MEDICAL MALPRACTICE INSURANCE Medical malpractice insurance covers doctors and other

							MEDICAL MALPRACTICE INSURANCE

Medical malpractice insurance covers doctors and other professionals in the medical field for liability
claims arising from their treatment of patients.

                            MEDICAL MALPRACTICE INSURANCE, 1999-2005

                                                        Annual
                                Net premiums            percent         Combined      Annual point
                     Year      written (1) ($000)       change           ratio (2)      change
                     1999               $5,181,729           3.10%            128.6             NA
                     2000                5,726,696             10.5           127.9        -0.7 pts.
                     2001                6,256,399                9.2         150.4            22.4
                     2002                7,440,970             18.9           138.0           -12.4
                     2003                8,753,854             17.6           138.8             0.8
                     2004                9,124,240                4.2         108.6           -30.2
                     2005                9,735,721                6.7         100.1             -8.6
                     (1) After reinsurance transactions, excluding state funds.
                     (2) After dividends to policyholders. A drop in the combined ratio represents
                     an improvement; an increase represents a deterioration. See also Glossary.


                     NA=Data not available.


                     Source: NAIC Annual Statement Database, via National Underwriter
                     Insurance Data Services/Highline Data.