Has your locum insurer pulled the plug?

Jul 20, 2016

When you bought your locum insurance maybe what appealed to you was the option of ‘continuity of cover’.

It’s a safety net that many doctors want. It means the underwriters can’t withdraw or restrictyour cover if you make a claim, or if – as happens with a lot of us – your health gets worse as you grow older.

Unfortunately, we understand that a lot of doctors will hear this year that the continuation of cover promised by their provider isn’t going to deliver as promised. If you’re one of these doctors and have recently received a letter from your provider you could be forgiven for getting hot under the collar when they tell you they are scouting around for a new underwriter… and that (if they find one) your health will need to be underwritten from scratch. The fact is that even though YOU paid for the cover and YOU fulfilled all the policy conditions THEY’VE pulled the plug.

What will this mean for you?

It means you’re going back to square one. You will be re-underwritten and, if you’re lucky, you will be offered cover by the new underwriters on whatever basis they see fit. Whether that will include a version of continuation of cover remains to be seen.

If you stay with them, would you trust them not to pull the plug again? Are they a repeat offender? Is it the first time the provider has pulled cover or is it getting to be a habit?

We know it’s difficult to assess who is going to be the right, long-term provider for you, but if you’re one of the doctors who’s been affected by this – or if you’re new to locum insurance and you’re looking for a provider you can trust – it’s time to look at Practice Cover.

Practice Cover offers more choice than any other provider:

  • You can choose either annually renewable cover or continuity of cover
  • No premium increases in over 6 years (even for clients who have claimed)
  • No claims discount if you don’t need to claim
  • We’ve never had to withdraw or restrict our clients’ cover – ever.

To chat through your needs, or if you want a quotation, call us on 023 8051 3286.

We have happy clients and we aim to keep it that way. Become one of our happy clients.

The opinions presented in this blog are solely those of the author on behalf of Practice Cover Limited and they do not constitute individual advice.

Related Practice Cover Articles

practice cover riot damage

Is my practice covered for riot damage?

A practice manager asked us this a little while ago. It's not the sort of thing anyone wants to think about over a Monday morning coffee, but it's a fair question, and a smart one. So, here's the short answer, followed by the bits that matter if the worst ever...

read more...
practice cover silicon practice

Silicon Practice has gone into administration.

What should your practice do now? If your practice website went dark this week, you're not alone. Silicon Practice, the company behind around 1,000 GP practice websites and the FootFall online consultation platform, has gone into administration. Hundreds of sites...

read more...
Is counterfeit kit putting your cover at risk

Is counterfeit kit putting your cover at risk?

Counterfeit dental equipment isn’t just a clinical risk. It’s an insurance risk too. The GDC has published a blog from the British Dental Industry Association warning about fake and non-compliant products reaching UK dental practices. The MHRA has seized handpieces,...

read more...