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Frequently Asked Questions...

 

Below you will find information in relation to questions we are frequently asked. If you do not find the answer to a question you have, please call us on 1800 DRS CHOICE (1800 377 246) or drop us a line using our Contact Form or email us at service@drschoice.com.au.

 

Inviting your suggestions...

Do you have a suggestion for a question we haven't covered? If so, we would love to hear from you so we can add your question into our list. To suggest a FAQ, please drop us a line using our Contact Form or email us at faq@drschoice.com.au. Thank you for your input.

 

Contribute your perspective on a FAQ

Do you have a specific experience about a FAQ? To offer another perspective, please drop us a line using our Contact Form or email us at faq@drschoice.com.au.  Thank you for your contribution.

Why should I use your services?

At Doctors' Choice we use our experience and knowledge of the medical indemnity industry, spanning over 45 years collectively, to give obligation-free advice and assistance to our doctor clients to help them make informed choices in relation to their medical indemnity insurance.

 

Visit our Why use us page for further details

I already have an insurance broker? Can I still use Doctors' Choice?

Yes. Just as a patient might have a GP and specialist looking after their healthcare, we would recommend you continue to use the services of your broker but also use the specialist services of Doctors' Choice for your medical indemnity insurance needs.

How much does your service cost me?

Nothing! We save you time, money and help you make informed choices when it comes to your medical indemnity insurance but we don't charge you a cent. We are paid commission by insurers when arranging insurance on your behalf. We advise you of our commission at the time we make recommendations to you.

Do you act on my behalf or on behalf of insurers?

Doctors' Choice acts on your behalf. While insurance brokers may sometimes act on behalf of an insurance company under a binder arrangement, we do not. We will always work on behalf of our doctors with their best interests of paramount importance to us. 

Why do you only deal with doctor-owned medical indemnity insurers?

At the heart of Doctors' Choice is our belief that doctors' interests are best protected by "doctors for doctors" medical indemnity organisations. These well established, specialist, membership based organisations have the interests of the medical profession at the forefront of their operations and, unlike commercial insurers, are doctor-owned, not-for-profit organisations.

 

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Do you just recommend the cheapest insurance for me?

No. The best policy for you doesn't necessarily mean the cheapest policy; the cost of not being covered for one of your professional risks could be a lot more than the dollars you might save on a policy! Price is one factor we analyse for you, but it is only one piece of the puzzle when determining our recommendations.

Why shouldn't I get the same policy as my colleague?

How do you know your colleague has the best policy for you? At Doctors' Choice we completely appreciate that no two doctors are alike; seemingly small differences can have a significant impact on what is the best policy for a doctor. Remember, it doesn't cost you a cent to use our services and have the knowledge that you have the policy that best suits YOU!

My work is covered by the Hospital/my employer. Do I still need Doctors' Choice?

Yes. Doctors' Choice recommends that employer indemnified doctors also have an appropriate policy with one of Australia's doctor-owned medical indemnity insurers. Your employer indemnity may not provide you with the support you need especially in the event of a dispute with your employer. The premiums for policies for employer indemnified doctors are very reasonable, especially compared to the costs you might incur if you don't have a policy! Doctors' Choice can help to ensure you have the best employer indemnified policy for you.

 

To sign up now, please visit our Sign Up page.

Am I penalised if I move insurance provider?

No. However, when moving insurers it is crucial that you maintain continuous cover. In simple terms, provided the switch is done correctly, your old insurer will continue to cover you for incidents you have notified to them and your new insurer will cover you for future claims unknown by you at the time of moving insurers which might arise from services you provided before moving.

 

When you switch insurers it is therefore vital that

  • you notify your current insurer of any matters which could develop into a claim and
  • the correct retro date is on your new policy.

  

Doctors' Choice can help you switch insurer and ensure you have continuous cover in place. To Sign Up now, please visit our Sign Up page.

I'm moving to Australia from overseas. Is medical indemnity compulsory?

Yes, doctors seeking to practise medicine in Australia must be registered with the Medical Board of Australia and it is a condition of registration that doctors have all aspects of their medical practise covered by professional indemnity insurance.

 

Doctors' Choice can help to ensure you have the appropriate cover in place to satisfy your registration requirements. To Sign Up now, please visit our Sign Up page.

Is public liability cover included in my medical indemnity policy?

Public liability cover is generally not included in your individual medical indemnity policy. Organisations often require people they engage to have public liability insurance. It can feel a bit like being financially “pinged" twice when you already have professional indemnity insurance but they are different insurances covering different liabilities. The key issue that separates these insurances is the duty of care each seeks to protect. Your medical indemnity insurance policy covers your civil liability arising from your provision of healthcare services as a doctor i.e. your professional duty. Public liability insurance relates to everyone’s general duty of care not to do any damage to anyone or their property or cause them to suffer a financial loss. The good news is public liability insurance is far cheaper than medical indemnity insurance.

Can I become a client of Doctors' Choice online?

Yes. To sign up as a client of Doctors' Choice, you need to sign a Letter of Appointment and complete an Insurance Information Form. You can download these from our Sign Up page or Documents page and return them to us by email, fax or post.

 

To Sign Up now, please visit our Sign Up page.

Do I contact you if I need to make a claim or notify an incident?

No, you should deal directly with your medical indemnity insurer in relation to incidents and claims. Remember to notify all matters to your insurer as soon as possible. Early notification is a requirement under your insurance policy but is also important to enable your insurer to provide you with the best possible support.

 

To notify a matter to one of the doctor-owned medical indemnity insurers we deal with visit:

 

Avant

Incident Notification      

MDA National

Report an Incident 

MIGA

Notify an incident

MIPS

Incident Notification 

 

Do I contact you if I need medico-legal advice?

No, you should contact your medical indemnity insurer directly.

 

The doctor-owned medical indemnity insurers we deal with provide emergency 24/7 medico-legal advice hotlines. If you require urgent medico-legal advice you should call your insurer:

 

Avant 1800 128 268
MDA National 1800 011 255
MIGA

1800 839 280

MIPS 1800 061 113
Will you advise me on other types of insurance like my car insurance?

No, at Doctors' Choice our distinct difference from other insurance brokers is that we specialise in insurance products provided by medical indemnity insurers. After talking with a significant number of doctors, we discovered that so many doctors in practice do not realise they have a choice when it comes to their medical indemnity insurance or they are time poor or lack the insurance knowledge and expertise to make informed choices. We realised there was a real need for our experience and knowledge to "plug a gap" in insurance broking. We believe we best serve our doctor clients by being focused on insurance products provided by medical indemnity insurers so we don’t dilute the quality of our service with distractions such as car insurance.

Doctors’ Choice Medical Indemnity Advisers Pty Ltd ABN 27 607 529 948 (Doctors’ Choice) has an Australian Financial Services Licence (Number 483781).

We are licensed to act as a General Insurance Broker providing advice and dealing in general insurance products.