Insurance commissioner to rule on malpractice insurance rate hike

<br>(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Oklahoma's largest provider of medical malpractice wants State Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher to approve a rate increase for its medical malpractice insurance. <br><br>The

Tuesday, November 18th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Oklahoma's largest provider of medical malpractice wants State Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher to approve a rate increase for its medical malpractice insurance.

The rate increase would nearly double the premium for doctors.

Fisher says he will decide on the 82-point-8 percent hike within 10 days.

Attorney Gordon Amini, with Physicians Liability Insurance Company says the company had to increase its rates because so many claims were being filed against it.

Amini says it is reflective of the lawsuit-happy climate of today's society.

Personal injury attorneys say the lawsuits are being filed because doctors are messing up and the medical profession is not policing itself.

Doctors says the rate increases are more than they can afford and the cost of malpractice insurance could force them to leave the profession.