New GDC indemnity guidance asks the right questions, says Dental Protection

News

  Posted by: Dental Design      4th January 2024

Dr Raj Rattan

Dental Protection has welcomed updated guidance from the GDC on indemnity published just before Christmas, which includes a helpful range of questions for dental professionals to consider when arranging their individual protection.

The checklist of questions includes:

  • Will this product cover me for all the tasks that I do, the locations where I work and the hours I work?
  • What are the financial or other limits of this product, and is the level of financial cover sufficient in relation to the risks related to my individual professional practice?
  • Is the product occurrence-based or claims-made cover? If a claim is made after the policy has expired, will the patient still be able to receive compensation if the claim is successful?
  • What assistance is provided in disciplinary or fitness to practise proceedings or other nonclaims matters?
  • Does the provider offer support and advice services, including legal advice and wellbeing support?

Dr Raj Rattan, Dental Director at Dental Protection said: “There are a range of different indemnity and insurance options available and this updated guidance will help dental professionals ask the right questions when making a decision about what protection is most appropriate for them.

“In response to the checklist of questions, I can confirm that members of Dental Protection do not have financial caps and that their protection is occurrence-based. This means they do not need to worry about the prospect of having to cover any costs that exceed a limit and that they will be protected long into the future without the need to purchase run-off or ‘tail’ cover when they end their policy, retire, or leave dentistry.

“It is particularly welcome that the checklist of questions highlights the importance of having protection against a GDC fitness to practise investigation. We know from our experience that a regulatory investigation has a significant toll on wellbeing and the consequences for a dental professional’s career can be devastating. Having expert support and legal advice is incredibly important but it is not included as standard by all indemnity and insurance providers.”

The full revised guidance and exhaustive list of questions from the GDC comes into effect from 12 February 2024 and is available online.

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