Dentist Indemnity Insurance

Professional Indemnity Insurance for Dentists 

Professional indemnity insurance for dentists, or dental insurance, is a type of insurance that protects dentists financially if they are sued by a patient. 

Dentist indemnity insurance helps by covering legal costs if you are sued and any compensation you need to pay if you are found liable. Dentists with dentistry insurance can focus their attention on their work knowing that if a claim is brought against them they have dentist insurance to take care of the potential financial consequences. 

This kind of insurance offers protection for professionals like dentists whose work may result in mistakes or misunderstandings that could see them being sued. It makes it possible for these professionals to focus on their work with peace of mind. 

Is professional indemnity insurance compulsory for dentists? 

Professional indemnity insurance (PII) is compulsory for dentists. It is a legal requirement for dentists to have dentist insurance to protect patients from the consequences of errors on the part of the dentist. Indemnity cover also protects the practice from financial difficulties in the event of claims being brought against it. 

Professional associations typically require dentists to have dentistry insurance to be members. To find out the latest requirements around professional indemnity insurance for dentists check with your relevant professional body. 

What risks does professional indemnity insurance protect dentists against? 

Professional indemnity insurance for dentists protects against professional risks in a dental practice. The individual coverage varies according to the policy and insurer. These are some of the key risks that dental indemnity insurance covers: 

• Any negligence or malpractice committed by a dentist 
• If a dentist commits a breach of professional duty 
• If a dentist misdiagnoses or delays a diagnosis 
• If a dentist provides inadequate treatment 
• If the practice violates the privacy of a patient 
• Legal costs defending claims 
• Potential compensation payouts 

To better understand the risks covered by the dentist indemnity insurance policy, dentists should read through the terms and conditions of the policy to make sure they understand what is included and if all their needs are covered. 

What won’t be covered under dentists’ professional indemnity insurance? 

Specific dentist professional indemnity insurance policy exclusions vary from insurer to insurer and policy to policy. These are some of the more common exclusions: 

• Criminal acts committed by dentists or employees 
• Intentional misconduct by dentists or employees 
• Fraudulent activities by dentists or employees 
• If a patient suffers an injury or damage not related to their treatment or interactions with the dentist’s business
• Any claims by employees 
• Any disputes relating to contract agreements with other parties 
• Any claims relating to events you knew of before getting insurance 
• Any fines and penalties levied by any authorities 

You should read through the terms and conditions of the professional indemnity insurance for a dentist policy to make sure you understand what is excluded in your policy.

Can I cover multiple dentists in my practice on one professional indemnity policy?

Yes, it is possible to have many dentists covered under one professional indemnity insurance for dentists policy. This is called group coverage and benefits the dental practice in many ways. These are some key points: 

• Group policies make administration easy 
• It means all dentists have the same coverage 
• Insurers can offer discounts for group policies 
• A group policy gives coverage unique to your practice 
• The claims process is simplified with a single policy 

Dentists with group policies should routinely check it over to be sure it still works for the practice. All the dentists in the group should be aware of their responsibilities in terms of the policy and should understand the terms and conditions of the policy and the coverage limits. 

How much does dentist insurance cost, on average? 

The cost of professional indemnity cover for a dentist will differ from case to case. To get a good indication of the cost of dentist insurance for your practice, it is advised that you compare quotes from many different insurers to increase your chances of securing the best coverage at the best price. For an accurate and personalised quotes for your practice, use Quotezone. 

What factors influence the cost of a dentistry PII policy? 

Various factors are used by insurance companies to calculate the premium of professional indemnity coverage for a dentist. Examples of these factors are: 

• The number of dentists and other staff 
• The physical location of the practice 
• The range of services and specialisations offered 
• The qualifications and experience of dentists 
• The claims history of the practice 
• The levels of coverage selected and the excess amount 
• The implementation of risk management practices 

When you request quotes from insurance companies, supply the correct information and practice details so they can give you accurate quotes. This will help you find the right coverage at a competitive price. 

If I’ve experienced a claim from a previous patient will that affect the cost of this policy? 

If you have a history of claims the cost of your dentist indemnity insurance premium could be higher. With a history of claims, your insurable risk increases, and your premiums could be higher to compensate for the higher chance of claims. 

It is recommended that dentists who have faced claims should implement a risk management strategy to reduce the chance of future claims. Remember it is imperative to provide honest, accurate information to insurance companies. 

Will my location affect the cost of dentist insurance? 

The location is one of the important things that insurance providers look at when calculating premiums for dentist indemnity insurance. Location affects the cost of insurance in many ways, some of which are listed below.  

• Cost of living and general economic conditions in the area 
• Frequency of claims in the area 
• Legal and regulatory requirements of the area 
• Availability and accessibility of other dental services and general emergency services in the area 

 How can I find cheaper dental indemnity insurance? 

The most effective way to secure cheaper dentist insurance is to shop around and compare as many quotes as possible. Comparison websites like Quotezone.co.uk have a wide range of insurers they can reference on your behalf enabling you to quickly and easily compare policy and premium options. 

Here is a helpful list of actions you can take to find cheaper deals: 

• Use a comparison website to get multiple quotes to compare 
• Investigate getting a group policy 
• Regularly review your policy requirements and excess
• Regular professional development can be viewed favourably by insurers 
• Improving risk management practices  

Compare cheaper dental insurance with Quotezone.co.uk