Launch of Practicecare policy to growing dental and healthcare markets.
Insurance broker Aon, in exclusive partnership with insurer Ecclesiastical, has launched Practicecare, an insurance policy designed to meet the specific needs of doctors and dentists in the UK.
The launch of Practicecare is in response to a significant rise in the number of doctors and dentists in the UK. According to the Royal College of General Practitioners, there has been a 65.4% increase of consultant doctors and a 12% increase in NHS doctors over the last decade.
The dentist market, in particular, has seen dramatic growth. Figures from the National Audit Office show that dentist revenue grew from £289m in 1995 to £3.8bn in 2004. This growth is further boosted by government policy, initiated in 2004, to bridge a shortfall of 1,850 NHS dentists. In addition, the increase in dental niches such as teeth whitening and use of prosthetics requires additional expensive equipment.
Stand-out features of the policy include cover for breakdown of equipment, contents, computers, buildings, legal liabilities, theft, bags, equipment and medical records. There is also a 24-hour emergency repair helpline and claims service.
Angus Cameron, executive director of Aon's Professional Services Group said: “We are delighted to have partnered with Ecclesiastical, one of the UK’s leading specialist insurers, to launch this bespoke product to doctors and dentists, which allows doctors and dentists to have complete peace of mind that the risks involved in running a surgery are covered. There are few mainstream insurance policies on the market that will cover equipment breakdown and to combine this with a 24-hour repair hotline and easy-to-use claims service provides a compelling insurance scheme for surgeries.”
