Dental surgery insurance is a package of cover that is tailored to the specific business needs of a dental surgery. Accordingly, it is important to consult a specialist insurance provider who is familiar with arranging cover for dental surgeries.

What is included?
The insurance you take out can be as comprehensive as you like. Policies will vary between providers, but the following are standard categories to be included.

• Contents insurance – This covers not just equipment and machinery, but general fixtures and fittings, and furniture.
• Computer insurance (including hardware and software) – Appointments and records systems can be sophisticated and expensive to replace. Include them in your dental surgery insurance for peace of mind.
• Public liability insurance – This is not the same as professional indemnity cover for negligence claims. For example, a claim by a patient from whom you have negligently extracted the wrong tooth is different from a claim from the same patient for personal injury caused by a faulty door. Public liability claims can be very high indeed. While this element of cover is not required by law, all businesses with contact with the public should have adequate public liability insurance. Without cover, a large claim could potentially sink the organization involved.
• Cost of any drugs and vaccines stored on the premises – Pharmaceuticals are expensive and inconvenient to replace. In addition to the drugs themselves, the cover should also include loss of specialist medical supplies.
• Business interruption insurance – Check the buildings insurance element to see whether this is included. Repairs to buildings can take a long time if a significant amount of work is involved. If you include business interruption cover in your dental surgery insurance, the surgery will not lose any income while clinical activity is suspended.
• Employers liability – This is compulsory for anyone who is an employer, and for anyone who engages contractors on contracts for services. Employers liability insurance covers claims made by your employees for any injury they have suffered as a result of their employment.
• Buildings insurance – If the surgery premises are rented, check the lease to ascertain whether the landlord or the tenant is responsible for insuring the structure.

Finally, when selecting a dental surgery insurance policy, consider the quality of service the provider is able to offer. Price need not be the deciding factor: you may prize regular risk management advice and a dedicated claims hotline.

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