Usually, malpractice is cheaper for many specialties in academia because these are the physicians who are practicing "standard of care". Many physicians in academics supplement their income by testifying what they would have done for plantiff's and defense lawyers. That being said, I'm sure that malpractice is higher for some physicians in academia because usually patients who present to academic medical centers are sicker and associated with worse outcomes. But overall, the avg malpractice premium is lower according to one of my attendings.