A rather distressing story reached me earlier this week, about a GP who is a member of her practice’s group locum insurance policy.
They had bought locum insurance with 'continuation of cover' on the – not unrealistic – assumption that, regardless of changes in doctors' health, the locum insurance company would not withdraw or restrict the doctors' cover in future.
Last week one of the GPs was diagnosed with cancer, shortly before the practice's locum insurance policy reached its renewal date.
She will need some time off work and, at this stage, there is nothing to suggest that the claim won’t be paid.
However, the practice has been told that the locum insurance company has new underwriters and these new underwriters won't cover this GP at all, when she returns to work. As far as the practice was concerned, not only would she be covered, this would include any recurrences in future years of her cancer.
To hear that this is not the case and, to add insult to injury, other non-related absences won't be covered either, has left them high and dry.
The policy was cheap but, as we have seen before and we will no doubt see again, cheap is a good choice only if you never get sick.
For 'continuation of cover' that has never been withdrawn, restricted or compromised in any way, talk to us at Practice Cover.
The opinions presented in this blog are solely those of the author on behalf of Practice Cover Limited and they do not constitute individual advice. Practice Cover is a trading name of Practice Cover Limited and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
E&OE – Information current as at date of issue.
