Federal veterinarians are critical in ensuring the Nation's food safety and animal/livestock health through innumerable food safety initiatives, FSIS, APHIS, Department of Homeland Security, CDC, and FDA guidelines and programs, various animal health programs, etc. Most federal veterinarians also have the dual role of a manager, supervisor or officer within their respective agency.

Professional Liability is recommended by The National Association of Federal Veterinarians (NAFV) because a decision, action, or inaction on your part could lead to investigations, proposed disciplinary actions and even civil actions where securing personal counsel is necessary. The NAFV exclusively endorses FEDS Professional Liability Program.

Under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), federal veterinarians have financial protection from most common malpractice lawsuits. The FTCA does not, however, provide immunity for personal capacity lawsuits or constitutional torts. Civil protections are just one of the reasons Professional Liability Insurance is necessary for federal veterinarians. For some - specifically those that are subject to evaluation and scrutiny by the public, special interest groups, OIG, OSC, GAO, Congress and other agency officials - PLI is necessary primarily for the administrative benefits. Common allegations of misconduct and negligent performance include:

• a failure to ensure that meat and poultry products are safe, and/or accurately labeled;
• an oversight or error in making a serious food product recall;
• a failure to efficiently and effectively handle recalls particularly affecting schools due to the higher risk of complications from food-borne illnesses in young children;
• an oversight causing increased vulnerabilities to foreign pests and diseases;
• a failure to ensure the protection of animal and public health; or
• a failure to protect the public health.

The FEDS policy provides federal veterinarians with up to $2,000,000 in indemnification limits for civil law suits, up to $200,000 in an administrative and/or ethical investigation, a disciplinary action or a judicial sanction proceeding, and up to $100,000 for criminal legal defense. For additional information on how FEDS protects federal veterinarians, read Civil Exposures, Administrative Exposures and Criminal Exposures.

Federal veterinarians with the dual role of manager, supervisor or officer have additional exposures that make PLI necessary. For more information, please visit our Managers and Executives page. For coverage effective today, purchase PLI now.

FEDS continually works with the National Association of Federal Veterinarians (NAFV) and other federal employee communities, professional organizations and associations to ensure that we provide the protection Feds need to do their jobs.

Maneuvering the investigative process without legal counsel is not recommended by the leading federal employee and management associations. Please read what these associations and other industry leaders have to say about professional protection and why they recommend FEDS in endorsements and testimonials.

FEDS Founder and President is a former federal attorney who has defended federal employees and encourages all federal employees to be informed as possible about the benefits of having PLI protection in place. FEDS costs start at just $270. For coverage effective today, you can purchase PLI now. If you are also a manager or supervisor, your agency will reimburse you up to 1/2 the cost of the liability insurance. Your FEDS policy could be as low as $135 per year, after agency reimbursement.