An extended reporting endorsement (also known as a Tail policy) is customarily purchased when a physician or surgeon terminates a claims-made medical malpractice insurance policy for any reason. It is purchased from the medical malpractice insurance carrier that provided the most recent coverage. The tail policy allows the physician or surgeon to continue reporting claims for work done while the physician or surgeon was insured under the policy. In most cases, the physician and surgeon tail policy is provided at no charge in the event of death, disability, or retirement from the practice of medicine. For example, if the physician or surgeon had a claims-made policy in effect in 2010, but canceled it in 2011, and subsequently, in 2012 a claim is made against the physician or surgeon for an incident that occurred in 2010, the physician or surgeon would be protected for this claim if a tail policy was in effect.
