--- title: "SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES: 4 REASONS THESE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR AGENTS NOW" description: Skilled nursing facilities make excellent new business opportunities for retail agents focused on medical professional liability insurance. image: https://www.ethosinsurance.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/SNFs-4-Reasons-for-Opportunity.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/long-term-care-facilities-4-reasons-skilled-nursing-facilities-are-great-opportunities-for-agents#maincontent) [«  View All Posts](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog) [ Research & Analysis ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/topic/research-analysis) # SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES: 4 REASONS THESE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR AGENTS NOW September 16th, 2015 | 3 min. read By [Jonathan Waterman](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/author/jonathan-waterman) ![](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/SNFs-4-Reasons-for-Opportunity.jpg) ***This is Part 3 of a 3-Part series of posts that explore Professional Liability for Long Term Care Facilities. *** - ***Click here for [Part 1: Long Term Care Facilities: Services, Types of Care, and Important Statistics. ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/long-term-care-facilities-services-types-of-care-and-important-statistics-2025)*** - ***Click here for [Part 2: Long Term Care Facilities: Trends in Medical Professional Liability Insurance](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/long-term-care-facilities-trends-in-medical-professional-liability-insurance).*** In my last two articles about long-term care facilities, [Trends in Medical Professional Liability Insurance](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/long-term-care-facilities-trends-in-medical-professional-liability-insurance) and [Services, Types of Care & Statistics](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/long-term-care-facilities-services-types-of-care-statistics), I detailed the services, care and trends that affect how a long-term care facility buys Medical Professional Liability (MPL) insurance. In this final article in the series, *I’m turning my focus to just Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs), because I believe this class makes for excellent opportunities for agents who already have a focus on Medical Professional Liability Insurance*. There are a lot of good reasons for healthcare-focused retail agents to specialize in placing PL insurance for SNFs. ***The following are the 4 most important reasons SNFs are great opportunities now:*** 1. **Similar to hospital risks** A nursing home’s high level of care means that the insurability of a SNF mirrors that of a hospital.  Where patient medical needs reach higher levels of acuity, there’s a greater potential for claims alleging negligent nursing care leading to patient deaths and severe injury.  As a result, nursing protocols and risk management guidelines in both types of facilities are also similar.  So, ***if a retail agent is already familiar with hospital risks and insurability, then working on skilled nursing risks should be a natural fit.*** 1. **Opportunity for specialization** SNFs are highly specialized medical care facilities.  That means they need to be underwritten by people who have actually stepped foot inside a number of them and clearly understand the operations they write.  There are relatively few of these underwriters around.  In the last 10 years, there has been plenty of carrier interest in writing PL for assisted living centers and other less volatile types of long-term care facilities.  However, very few of those carriers would also consider the more complex and risky nature of SNFs.  ***Specialized risks and relatively few carrier options provide an opportunity for specialization on the brokerage side.*** 1. **Bigger commissions** The volatile nature of SNF risks that stems from the significant exposure associated with treating elderly patients with high acuity needs means that premiums for these facilities tend to be higher than other types of medical facility accounts.  This means ***greater commission income for those agents that take the time to pursue these operations.*** 1. **Impending turn in the MPL market** Our team here at Ethos has written several articles this year about the impending change that the MPL market is expecting.  In my March 2015 article, [Predicting the Future of the MPL Market](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/predicting-the-future-of-the-mpl-market), I also specifically mentioned the current state of the long-term care marketplace. Suffice it to say that there is widespread belief within the medical malpractice arena that the soft-market cycle of the last 12 years is due for a correction.  That usually means that prices will go up while coverage options become more limited.  Complex risks, like SNFs, are usually hit hardest because they are already underwritten within a smaller, more specialized group of underwriters and carriers, regardless of market cycle.  So, retail agents who place medical professional liability for SNFs now need to prepare for a firming in the market.  When that happens premiums will increase and business will move.  ***When business moves there is opportunity for retail agents to pick up new clients.*** It’s important to keep in mind that professional liability insurance for skilled nursing facilities is what we often call “medical malpractice insurance” or medical professional liability insurance.  As most agents know, this is a volatile line of coverage that requires a high degree of expertise in order to get the job done right, while limiting your own E&O exposure.  ***Is it time you became more of med-mal specialist for SNF accounts?*** **If you need help becoming an MPL specialist for skilled nursing facilities, feel free to [contact us](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/contact-us).  We’ll be glad to help!** [ Jonathan Waterman ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/author/jonathan-waterman) Jonathan, the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Ethos since its inception in 2004, has had a distinguished insurance career dating back to 1992. Beginning as an underwriter specializing in medical liability insurance for PHICO Group, he progressed to roles with Frontier Insurance Group and National Specialty Underwriters, Inc., before co-founding Ethos in 2004. Jonathan's background as a med-mal underwriter and in the wholesale market uniquely positions him to drive operational excellence at Ethos, utilizing his expertise in identifying data patterns. He has contributed to industry dialogue through his blog articles and participation as a panelist at events such as PLUS. Beyond his professional pursuits, Jonathan finds joy in family, a wide range of hobbies including music and sports. Connect: [mailto:jwaterman@ethosinsurance.com](mailto:jwaterman@ethosinsurance.com) Don't forget to share this post: ## Related Articles [### The Emerging Market for Medical Psilocybin in the United States May 6th, 2026|15 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/the-emerging-market-for-medical-psilocybin-in-the-united-states) [### Management Services Organizations (MSOs): What Retail Insurance Agents Need to Know and Why It Matters February 12th, 2026|15 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/management-services-organizations-msos-what-retail-insurance-agents-need-to-know-and-why-it-matters) [### The New Landscape: Ketamine and TMS Treatment in the U.S. Market December 2nd, 2025|7 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/ketamine-and-tms-treatment-in-the-u.s.-market) [### Long Term Care Facilities: Services, Types of Care, and Important Statistics July 21st, 2025|7 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/long-term-care-facilities-services-types-of-care-and-important-statistics-2025) [### HPL: What About Those Independently Contracted Mid-Level Providers??? June 13th, 2024|4 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/hpl-what-about-those-independently-contracted-mid-level-providers) [### California’s New MICRA Will Negatively Impact Med-Mal Premiums June 26th, 2022|9 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/californias-micra-modifications-likely-to-negatively-impact-medical-malpractice-premiums-and-availability) [### In Focus: Urgent Care January 18th, 2022|3 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/in-focus-urgent-care) [### Non-Standard Physicians – A Look Back, A Look Forward June 4th, 2021|3 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/non-standard-physicians) [### Healthcare Consultants – A Challenging Professional Liability Placement April 26th, 2021|3 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/challenging-professional-liability) [### Actuarial Obstacle to Claims-Made Premium Reductions April 20th, 2020|4 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/actuarial-obstacle-to-claims-made-premium-reductions) [### Claims-Made Step Factors 101 November 29th, 2018|4 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/claims-made-step-factors-101) [### Billing E&O Insurance: 3 Healthcare Segments That Need It January 24th, 2017|3 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/billing-eo-insurance-three-healthcare-segments-that-need-it) [### Regulatory & Billing E&O Exposure: Real Claim Scenarios July 21st, 2016|5 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/regulatory-billing-eo-exposure-real-claim-scenarios) [### Additional (Named) Insureds: Unraveling the Confusion June 15th, 2016|5 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/additional-named-insureds-unraveling-the-confusion) [### Surplus Lines Insurance: Understanding Taxes and Stamps February 23rd, 2016|3 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/surplus-lines-insurance-understanding-taxes-and-stamps) [### TAIL COVERAGE FOR PHYSICIANS: Increasing Marketplace Capability January 21st, 2016|2 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/tail-coverage-for-physicians-increasing-marketplace-capability) [### Peeling Back the layers: What makes a clinic a clinic? December 17th, 2015|2 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/peeling-back-the-layers-what-makes-a-clinic-a-clinic) [### AMBULATORY SURGERY CENTERS (ASCs): 5 MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY TRENDS IN 2015 October 15th, 2015|3 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/ambulatory-surgery-centers-ascs-5-medical-professional-liability-trends-in-2015) [### MEDICAL DIRECTOR COVERAGE: 3 MAIN TYPES OF EXPOSURE September 16th, 2015|2 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/medical-director-coverage-3-main-types-of-exposure) [### TELEMEDICINE: THE 4 RATING COMPONENTS August 19th, 2015|2 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/telemedicine-the-4-rating-components) [### LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES: TRENDS IN MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE July 16th, 2015|3 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/long-term-care-facilities-trends-in-medical-professional-liability-insurance) [### LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES: SERVICES, TYPES OF CARE, & STATISTICS [Archived] June 24th, 2015|5 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/long-term-care-facilities-services-types-of-care-statistics) [### MEDICAL MALPRACTICE MARKET CYCLE VARIABLES: 5 TO KEEP YOUR EYE ON June 24th, 2015|4 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/medical-malpractice-market-cycle-variables-5-to-keep-your-eye-on) [### TELEMEDICINE: 5 COVERAGE CONCERNS May 20th, 2015|3 min read ](https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/telemedicine-5-coverage-concerns) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Jonathan Waterman", "url" : "https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/author/jonathan-waterman" }, "dateModified" : "2025-07-21T21:31:50.256Z", "datePublished" : "2015-09-16T17:01:17.000Z", "headline" : "SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES: 4 REASONS THESE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR AGENTS NOW", "image" : [ "https://www.ethosinsurance.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/SNFs-4-Reasons-for-Opportunity.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.ethosinsurance.com/blog/long-term-care-facilities-4-reasons-skilled-nursing-facilities-are-great-opportunities-for-agents", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.ethosinsurance.com/hubfs/Ethos-Anniversary-Logo_500px-Landscape-Gold-01-2.png" }, "name" : "Ethos Insurance Partners, Inc." } } ```