Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Bob Russell — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 13:08:58 GMT

I have filed the non-VDS paperwork in the bin but seem to remember a very limited level of cover per animal. Lloyd and Whites website is lacking any real information except how to get a call back. not really helpful for browsing!

No price can be put on the comfort of knowing VDS support is only a phone call away. How many insurance policies command that level of respect and trust?

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Christopher Saul — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 12:19:35 GMT

At the risk of repeating what others have already said, VDS worth it's weight in gold. Nothing else comes close.

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Hannah Wynne Richards — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 12:17:02 GMT

I'd be more than slightly

Wynne

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Anthony Dennison — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 11:08:32 GMT

My practice isn't with VDS, apparently we 'get more monetary cover' with the company we're with, but don't offer the support VDS give. Makes me slightly nervous.

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Stephen Putnam — Sat, 23 Nov 2013 20:37:45 GMT

VDS. Would never consider any alternative.

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Anthony Todd — Sat, 23 Nov 2013 12:32:33 GMT

[quote user="David Mills"]VDS is uniquely placed and I've never heard a bad word against them.[/quote]

The other important thing, not yet emphasised, is that they are always available for advice and support on a wide range of related queries even way before a possible claim.

Invaluable, particularly if you have a manager who is not a vet. They will even suggest the response to a complaint if it is likely that a claim could follow.

As an aside, the drug companies, in my experience, take a commercial view as well.

They compensate owners, as in the case of vaccination failure in 12 alsation pups that died, although vaccinated correctly, fortunately, to the day!

Of course this "proved" in the client's eye that I must have been at fault [and so was the vaccine...]

I have never heard a bad or critical word said about the VDS, ever.

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Hannah Wynne Richards — Sat, 23 Nov 2013 11:03:57 GMT

Choosing anyone other than VDS is false economy.

Wynne

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

An On MRCVS — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 22:49:38 GMT

Alas, our practice (I'm an assistant) are covered by RSA. When a colleague had a complaint a few years ago, she felt totally unsupported as the claims consultant know nothing about veterinary medicine. I request VDS cover every year in my appraisal. I would happily pay for individual cover, but VDS rules state that all vets in a practice must be covered.

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 14:17:37 GMT

[quote user="Virginia Campbell"]- "details of the procedure"...Is "spay" not enough?[/quote] I don't think 'spay' is enough it is a slang word open to interpretation we add ovarohysterectomy or ovaroectomy as appropriate. On the other hand castration is a dictionary description.

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

David Mills — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 14:03:06 GMT

A tale of caution about non-VDS cover.

When I used to work in London, there was a DC hearing (no striking off, just reprimand, should never have got as far as DC) for a London vet whose practice didn't carry VDS but RSA (the Lloyds one) prof indemnity insurance, which sneakily did not include legal assistance, legal fees or support during RCVS investigations - bizarrely, they only cover you if they (non vet specialists) perceive you have done something wrong.

VDS is uniquely placed and I've never heard a bad word against them. Compared to other professional insurance cover, the price even if paying as an individual is an absolute bargain (e.g. MDU cover is around £5000pp).

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Bob Russell — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 12:47:32 GMT

Paperwork from VDS has arrived. Price in line with previous years and no daft declarations to fill in.

As expected will happily stay with VDS!

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Virginia Campbell — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 15:22:51 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]"You have signed consent forms and disclaimers clearly documenting details of the procedure, contraindications, potential side effects and possible outcomes prior to commencement of all surgical procedures. Where emergency procedures must be undertaken and written consent cannot be obtained, verbal confirmation is taken and documented."[/quote]

Far too much wiggle room here.

- "details of the procedure"...Is "spay" not enough?

- "potential side effects" - just the most common, or all of them?

- "possible outcomes" - everything under the sun really

- emergency procedures - if I could not get hold of the Os on the phone, I would go ahead and save the animal if I could and worry about permission to do so later.

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Anthony Todd — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 14:10:59 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

VDS worth their weight in gold. End of discussion as far as I am concerned.

[/quote]

+1 x10, the others just take a commercial decision without regard to your reputation or the rights and wrongs. If the claim makes commercial sense they'll settle and by doing so tacitly admit you were in the wrong, thereby leaving you in so much unwarranted distress!

To say nothing of the free, carefully elucidated and very sage advice which is always available on the total range of possible scenarios.

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 13:40:14 GMT

I wouldn't dream of changing from VDS: their name says it all.

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Bob Russell — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 13:13:21 GMT

I have made it clear that there is almost zero chance of getting me to change from VDS. Some vets don't have the luxury of choice because of their employers choices.

VDS is worth their weight in gold but discussion is always worthwhile!

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Hannah Wynne Richards — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 13:10:46 GMT

Another who says stick to VDS They'll defend your reputation-which is priceless. There's always chancers who put in spurious complaints in order to avoid paying the bill. If you did all that a good reputable general practitioner could be expected to do-it's just the animalwasn't curable-VDS will defend your reputation,and have very experienced people to do so. If the claim is small, others may consider it cheaper to pay up. Word will soon get around amongst the fraudulent claims lot, so others will also try it on. Eventually,when the honest public get to hear, they'll think "nosmoke without a fire."

Wynne

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Francisco Gomez — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 12:58:05 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

VDS worth their weight in gold. End of discussion as far as I am concerned.

[/quote]

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 12:56:58 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]Do we report that a possible complication of a routine cat castration is death and worry clients? At the moment we state that "all anaesthetic and surgical procedures carry some risk" but not sure if this is enough![/quote] Our consent forms state that death is a possible risk of anaesthesia and surgery. I'm sure that one day someone will get sued if it just states 'some risk' - what risk is that, is it reasonable to assume that a client will consider death a possible complication of what they believe to be a simple procedure? Our forms also state that by signing the client agrees to us carrying out any further procedure including euthanasia if considered necessary at the time, They have the option to opt out of this statement if they wish but what do we do then - leave it to bleed to death on the table?

Meanwhile I'm sticking with the VDS, they have the necessary expertise.

Re: Professional Indemnity Insurance - which?

Michael Woodhouse — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 12:51:16 GMT

VDS worth their weight in gold. End of discussion as far as I am concerned.