Protect yourself with a policy built around you
Working as a nurse can be an incredibly rewarding career, enabling you to provide patients with the care, support and guidance they need.
However, the complexities of working in healthcare can also bring various challenges and unforeseen situations that can lead to unexpected claims being made against you. Indemnity insurance protects you in case this happens.
Why do I need nurse indemnity insurance?
No good nurse ever sets out to make a mistake. However, the profession’s nature can involve responsibilities and scenarios where unexpected errors or misunderstandings occur, making a tailored indemnity insurance policy crucial.
For example, indemnity insurance can offer protection during the following nursing scenarios:
- Delivering patient care: From administering certain medications to carrying out patient assessments, every aspect of providing care to patients can carry a potential risk. Indemnity insurance protects you when performing your nursing duties.
- Dealing with claims: In the event of a negligence claim, indemnity insurance covers all the costs involved in your legal defence. It gives you reassurance that you’ll be fully supported throughout the claims process.
- Upholding professional standards: Maintaining the same level of care across your patients is crucial for nurses. Indemnity insurance can help safeguard your reputation within the industry by protecting you against potentially damaging allegations.
Is it compulsory for nurses to have indemnity insurance?
The answer to this question depends on where you work. If you work in the private sector, for example, then it is compulsory to have a suitable indemnity insurance policy. Various governing bodies like the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Royal College of Nurses and General Dental Council state that nurses must have indemnity insurance as terms of their registration.
However, if you work for the NHS, you will usually be covered through a clinical negligence scheme relevant to your work location in the UK. So you won’t need a personal form of indemnity as well.
Even if you don’t work as a nurse specifically, the Health Care and Associated Professionals Order 2014 states that it’s a legal requirement for all regulated healthcare professionals to have professional indemnity insurance.
So whether you’re self-employed, work as a limited company, in private practice or within the NHS, it is compulsory to have some form of coverage.
What types of nurse indemnity insurance are there?
There are two main forms of Indemnity insurance for nurses and it’s vital to understand the differences between them.
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Discretionary indemnity: Offered by medical defence organisations (MDOs), this form of insurance is on a case-by-case basis. It means that should a claim be made against you, your provider will decide whether to defend you – there’s no guarantee that you’ll be protected. MDOs aren’t regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), which means that, even if they decide to defend you, they may not have the resources to cover your needs.
- Contractual indemnity: Provided by insurance companies, contractual indemnity is a clearly worded form of protection underwritten by a contract. It means that should a claim be made against you, you’ll be covered as long as it falls within the policy’s terms. Brokers can tailor contractual policies to outline certain terms and conditions, including your specific coverage limits, exclusions and claims processes, providing you with financial protection you can trust.
Learn more about the primary differences between these two types of indemnity insurance by downloading our dedicated guide to medical malpractice indemnity.
Why choose THEMIS for nursing indemnity insurance?
At THEMIS, we understand that the demanding nature of working as a nurse can make it challenging to thoroughly investigate the different forms of indemnity available. So here’s how we simplify the process.
We offer:
- Specialist nursing expertise: Our team has extensive experience in dealing with nursing-related claims. Through our in-house expertise, we can provide the specialised support and guidance you need to seamlessly navigate the claims process.
- Clear and transparent policies: We only ever provide transparent policies that are clearly worded and easy to understand. When taking out a policy with us, your policy documents will outline all of your cover’s terms, limits and exclusions upfront.
- Comprehensive helpline support: Nursing is a round-the-clock profession, and so is the support we offer. Our medico-legal helpline is available to address your concerns or questions, providing you with guidance whenever you need it.
- Regulatory compliance: Unlike MDOs, we are regulated by the FCA and PRA. Dual regulation allows us to offer indemnity insurance policies that surpass the highest standards, providing you with complete regulatory peace of mind.
- Tailored coverage: We recognise that every nurse’s role is unique. That’s why, whether you’re a seasoned nurse practitioner or new to the field, we can build our policies around you, tailoring them around your role and responsibilities.
- Financial security: Reputable insurers regulated by industry authorities underwrite our policies, providing complete financial security. We also harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to keep your premium fairly priced.
- Risk management resources: As well as insurance cover, having a policy with us will also provide many risk management resources, from training programmes to best practice guidelines – all aimed at improving patient safety.
To learn more about indemnity insurance or ask specific questions, get in touch with our team; we’d be more than happy to help.
