Medical Mutual Insurance Company of Maine
A Pioneering Company Borne of Necessity

Physician » About Us » History

In the mid-1970’s, the medical community in Maine, and the country in general, were facing a crisis. The number of professional medical liability lawsuits and the sizes of awards were both escalating. In turn, physicians were experiencing astronomical increases in the rates commercial carriers charged for professional liability insurance. In many cases, both doctors and hospitals were finding it increasingly difficult simply to secure coverage.

The State had attempted a temporary solution with the establishment of a Joint Underwriting Association (JUA) to provide coverage, but the JUA was set to expire by law in 1979. So the Maine Medical Association contracted with a Boston insurance agency to study the feasibility of starting a physician-owned insurance company to serve Maine’s medical community.

The study indicated strong support for the concept and so, led by a pioneering group of physician Incorporators from all corners of the State — a number of whom still practice and serve on the Company’s Board of Directors today — Medical Mutual Insurance Company of Maine began operations on September 1, 1978.

Since then, Medical Mutual has withstood up and down markets, seen numerous carriers enter and leave the region — if not the business altogether — and today is the carrier of choice for more physicians, hospitals and other healthcare providers in Northern New England than any other company.

Most recently, in 2012 Medical Mutual became an Admitted Carrier in Massachusetts to support existing clients who also provide care in the Bay State and to begin serving physicians and hospitals whose culture and values – their approaches to patient care, their focus on quality and their appreciation for risk management initiatives – are in line with the Company's.