5 tips for dental hygienists to manage personal liability risks in today's job market, outlined by the Allied Protector Plan

Tampa, FL (PRWEB) December 18, 2012

Understanding the potential liability risks and the consequences associated with any chosen career is essential. Outlined below are a few of the things Dental Hygienist or Dental Assistant need to consider about purchasing professional liability insurance.

Maintaining Consistent Malpractice Claim Protection Is Vital
A dental hygienist/assistant may change policies from one insurance company to another every few years, which can cause serious “gaps” in protection because of differences in provisions of the various policies. Coverage gaps can also occur if a hygienist/assistant is laid off and the policy is cancelled at the same time. By purchasing individual insurance coverage, the policy will follow through any job change and eliminate coverage gaps.

Protect Personal Assets
Dental hygienists/assistants need to keep personal legal interests a priority and have individual medical malpractice liability insurance in place to protect personal finances and career. Research and case studies show there is a need for hygienist/ assistants to carry individual medical professional liability coverage that will protect personal interests and career at all times, with dedicated policy limits.

Determine Adequate Coverage for Multiple Offices and/or Consulting
An employer-provided policy may not cover working for multiple dental offices or consulting work on the side of a regular job. Purchasing an individual Professional Liability Insurance policy means the Dental Hygienist/Assistant, owns the policy and may select customized limits of liability to meet type of practice and needs, even if holding multiple positions or consulting on the side.

Be Sure Adequate Legal Defense is Available in the Event of a Malpractice Claim
In the event a malpractice claim is filed against a dental office, limits of legal representation will be appropriated to the entire office. Hygienists/assistants who have their own Professional Liability policy may find there is less conflict of interest with an employer as the policy will provide a defense attorney solely for the hygienists/assistant.

Understand the Difference of Shared vs. Separate Limits of Liability
With employer-provided coverage, limits are often shared with all defendants. That means that less coverage may be able to respond to a claim leveled against you. Purchasing an individual Professional Liability policy with separate limits of liability ensures limits are there for the dental hygienist/assistant.

RELATED: Risky business: professional liability insurance
RELATED: Prevention vs. prosecution
RELATED: Don't get burned in lawsuits firestorm

Ultimately, medical professional liability insurance is required for all healthcare providers. Beyond that, individual coverage can provide peace of mind especially for those who work for multiple employers or whose current coverages are inadequate. As with any insurance policy, the most important reason to have professional liability insurance is to protect a career and a family’s financial future.
Professional Liability Insurance for Dental Hygienists and Dental Assistants is very reasonably priced & can be purchased for only pennies a day.

Allied Protector Plan offers online purchase with the immediate coverage.

The Allied Protector Plan can help you determine the proper insurance coverage needed for a Dental Hygienists or Dental Assistant. Whether working as an employee or as a contracted dental professional, it is very important to understand the proper insurance needs.

The Allied Protector Plan
The Allied Protector PlanSM (APP)SM is underwritten by Lloyds of London and offers professional and general liability insurance coverage for medical professionals. We insure many classes of business including dental hygienists and dental assistants, other healthcare professionals and medical schools and associations. We specialize in customized professional liability and business insurance programs for Home Health Agencies, Medical Personnel Services, Medical Directors and Physical Therapy Clinics to name a few. Our experienced staff offers a high level of customer service with a fast turnaround on policy requests and can customize a policy to fit your needs.

The Allied Protector Plan is a division of B&B Protector Plans, Inc., specializing in Professional Liability Insurance, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Brown & Brown, Inc.

Coverage Territory for Allied Protector Plan
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah. Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico