Evaluating the Knowledge and Awareness of Professional Indemnity Insurance among Medical Doctors in Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) is an important cover for health professionals against the risks of legal and financial consequences of medical malpractice lawsuits. Nigerian medical doctors are still not adequately informed about it. This cross-sectional study evaluated PII knowledge and awareness among 300 registered physicians across different settings in Nigeria, including urban tertiary hospitals, rural clinics, and private practice.

Methodology: A self-validated questionnaire collected socio-demographic data, medical specialties, and the extent of PII knowle1dge. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Outcomes revealed that merely 32% of participants possessed sufficient knowledge about the purpose and scope of PII. Knowledge was significantly correlated with years of experience (p=0.03), with senior physicians exhibiting higher awareness, as well as practice setting (p=0.04), with doctors working in urban tertiary institutions performing better than those practising in rural clinics.

Results: In particular, 45% of urban tertiary hospital physicians expressed familiarity with PII, compared with 22% of rural clinic physicians, presumably due to greater access to professional resources. These disparities indicate a large gap in PII awareness, particularly in the countryside.

Conclusions: To address this, the integration of medico-legal modules into medical training, as implemented in South Africa, would enhance knowledge among newly qualified doctors. Targeted education interventions, such as workshops and continuing medical education courses in diverse practice settings, would be required to bridge the gap. This would empower Nigerian doctors with the knowledge needed to access PII and hence better protect themselves and patients.