Chiropodist Insurance

Foot Health Practitioners Insurance

The profession of a foot health practitioner is an important one. As it is part of the healthcare industry which is known for its litigious nature, any real or perceived mistake, negligence or misdiagnosis could result in a lawsuit or some other type of claim. Professional indemnity insurance (PII) is there to help you deal with these unfortunate eventualities. 

Quotezone.co.uk provides access to a wide range of insurance providers from across the UK, making it as easy for these healthcare specialists to get the professional indemnity insurance for foot health practitioners they need.  

What is foot health practitioner insurance? 

Foot health practitioner insurance is essentially professional indemnity insurance specifically designed and tailor-made to suit the insurance needs and requirements of foot health practitioners. This cover can also extend to other podiatry-related services. 

This type of insurance provides protection and coverage for a wide range of financial risks and legal liabilities that podiatrists may face on a daily basis. It provides insurance for claims made for allegations of negligence, malpractice or some other incident or problem with the services provided by the foot health practitioner. 

Is this public liability insurance compulsory for foot health practitioners? 

In the UK, the requirement for podiatrists’ PII depends on and is regulated by your specific professional regulatory body. However, it may be a requirement if you want to be a member of certain professional associations or regulatory bodies, for example, the College of Podiatry. A foot health practitioner’s clients or patients may also expect them to have insurance as it demonstrates a level of professionalism and accountability that is widely expected in the medical field.   

What does professional indemnity insurance protect chiropodists and podiatrists against? 

Generally speaking, chiropody insurance insures a podiatrist against financial and legal repercussions that may arise in the course of delivering their professional services. The common claims, risks and legal liabilities that chiropody insurance provides protection and coverage for are: 

1. Claims arising from unintentional negligence, malpractice, mistakes and other incidents related to the professional services provided 
2. Unintentional breaches of confidentiality and loss of documents like personal records 
3. A range of legal costs like legal fees, court fees and compensation payments related to these claims

What are the typical policy exclusions of chiropodist insurance? 

Policy exclusions can vary between insurance companies and specific policy terms. As chiropodist insurance is highly individualised it can be tailored somewhat to suit the foot care practitioner’s requirements. 

However, there are certain exclusions that you would find in most if not all, foot health practitioner’s insurance policies, these include: 

• Intentional acts that cause harm, injury or damage 
• Illegal and criminal acts, which are generally uninsurable 
• Claims that were known about before the inception of the policy and claims after the expiry of the policy 
• Punitive costs including fines and penalties 
• Claims for activities outside the scope of the professional duties of the foot health practitioner 

 How much does podiatrist insurance cost, on average? 

Insurance for foot health practitioners varies as each practitioner is assessed on an individualised basis. 

In addition to the risk assessment of the individual, the coverage can be adjusted and tailored to suit the particular requirements of the foot health practitioner. It is therefore very difficult to estimate the average cost of a policy. 

The simplest way to get an accurate cost for you is to visit a comparison website like Quotezone.co.uk and compare quotes from multiple insurers.

How is my premium calculated for foot health practitioner PII? 

Insurance companies determine the costs of premiums for podiatrist insurance based on a set of risk factors that affect the costs of insuring a foot health practitioner. 

Their calculations will include the following factors: 

1. The personal characteristics and risk profile of the foot health practitioner including their experience, qualifications and the nature of their services 
2. The location where they practice  
3. Factors concerning insurance options like deductible amounts and coverage limits 
4. The size and scope of the business 

Will previous claims on my professional indemnity insurance affect the cost of this policy? 

The fact that you have been potentially been sued by a patient and had to claim previously can very well have an impact on the cost of your insurance for chiropodists. It could make getting insurance more difficult in the future. 

Insurance companies take your claims history very seriously as it is indicative of the potential for future claims. The impact it will have on your insurance prospects largely depends on the number of claims you have made in the past, the size of the claims and how often you made those claims. 

Will my location affect the premium of chiropodist insurance? 

The specific characteristics and risks that each unique location poses to the insurer are important components that form part of the insurer’s risk assessment. 

Elements of the location such as the local litigation rates, regulatory environment, the level of competition between insurers, and even whether the location is urban or rural will typically have a bearing on the final cost of insurance for podiatrists in that area. 

Does my level of training or experience affect the cost of this insurance? 

The level of your training, experience and qualifications can affect the cost of foot health practitioner insurance to some degree. 

The higher the level of these three factors the cheaper your policy is likely to be. This is because insurers have assessed that professionals with a high level of expertise are typically less likely to make errors and commit other acts that could lead to claims and lawsuits. 

Another point to be aware of is that improving your qualifications and periodically attending training courses may qualify you for discounts offered by insurance companies. 

Does chiropodist insurance have an insurance excess? 

 Yes, professional indemnity insurance for foot health practitioners will almost always have an excess, the amount or level can vary between policies and insurance companies. 

The excess is there to protect the insurer by reducing the amount of frivolous and unnecessary claims made by the policyholder. The excess is the amount of money the policyholder pays towards any claim before the insurer steps in. 

For this reason, insurers offer cheaper insurance rates to policyholders who opt for higher excesses as they know that they will likely make fewer claims or the claims paid out will be of a lower net cost to the insurer. 

How can I reduce the cost of my foot health practitioner insurance? 

As a foot health practitioner, there are long and short-term approaches to reducing your insurance costs. 

Long term you can upgrade your qualifications and improve your training. Gradually improving your claims history can also help. 

If you are looking for the quickest results you can adjust your insurance policy by increasing your deductible and reducing your coverage limits, these can be effective measures to take. But always make sure you have the coverage you need so you are not left with expenses to pay out alone when it comes to having a claim made against you.  

Using websites like Quotezone.co.uk can assist you in making quick comparisons between your current policy and similar policies offered by other insurers. They provide access to a very large range of insurers, increasing your chances of getting a better deal on your insurance for foot health practitioners.