Connecticut (CT)
Medical Professional Liability Insurance in Connecticut
Connecticut requires a written opinion letter from a similar healthcare provider attached to a certificate of good faith before a malpractice suit can proceed, and the state imposes no cap on compensatory damages. The Connecticut Medical Examining Board, not the trial court, handles licensure discipline.
Connecticut at a glance
- Presuit requirement
- Opinion letter and certificate of good faith attached to the complaint
- Damages-cap posture
- No statutory cap on compensatory damages
- Filing extension
- Ninety-day extension available from the court clerk
- Licensing board
- Connecticut Medical Examining Board
Conn. Gen. Stat. §52-190a; a deficient letter can result in dismissal — confirm current standard with counsel.
Connecticut has not adopted a noneconomic damages ceiling for medical negligence claims.
Used to complete the reasonable-inquiry and opinion-letter process before the limitations period runs.
Operates under the Department of Public Health, separate from civil litigation.
The certificate of good faith and opinion letter come before the complaint
Connecticut General Statutes §52-190a requires a plaintiff's attorney to conduct a reasonable inquiry and attach a written opinion from a similar health care provider, along with a certificate of good faith, to the complaint itself rather than filing it later. Courts have dismissed suits for a deficient or missing opinion letter, and a defendant who successfully challenges the letter can end the case before discovery even opens, which is a distinctive early-stage defense lever in this state.
No damages cap for the Hartford-New Haven medical corridor
Connecticut has not enacted a cap on compensatory or noneconomic damages in medical negligence actions, so verdict exposure for the hospital systems and research institutions clustered around Hartford and New Haven is not bounded by statute. That makes limits adequacy and umbrella placement a recurring conversation for larger practice groups and health systems.
A ninety-day extension can push out the filing date
Connecticut's general personal-injury limitations period is short, but a plaintiff's attorney may request a ninety-day automatic extension from the clerk before the deadline runs, specifically to complete the reasonable-inquiry and opinion-letter process required under §52-190a. Insureds should not assume a claim is time-barred simply because the base period has passed without checking whether this extension was invoked.
Licensure discipline runs through the medical examining board
The Connecticut Medical Examining Board, operating under the Department of Public Health, investigates complaints and disciplines physicians independently of any civil verdict. A malpractice carrier's defense obligation is usually confined to the civil suit, so practices facing board scrutiny should confirm whether separate licensure-defense coverage applies.
Who we write this for in Connecticut
Medical malpractice FAQs for Connecticut
Medical liability law changes frequently through legislation and court rulings. Confirm current limits, deadlines, and requirements with a licensed agent or counsel before relying on them.
General guidance, not legal advice. Connecticut requirements change and apply differently by entity type, class code and contract. Confirm current rules with the Connecticut Insurance Department or talk with a licensed US Professional Insure agent.
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