Why would an insurance carrier include personality assessment tests as a condition of policy renewal?

There are many things that contribute to lawsuits being filed against physicians, but there have been several studies in recent years that connect personality with lawsuits.

Researchers who have studies physician personality traits expect to see more insurers turn to personality assessment testing in this current tough medical liability market. At least one liability insurer is now asking doctors to complete a three-page communication skills assessment as a condition of policy renewal. Tranquil,” “meticulous,” “sympathetic,” “opinionated,” “devoted,” “agreeable,” “tense” and “perfectionist” are among the 81 word choices physicians contemplate when asked to describe how other people would describe them. Next, physicians are asked to check the words that they would use to describe themselves. Several studies in recent years connect communication and personality with lawsuits. The physician liability insurance market is a hard one, and companies are trying to get a handle on risk assessment.