Six years after the pandemic made travel nursing a necessity for overwhelmed, understaffed healthcare organizations, travel nursing remains a popular and essential staffing-shortage solution.
A new study from KPMG shows the benefits for this working arrangement are actually mutual. For years, most people assumed travel nurses have the upper hand, making higher wages and gaining freedom. KPMG’s 2026 Cost of Labor Study found travel clinicians often cost less than permanent staff when you consider all labor costs, including benefits, vacancies, overtime and turnover.
The study further shows travel nursing is here to stay, especially as the U.S. heads toward a predicted nursing shortage of 63,720 registered nurses in 2030.
Travel nursing exploded during the pandemic, with revenue up 162% in 2021 from the previous year. Last year marked the third consecutive year of lower travel nursing revenue, but total revenue still exceeds pre-pandemic levels. Rates for 2026 are still yet to be seen, but SIA predicts they will climb slightly.
If you’re considering joining the over 1.7 million travel nurses working in the United States, protect your work and license can make your entry into a new position easier.
Why Travel Nurses and NPs Need Individual Malpractice Insurance
Your own professional liability insurance, also known as medical malpractice insurance, is an essential item to bring along as a travel nurse — even when a staffing agency or facility provides coverage.
Although many staffing agencies provide professional liability coverage, what those policies actually cover and whose interests they protect varies.
For example, a staffing agency policy prioritizes the organization that provides it, so if the agency decides on a case settlement, you may be included in that decision without being consulted.
Plus, coverage may apply only while you’re actively under contract, but medical malpractice lawsuits typically take years to arise.
Claims-made vs. occurrence travel insurance policies
Claims-made policy: This covers incidents that occur and are reported while your policy is active. The event and the claim must occur during the policy period for you to be covered.
Occurrence policy: This covers incidents that occur during the policy period regardless of when a claim is filed. As long as the event occurred while the policy was active, coverage applies.
For example, if an incident occurred while you were a travel nurse from 2020-2023, a claims-made policy covers you only if the claim is made while you’re still employed there. An occurrence policy covers you even if you leave the position.
Having your own malpractice policy ensures you have the occurrence coverage you need, regardless of when a claim is made.
Protect your license as a travel nurse
Not all staffing organization malpractice policies cover your license. A licensure claim, even if it’s unfounded, can be costly to defend before the licensing board. The average cost of defending a licensing board complaint is approximately $7,155, according to an industry claims analysis. Without licensure coverage, those costs must be covered by you.
An individual medmal policy gives travel nurses and NPs protection centered on your own career, rather than relying exclusively on coverage tied to a particular assignment.
How Portable Malpractice Coverage Protects Travel Nurses on Every Assignment
Travel nursing requires constantly adapting to new assignments and workflows. Unfamiliar documentation systems, clinical protocols, teams and patient populations can all make charting errors, medication issues and mistakes more likely. That’s why having your own professional liability policy ensures you stay protected no matter where you end up.
Before accepting your next assignment, review any coverage provided by your agency or facility and understand its limits. Then consider whether an individual policy provides additional protection appropriate for your work.
CM&F’s travel nurse professional liability coverage is as portable as you are. Coverage follows you in states where you’re licensed and includes services within your scope of practice. Whether you’re full-time, part-time, locum tenens, PRN, per diem, moonlighting or volunteering, CM&F offers the portable coverage you need.
