A Law was passed in July 2014 stating “all registered healthcare professionals are now legally required to have indemnity cover”.
The General Dental Council (GDC) has stated that this is not a new requirement and is listed in their “Standards” for Dental Professionals. According to the GDC when renewing membership a declaration will be required by the individual confirming they have the appropriate Indemnity Insurance.
Some employers have an ”umbrella type” of Indemnity Insurance which covers their employees, however the GDC holds each individual responsible for checking the policy and taking the appropriate action if they are not covered.
This need for individual indemnity insurance is for patients to be able to claim compensation they are due from the individual dental professional responsible for their care, treatment or dental appliance.
The GDC has numerous pages of complaints and actions taken against all members of the dental team and is worth a read to underline the importance of all dental professionals having individual Indemnity Insurance cover.