Within the United Kingdom, liability insurance is requisite for legal practice of psychotherapy. Liability insurance protects therapists in the case of lawsuit and provides financial recourse for legal costs and in the event of a successful malpractice suit against the therapist.
Lawsuits may be filed for a number of reasons for which the psychotherapist should be legally insured for. The purpose of lawsuits against psychotherapists is to protect clients against professional wrongdoing. A few of the reasons a psychotherapist may be sued include the following:
• Sexual misconduct by therapists
• Violation of confidentiality
• Professional negligence
• Misuse of language including slander and/or libel
• Practicing without a license
UK Psychotherapist insurance providers:
Psychotherapists employed by the National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom may already have liability insurance as part of an employment benefits package, in which case private liability insurance may not be necessary. However, in the case of practitioners not working with an employer provided health insurance, private liability insurance may be acquired from the following sources:
Howden Insurance Brokers
An international insurance provider with a London office located at Bevis Marks House, Bevis Marks, London, EC3A 7JB 44(0)20 0113 251 5011. The company specializes in liability insurance and is one of two insurance providers listed by the UK council for psychotherapy.
Towegate Professional Risks
This is another insurance provider listed by the UK council for psychotherapy and claims to be "the largest independently owned general intermediary" within the UK. The company can be reached by calling 44(0)20 0113 391 9598, by email at professionalrisks@towergate.co.uk. or by mail at Towergate House, 5 Airport West Lancaster Way, Yeadon, LS19 7ZA.
Professional Indemnity Insurance (PI)
A provider of compulsory professional indemnity insurance within the United Kingdom. The contact information for this insurance provider is 44 (0) 1323 648000 by phone and info@professionalinsuranceagents.co.uk by email. The physical address for this company is Lion Works, Sidley Raod, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 7HB.
Sennet Professional Indemnity
An insurance intermediary that's main service includes professional indemnity insurance. The contact information for this company is 01227 781200 by phone and info@sennet-insurance.co.uk via email. The mailing address for Sennet Professional Indemnity is Sennet Insurance Services Ltd, 1 Oaten Hill Place, Canterbury, Kent CT1 3HJ.
The above insurance providers specialize in indemnity insurance but are not inclusive of all the insurance providers within the UK that provide such insurance. For a more complete list of insurance providers that may offer liability and/or indemnity insurance to psychotherapists one may consult the e-insurance directory.
With a growing awareness of legal rights and protections among clients of psychotherapists, in addition to demand for psychotherapy services, legal issues surrounding the field of mental health are a relevant concern. In the United Kingdom both private and public psychotherapists are to be insured by law. Such insurance is typically termed professional liability and/or indemnity insurance and can protect a psychotherapist from potential bankruptcy and large costs associated with legal defense.
Several UK insurance providers provide insurance suitable for psychotherapists and discounts may be obtained through membership in other organizations such as the UK council for psychotherapy. Researching how much insurance is legally necessary, cost comparisons, insurance provider claim statistics and financial solvency in addition to coverage benefits may be advisable in obtaining the best deal on professional liability insurance.
Sources:
1. http://www.psychotherapy.org.uk/registrants_benefits.html
2. http://www.howdenins.com/
3. http://www.towergateprofessionalrisks.co.uk/
4. http://www.professionalinsuranceagents.co.uk/
5. http://www. sennet-insurance.co.uk
6. http://www.e-insurancedirectory.com/indemn.php
:.
0 comments:
Post a Comment