Medical Insurance Consultants

Articles

• Practice Management May 2010
• Primary Care Scotland May 2010
• Practice Business May 2010
• Primary Business Today February 2009
• Scottish Primary Care September 2008
• Practice Management January 2008
• Practice Management July/August 2007

NewsLetters

• April 7th 2008 Locum Insurance With A 10% Discount
• May 16th 2008 Insurance Matters
• October 13th 2008 MIC match and discount on Surgery, Locum and Home Insurance
• September 7th 2009 PCT Contract Bids Information

Medical Insurance

Q:We have a work experience person coming into our practice. Are they covered by our insurance?

A: Anyone who is engaged under a Work Experience Scheme (or similar) should be defined as an employee within your Surgery Policy and as such the Practice will be covered for liability that arises in the course of their "employment" in connection with your business. However, they are not permitted to take part in any "surgical/diagnostic procedures!

Q: We are a small dispensing Practice. Does our policy provide cover against Dispensing Errors?

A: Yes. The Products Liability section of the policy will include cover for the Practice if deemed liable for any patient becoming ill as a result of medicine being dispensed incorrectly.  During the ‘Flu Season’ the amount of drug stock we have in our fridges increases from £2,000 to £5,000. Do Insurance Companies allow for this?

A: Only a handful of Insurance Companies have a seasonal increase extension within their Surgery policy.  MIC’s surgery scheme automatically includes a 60% seasonal increase for the months of September, October and November. Please be aware that Insurers will also place a limit per refrigeration unit.

Q: With a Locum Insurance policy can you claim for reoccurring conditions?

 
A: You should be able to, so long as the application form(s) was/were medically underwritten and the condition was not excluded. It is worth checking with your insurers to make sure.

Q: How long can I claim for on our Locum Insurance policy?

A: This is usually 52 weeks less the deferment period that has been chosen or when the insured person return to work – which ever comes first. The deferred period that you choose should “tie in “with your practice agreement.

Q: There is a Pre Existing Condition Exclusion in our practice Locum Insurance cover.  What is it?

A: This is the first thing that you should look for in your practice Locum Insurance cover.  Whatever the insured person has had in the past (before taking out the practice Locum Insurance) will be excluded from the cover. The period of the exclusion could be permanent or for a specified period of time, this exclusion should be avoided at all costs. If you have it in your policy you could have problems when putting in a claim.

Q: Our practice has Salaried GPs. Can they be included in our Locum Insurance cover?

A: You should be able to do this if your practice has a "bona fide" Locum Insurance Policy.

Author: John Downing (Managing Director - MIC)

Publication: Primary Business Today p36 February 2009