As a locum practitioner, you’ll be used to attending different hospitals and GP practices and treating many patients you might not see regularly. However, while working as a locum practitioner may offer these freedoms, it can also present unique challenges.
To manage the risks associated with being a locum practitioner, you can protect yourself with locum insurance. But is it worth it? This article explains what locum insurance is, the benefits it can offer and what exactly you need to consider when choosing the right coverage.
What is locum insurance?
Locum insurance is a specialised form of indemnity insurance used to protect locum healthcare professionals, including those who work on a temporary, contract or freelance basis.
A healthcare professional’s employer may provide them with indemnity insurance. However, locum practitioners must take responsibility themselves and secure adequate coverage because their contracts in a clinical setting can be short-term and temporary.
Locum insurance aims to offer comprehensive financial and legal protection against the risks that locum practitioners may encounter.
For example, locum insurance can cover:
- Patient claims of malpractice or negligence
- Legal defence costs
- Sickness or injury while working
- Equipment damage, loss or theft
It’s essential to remember that coverage can vary depending on your needs and type of indemnity insurance. At THEMIS, we’ll happily discuss your needs as a locum and tailor our coverage to suit your requirements.
Do I legally need locum insurance?
Locums are required to practise under the General Medical Council’s Good Medical Practice guidance. So, while the practice, clinic or hospital you attend will have its own corporate indemnity insurance, you’ll still need personal indemnity insurance as a locum.
You must check your insurance coverage is correct before signing a contract or agreement with a hospital or GP practice.
Key factors to consider when choosing locum insurance
Before choosing your coverage, it’s important to consider some key factors. One of the most important is deciding whether you want discretionary or contractual insurance.
Discretionary indemnity insurance is where your provider assesses claims on a case-by-case basis and provides coverage at their discretion. However, this can mean you aren’t guaranteed cover.
Contractual indemnity describes your coverage terms straightforwardly. You’ll know what is and isn’t covered. With contractual indemnity, your provider cannot refuse your claim if it falls within your agreed terms, making its coverage more guaranteed than discretionary indemnity.
Some other factors you should consider when choosing your locum insurance type and provider include:
● Policy limits: You’ll need to know the limits for your chosen policy, as not all of them are the same. As locums can be in other roles (such as physiotherapists and pharmacists), you must know the limits of your policy for your role.
● What’s included in your coverage: It’s vital to know what’s included. The coverage type depends on your role, so discussing this with your provider is important.
● Personalisation: As locums are not limited to being general practitioners, you must ensure you choose locum insurance that can be tailored to your needs.
● The claims process: Understanding how to make a claim is crucial to locum insurance. Knowing how to access support and what’s involved makes the process easier. Learn more about navigating the claims process in our step-by-step guide.
What are the benefits of locum insurance?
Locum insurance provides a vast range of benefits beyond simply receiving financial reimbursement. For example, some of the main benefits of having locum insurance include:
● Peace of mind that you’re covered wherever you are: As a locum healthcare professional, you may move from one location to another. With locum insurance, you’ll be covered wherever you’re working.
● Comprehensive protection: With locum insurance, you can protect yourself from potential negligence or malpractice claims. The result? Complete peace of mind, allowing you to put all your efforts into looking after your patients.
● Financial and professional security: Along with keeping your finances protected from paying for legal fees and compensation, you can also maintain your professional integrity. Some providers, like us at THEMIS, offer PR support to ensure possible claims from patients do not harm your professional standing.
● Legal advice and support: Navigating the world of locum insurance, patient complaints or claims and the legal system can be challenging. However, locum insurance providers may also offer legal advice and support. Here at THEMIS, we provide a medico-legal helpline so you can receive expert, specialist advice anytime.
● Professional credibility: Malpractice or negligence claims from patients can harm your professional credibility. But with locum insurance, you can feel rest assured that your professional credibility will remain intact.
Ultimately, having locum insurance will provide you with a safety net to fall back on should you ever need it.
Discover locum insurance with indemnity specialists THEMIS
Locum insurance is one of the best tools for allowing locum practitioners to protect their financial, personal and professional integrity. At THEMIS, we offer dedicated, expert-led coverage and support so you can always safeguard yourself.
Contact THEMIS today or apply for a quote to see how our locum insurance can help you.
