Get indemnity™ medical malpractice insurance
Allegations of medical malpractice must be defended, whether you feel the claim has merit or not. Medical indemnity insurance offers the protection and peace of mind required to perform your professional duties.
We can identify competing quotes from the wholesale market to ensure you’re protected at a cost-effective premium. Cover and cost can vary, therefore asking a insurance broker to source alternative quotes can save you money now and problems further down the line. Alternatively,
What is medical indemnity insurance?
Medical Indemnity insurance (also known as medical malpractice insurance or
professional indemnity insurance) protects against the failure to exercise reasonable skill and care in the provision of healthcare services.
The insurance will pay legal costs incurred in defending allegations and pay damages arising from any judgment, award or settlement.
Below we take a closer look at the types of
indemnity insurance available. In addition, to highlighting some key considerations in identifying the most appropriate medical indemnity cover.
Who needs medical indemnity insurance?
Medical indemnity insurance is specialist cover designed for a wide range of medical organisations and individual healthcare professionals, including but not limited to:
Medical Practitioners – e.g. doctors, nurses, surgeons, dentists, paramedics, physiologists, speech therapists, podiatrists, opticians, chiropractors, osteopaths and radiologists.
Healthcare Organisations – e.g. medical centres, surgeries, day care centres, nursing homes, ambulance services, cosmetic clinics, dental clinics, laser eye clinics, fertility clinics, and health screening units.
Associated Medical Providers – e.g. carers, counsellors, first aiders, medical agencies, nursing agencies, repatriation services, laboratories, acupuncturists, beauticians, homeopaths, hypnotherapists, and reflexologists.
In order to practice any sort of medical procedure in the UK you must be covered by a medical indemnity insurance policy. However, the cover is increasingly purchased by associated medical providers to offer protection against legal liabilities.
What types of medical indemnity claims can occur?
Medical indemnity claims can arise from a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to:
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Clinical Negligence
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Neglect of a patient
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Breach of duty
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Misdiagnosis
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Failure to diagnose
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Injury to patient
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Mental harm of patients
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Delays in referring patients
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Sexual harassment
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Medical indemnity government consultation
The proposed changes require regulated healthcare professionals to purchase contractual medical indemnity insurance if they’re not covered by the government backed NHS indemnity scheme, rather than discretionary cover by a defence union.
All providers will be required to be authorised by the PRA and FCA, with the onus on providers to offer appropriate products. As a specialist medical indemnity insurance broker, we can assist you with identify the most appropriate cover to meet your needs.
What does medical indemnity insurance cover?
Medical indemnity insurance is typically packaged with a number of additional covers to ensure protection from a range of unexpected events.
Each insurer’s medical indemnity policy can vary, and the terminology may alter, however the covers are comparable under the below sections:
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Professional Indemnity
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Breach of Confidentiality
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Libel and Slander
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Public Liability
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Employers Liability
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Product Liability
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Inquest Costs
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Good Samaritan Acts
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GMC/GDC Investigations
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Cyber Insurance
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Crime Insurance
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Reputational Harm
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Business Interruption
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Personal Accident
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Property Damage
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As a digital insurance broker that specialises in medical indemnity insurance, we can provide tailored solutions at cost-effective premiums.
Which medical indemnity cover do we need?
Which medical indemnity insurance covers you decide to purchase will depend upon your individual circumstances. Below we take a closer look at the different covers available under a medical indemnity package policy:
Professional Indemnity Insurance
Professional indemnity insurance, also known as medical malpractice insurance, protects against the failure to exercise reasonable skill and care in the provision of healthcare services. Cover is typically extended to include breach of confidentiality, libel and slander.
Public Liability Insurance
Public liability insurance will protect against claims arising from injury or property damage of persons other than your employees (i.e. patients, suppliers, contractors or third persons) in the course of your business.
Employers Liability Insurance
Employers liability insurance will protect against claims arising from injury or illness of your staff. All employers in the UK have a legal duty to protect the safety of their employees at work. It is one of the few types of insurance which is compulsory.
Product Liability Insurance
Product liability insurance will protect against claims arising from injury or property damage as a result of a fault with a product you have provided. Covers distributors, importers and manufacturers against legal liabilities arising from losses or injuries caused by a defect or malfunction of a product.
Cyber Insurance
Cyber insurance offers protection against first and third-party losses arising from security and data breaches. Healthcare professionals are highly exposed to the amount of confidential information they hold on their patients.
Crime Insurance
Crime insurance (otherwise known as business fraud insurance) offers financial protection from a criminal or fraudulent taking, obtaining or appropriation of money, securities or property.
Business Interruption Insurance
Business interruption insurance will protect against the loss of income from being unable to operate as a result of an insured event (i.e. property damage). It covers the consequential loss of the interruption by indemnifying the loss of income or increased cost of working as a result of the insured peril.
Personal Accident Insurance
Personal accident insurance will in the event of an accidental bodily injury to any insured person, provide financial support as defined in the policy schedule. Benefits will be payable for death or disablement and related medical expenses.
Property Damage Insurance
Property damage insurance will protect your organisation’s buildings and/or contents against loss or damage from a range of perils, such as fire, theft, accidental damage, storm, flood, escape of water, impact, explosion and riot.
Medical indemnity insurance definitions do vary and it's worth considering the terms and features to consider what cover best meets your needs. At get indemnity we are more than happy to discuss your individual requirements, please contact us.
Medical indemnity claims-made or an occurrence policy?
Medical indemnity insurance (medical malpractice) works on a claims-made basis, whereby the current policy will respond to the claim made, irrespective of when the care was provided (as long as the care did not occur before the retroactive date).
E.g. If a consultant provided treatment in 2016 but was not aware the patient was seeking damages against them until 2018, the medical indemnity claims-made policy in 2018 will respond to the claim.
For a medical indemnity claim to be covered it must arise from healthcare services performed on or after the retroactive date. This will typically be the first date from which you purchased medical indemnity insurance.
It is important you make a notification of the circumstances immediately and within that policy period. Late notification may prejudice negotiations and entitle the insurer to repudiate the claim.
Medical practitioner breakdown
Advanced Paramedic, Ambulance Technician, Audiologist, Biomedical Scientist, Cardiovascular Technologist, Chiropodist / Podiatrists, Clinical Laboratory Scientist, Clinical Pharmacists, Clinical Physiologist, Dental Hygienist, Dental Technician, Dental Therapist, Dietician / Nutritionist, Electrocardiogram Technician, Emergency Care Practitioner, Emergency Medial Practitioner, Emergency Medical Technician, First Aider, First Responder, Footcare Health Professional, Health Promotion Practitioner, Laboratory Technician, Lactation Consultant, Medical Radiation Scientist, Mental Health Support Workers, Optician, Optometrist, Orthorist / Prosthesis, Paramedic, Paramedic Practitioner, Pedorthist, Perfusionists, Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, Phlebotomist, Physiotherapist, Psychologist Clinical, Psychologist Criminal, Psychologist Occupational, Renal Dialysis Technologist, Respiratory Therapist, Specialist Paramedic, Sterile Processing Technician
Advance Nurse Practitioner, Bariatric Nurse, District Nurse, Family Health, Forensic Nurse, Healthcare Assistant, Health Visitor, Independent Nurse Prescriber, Learning Disabilities, Lymphedema Nurse, Nanny / Child Care, Nurse Anaesthetists, Nurse Dental, Nurse General, Nurse Mental Health, Nurse Paediatric, Nurse Prescriber, Nursing Associate, Nursing Auxiliary, Occupational Therapist, Operating Dept Practitioner, Ophthalmic Nurse, Palliative Nurse, Practice Nurse, Prison Nurse, Repatriation Nurse, Senior Carer, School Nurse, Theatre Nurse, Travel Health Nurse, Vascular Nurse, Veterinary Nurse
How to compare medical indemnity insurance quotes?
At
get indemnity we're specialist medical indemnity insurance brokers and can advise you accordingly. Please
contact us to compare medical indemnity insurance quotes from the wholesale market.
If you’re a registered company, you can complete our
online application and select additional covers because the professional indemnity question set is not relevant to healthcare professionals. One of our brokers will then be in contact to discuss your specific requirements.
This guide is for information purposes and based on sources which we believe are reliable, the general risk management and insurance information is not intended to be taken as advice with respect to any individual circumstance and cannot be relied upon as such.
