Stay prepared: When young optometrists should apply for malpractice insurance

March 17, 2026

The best time to apply for malpractice insurance depends on your personal circumstances.

Key Takeaways

AOA members who are in their first or second year of practice are also eligible for discounts with AOAExcel®’s endorsed malpractice insurance provider, Lockton Affinity.
If a doctor’s residency program does require them to obtain their own malpractice insurance, they will need to apply for coverage according to the program’s guidelines. In this scenario, the residency will be considered the doctor’s first year of practice, and they will be eligible to receive Lockton Affinity’s first-year discount when purchasing the malpractice insurance required by their residency program.

AOA members can take advantage of AOAExcel’s ‘Remind Me Later’ tool to schedule a reminder to review their malpractice insurance policies prior to the dates of expiration.