Italian courts stress medical malpractice liability and need for robust professional insurance

Italian jurisprudence has recently reaffirmed that physicians can be held criminally liable for fatal outcomes caused by misdiagnosis or failure to admit a patient. Court rulings define such omissions as manslaughter through professional negligence, requiring a clear causal link between the doctor’s omission and the death.

The cases have drawn attention to the importance of comprehensive professional liability (RC) insurance for doctors. Policies must cover severe fault (Colpa Grave), provide adequate limits, and include retroactive and post‑mortem guarantees to protect physicians’ personal assets from large compensation claims and subsequent subrogation actions by health authorities.

FIMMG Bari emphasizes these requirements in a new insurance offering, partnering with Italiana Assicurazioni to give Italian doctors coverage that meets the legal expectations highlighted by the recent judgments.