumond, MD (General Surgery: Portland, OR)
  • Gary Goin, MD (Family Medicine: Olympia WA)
  • Jennifer Hanscom, CEO (WA State Medical Association: Seattle, WA)
  • Skip Li, JD (Attorney: Seattle, WA)
  • Ursula Luckert, Clinic CEO (Portland, OR)
  • John Pasqualetto, President, Chairman, and CEO (Seabright Holdings: Seattle, WA)
  • Walter Skowronski, President Boeing Capital Corp. - retired (Kirkland, WA)
Financials
Financials

In January 1982, known then as Washington State Physicians Insurance Exchange (WSPIE), the Washington State Medical Association (WSMA), and individual physicians got together and wrote personal checks to provide $2.4 million in loans to start the company. 

Since then, Physicians Insurance has provided more than 40 years of financial strength and support for our Members. We hold an A-(Excellent) rating by AM Best*. Our policyholder surplus is approaching $270 million and in 2022 we generated more than $155 million in premium.

Physicians Insurance is a mutual company that is owned and directed by you, our Member owners. We are grateful for the opportunity to support and protect you, and we hope you see the long-term value of your company's support. There is always one thing you can count on:

Physicians Insurance will be alongside you every step of the way. 
After all, we are your company. 

Downloads:


* A.M. Best’s ratings are on a scale from A++ (superior) down to D (poor), with even lower ratings for companies under regulatory supervision or in liquidation.

Government Relations
Government Relations

Physicians Insurance Participates

Advocacy is crucial to ensuring that the concerns of our members and their patients are heard by lawmakers at both the state and national level. That's why the Government Relations program at Physicians Insurance works in close cooperation with many other organizations that pursue similar goals, and our staff have become trusted and valued sources of information and ideas for legislators, regulators, and others concerned about our issues.

As a result, we are frequently asked to serve on task forces to develop new laws and regulations and to serve on the boards of local and national organizations and coalitions. For instance, our in-house lobbyist Anne Bryant serves as the Chair of the Government Relations Committee for the Medical Professional Liability Association (MPL Association). We are established as a leading advocate for laws that impact health care liability, insurance, and patient safety. In addition, we work to promote civil justice issues from a defense perspective.

As we keep abreast of issues facing our region, our strong advocacy continues nationally and in states in which we provide coverage. We focus on work such as supporting Crisis Standard of Care, the Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act, COVID-19 liability and telemedicine liability protections. We also work to defeat proposals that increase the cap on non-economic damages recoverable in person injury and wrongful death actions in states that have damage caps in effect. In addition, we work closely with state hospital and medical associations and specialty societies in Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

We also recognize the importance of bipartisan support of candidates open to reasonable laws in our areas of emphasis: health care liability reform, insurance, and patient safety. We support efforts to recruit concerned, legislative and judicial candidates who have a balanced and fair approach and who are able and willing to look at all sides of these issues.

AT A GLANCE

40+

of protecting the healthcare industry

8500+

including providers, clinics, hospitals and more

97.8

%
win rate

over the last decade

95

%
retention rate

of our  loyal member community

Rated A-

(Excellent) by AM Best

 for our financial stability and outlook

$

270 M

policyholder surplus

to support you through the unexpected

Our Purpose and Values

Our purpose is to protect, defend, and support our Members

People-First

We treat everyone with respect and empathy.

  • We never lose sight of what’s most important – being of service to our members, brokers and to each other.
  • We foster meaningful relationships and deliver personalized service.
  • We champion a diverse and inclusive environment where all employees feel a sense of belonging, and are heard, seen and respected.
  • We value wellbeing, work-life harmony, and having fun together.

Expertise

We strive to be the best at what we do.

  • We are passionate about learning, improving, and innovating.
  • We have a deep understanding of our industry and stay ahead of the curve by being curious, active listeners and challenging ourselves.
  • We work to understand and learn from our members, brokers, partners and each other to provide solutions that make a difference.

Commitment

As a mutual company, we are accountable and dedicated to our members and to each other. 

  • We operate for the greater good of all members and are committed to rigorous and careful financial stewardship.
  • We work collaboratively together to find solutions and overcome obstacles, regularly asking, “how can I make a difference?”
  • We keep our promises and act with transparency, accountability and integrity in everything we do