Malpractice Premiums Jump

But Study Says Amount Paid In Claims By Insurers Did Not

(AP) 
"We know it takes on average 4 1/2 years from when an accident happens until a claim is paid," Smarr said. "Comparing the premiums collected today with the claims that were incurred as long as 10 years ago is a totally inappropriate comparison."

Agnoff dismissed that argument, saying that projected costs for claims have also decreased.

Consumer advocates and some public officials said the study has the potential to recast the often bitter debate about who is responsible for rising malpractice rates: doctors, trial lawyers or the industry.

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal called on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to review the study, and suggest legislation.

Connecticut's legislature passed a bill this year that would require the state's insurance commissioner to approve most rate increase requests. That bill awaits the governor's signature.

Other measures, such as providing refunds to doctors who have been overcharged, and allowing surpluses to be considered when setting rates should also be considered, Blumenthal said.

"Clearly the numbers underscore the need for much tougher and much more aggressive oversight to prevent and punish profiteering," he said.

Susan Cogswell, the state's insurance commissioner, said officials hadn't gone through all of the report, but said it provided a "distinct, different" look at the market. There were once 19 malpractice insurers writing policies in Connecticut and now there are three, she said.

"All I can say is the information that's coming out of the report certainly is not consistent with what we've been seeing in the marketplace," she said.