Which policy type is generally preferred for broad, ongoing coverage?

• A. Occurrence-based policy
• B. Claims-based policy
• C. Neither
• D. Both

Answer: (A)

In liability insurance for dental practice, when a claim is triggered matters for long-term protection. An occurrence-based policy covers any claim arising from an incident that happened during the policy period, regardless of when the claim is filed. This means you have continuous protection for events that occurred while the policy was active, even if you switch insurers or retire later—the insurer responsible is the one whose policy was in force when the incident occurred. That makes it well suited for broad, ongoing coverage because there’s no need to worry about tail coverage or gaps if a claim is filed years after the incident or after changing jobs. A claims-made policy, by contrast, requires the claim to be reported while the policy is in effect, so switching policies or ending practice creates a potential coverage gap unless you purchase and maintain tail coverage. Because the goal here is broad, enduring protection, the occurrence-based option is the best fit.