Cyprus plans to make medical malpractice insurance mandatory for all doctors

Cyprus’s Ministry of Health is proposing mandatory medical malpractice liability insurance for all doctors. The draft regulations have been submitted for public consultation.

The requirement will apply to self-employed and employed doctors, doctor-owned medical companies, as well as specialists working in hospitals and other institutions under a special licence. It will also cover foreign doctors authorised to work in Cyprus and specialists temporarily providing medical services on the island.

However, each doctor will not necessarily have to take out a separate policy. Depending on the form of employment, insurance may be provided by the employer or the medical company.

For a doctor providing services as an individual, the proposed minimum coverage will be €450 000 per claim and in aggregate for the year. For doctor-owned companies, the minimum limit will be €900 000.

In addition, the insurance will have to cover at least €50 000 in legal defence costs above the main coverage amount. The excess per claim may be up to €5 000.

Under the draft, medical malpractice will mean liability for physical or psychological harm, illness or the death of a patient resulting from negligence, an error or an omission in the provision of medical care.

Insurers will not be allowed to completely exclude certain medical conditions from coverage, such as pregnancy complications, hepatitis, AIDS or genetic diseases. It will also not be possible to exclude liability for failure to provide the patient with sufficient information or obtain their consent to medical treatment.

At the same time, the draft provides for specific exclusions, including certain cases of HIV or hepatitis transmission, pandemics, certain emerging diseases, intentional or fraudulent acts, and medical interventions carried out under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The policy will have to be taken out for one year. An additional 30-day period will be provided for notifying insurers of claims.

For doctors who stop practising, the draft provides for insurance coverage for previously incurred liabilities to remain in place for at least two years.

Proposals and comments on the draft can be submitted through the electronic consultation platform until 18 September 2026.