Professional Indemnity Insurance Help Centre

Get answers to the most frequently asked questions about Doctor Shield

Browse the categories below to find your answers. If you don’t find what you are looking for, use the contact form to connect with our friendly consultants

General

What makes Doctor Shield’s solution different?

It is the World’s First complete online platform to purchase Medical Indemnity Insurance
We partner with Chubb, the World’s Largest publicly traded Property & Casualty Insurance company.
Claims are fast and easy as Chubb has local capacity to pay claims and is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Clients can appoint their own Lawyer of choice with medico legal experience subject to the approval of our insurer.

What is the limit for Locum practice ?

If you are a government doctor, you are covered for locum practice if you have chosen locum cover. In the event that you are doctor from the private sector, you are covered for locum automatically. The limit of liability as a locum follows the limit of the policy coverage that you chose to buy.

What is covered in Doctor Shield’s Professional Indemnity Insurance?

Covers for claims arising from a Medical Negligence Incident by the insured in the provision of professional healthcare services
Cover for legal representation costs incurred directly in connection with formal inquiries into the conduct of professional healthcare services
Vicarious liability for doctors and doctors working as locum
Good Samaritan Acts
Covers for claims for unintentional defamation by the insured in the provision of professional healthcare services
Covers for unintentional infringement of any intellectual property
Loss of documents
Unlimited run-off coverage
Advancement of defence costs and legal representation expenses
Cyber & Privacy Infringement
Unlimited retroactive date
Covers Aggravated Damages
Public relations cost
Option to add Auto reinstatement
Full support for mediation
Expert Doctors and Medico Legal Lawyers consultation

Which category should General Practitioners practising Aesthetics select?

They should select: General Practitioners with Aesthetics exposure . This category would cover “Non-invasive elective topical enhancement of patient’s external appearance, including injections” or minor procedures which include the following:

Derma Rolling/ Skin Needling.
Injectables – Botulinum Toxin Type A (Botox, Dysport) and non-permanent dermal fillers.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL).
Laser therapy (excluding laser resurfacing).
Microdermabrasion.
Peels – fruit acid facial peels and superficial depth chemical peels.

What is the classification of a government university lecturer practicing at government hospitals?

This will be classified as “government doctor”

Are Doctor shield premiums tax exempted?

Yes, we believe it to be classified as a business expense. However, as we are not qualified to advise on tax matters, we encourage you to clarify with your tax consultants.

What are territorial limits?

This means you are covered worldwide except for USA/CANADA.
However, the legal cases must be heard in Malaysian courts only.

Who is the best to advise on the doctor’s classification?

The insurer is not best suited to make a decision on the classification. Medical Professionals will know the exact procedures that differentiates the general practitioners from the specialists in each fraternity. Hence, the Medical Professional will be the best to make this decision.

Is there any difference between The Doctor Shield and other schemes?

We are unable comment on other schemes.

Nevertheless, we will be able to highlight our benefits that are unique in the market. It may also help you understand why many have signed up with us.

The Doctor Shield has made it possible for doctors to customize the coverage they want and purchase it within 10 minutes, that includes receiving your insurance policy. https://quote.thedoctorshield.com/
The policy is underwritten by Chubb who are the World’s Largest publicly traded Property & Casualty Insurer. And they have local capacity within Malaysia to pay claims unlike many of the competitors who may have reinsured the risk to an overseas reinsurer. This may affect significant sized claims as it goes through two layers of loss investigation and approval.
You can renew policies within 2 minutes via our online platform. You will receive reminders to renew periodically 6 months prior to your policy expiry
The Doctor Shield encourages alternative dispute resolution methods especially mediation. We fully support quicker dispute resolution.
We offer unlimited retroactive date. Which means that you are covered against any unknown claims arising from day one of your career.
If you are a clinic owner, you can easily add clinic indemnity to your individual professional indemnity insurance within minutes via our online platform. https://quote.thedoctorshield.com/
We offer unlimited run off coverage for you to be covered during your retirement years. This coverage is free of charge as long as you have been insured with us for a minimum of 5 consecutive years. In the event that you are planning for retirement less than 5 years, you may inform us and purchase the run off coverage with an additional premium.
Regulator’s inquiries are covered within the policies.
We do not pride ourselves to be the cheapest, but we are certainly the most competitive in most classifications.
We do have our panel of expert medico legal lawyers ready to be engaged. Nevertheless, we also allow lawyers of your choice to represent you as long as they have medico legal experience subject to the Insurer’s approval.
Simplified process with ever ready service consultants who can be contacted via our website or WhatsApp. Our main objective of building an online platform is to help clients make an informed decision without any misrepresentation. We have made the coverage comprehensive so as to minimise caveats and ambiguity. Nevertheless, our service consultants are always available to assist with clarifications over the phone or on whatsapp.

What are the differences between the various classifications of Cosmetic and Aesthetic specialization?

Cosmetic and Aesthetic Low risk

“Non-invasive elective topical enhancement of patient’s external appearance, including injections” or minor procedures which include the following:

Derma Rolling/ Skin Needling.
Injectables – botulinum toxin Type A (botox, dysport) and non-permanent dermal fillers.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL).
Laser therapy (excluding laser resurfacing).
Microdermabrasion.
Peels – fruit acid facial peels and superficial depth chemical peels.

Cosmetic and Aesthetic Medium Risk

Invasive procedures of items above

Cosmetic and Aesthetic High risk

Cosmetic and Aesthetic Surgery: Elective Alteration of Patient’s External Appearance
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Is your company a Singapore based company?

JA Assure Group started from Singapore but now have fully operational and is licensed in Malaysia as JA Assure Sdn Bhd, registered under PIAM, BANK NEGARA. Our offices are located in 2A-16-2 (Suite E), Plaza Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 5, Kuala Lumpur 50470, Malaysia. https://thedoctorshield.com/contact-us/

JA Assure Group has Insurance Intermediary licenses and operates offices in Singapore, Labuan and Hong Kong.

Since Doctor Shield is new to medical indemnity, how experienced are your lawyers in dealing with medico legal suits?

Doctor Shield – New Technology Platform. New Online submission and policy issuance
JA Assure, has been in the insurance industry for the last 20 years
Chubb is the World’s Largest publicly traded Property & Casualty Insurance company.
Almost all reputable expert medico legal lawyers in the country are part of our panel.
Nevertheless, we are also able to accept lawyers of your choice to represent you, as long as they have experience in the medico-legal field, subject to the approval of the insurer.

If I buy Medical Indemnity Insurance now, and might change the work practice few months later, would there be any charge?

If you change your main practice location but are still under the same classification, you would only need to inform us the address so that we can update the system. There won’t be any charges. But if you change to a different classification, you may be subject to a change in premiums.

If I need to leave Malaysia early or stop my practice before December, would there be refund for the balance months?

Refunds are possible however it would be subject to approval at point of request.

What is the criteria for specialists?

The specialists are best positioned to answer this question as he/she will know the requirements for each specialisation. However, we may follow the criteria set by the National specialist Register. For more information :https://www.nsr.org.my/Criteria.html

Is the policy under Takaful Insurance or Conventional?

Our policy is underwritten by Chubb and is under Conventional.

What is loss mitigation?

Loss mitigation is an additional coverage that most insurers don’t offer. It allows you to claim for allowed expenses such as medical experts consultation at the point of a claim notification. Allows expense that will basically help doctors reduce the conflicts, we are ready to help doctors solve the problems at the start of the problem itself.

Which is bigger if I may ask? MPS or Doctor Shield?

“We are unable comment on other schemes.
Nevertheless, we will be able to highlight our benefits that are unique in the market. It may also help you understand why many have signed up with us.

The DoctorShield has made it possible for doctors to customize the coverage they want and purchase it within 10 minutes, that includes receiving your insurance policy. https://quote.thedoctorshield.com
The policy is underwritten by Chubb who are the World’s Largest publicly traded Property & Casualty Insurer. And they have local capacity within Malaysia to pay claims unlike many of the competitors who may have reinsured the risk to an overseas reinsurer. This may affect significant sized claims as it goes through two layers of loss investigation and approval.
You can renew policies within 2 minutes via our online platform. You will receive reminders to renew periodically 6 months prior to your policy expiry
The DoctorShield encourages alternative dispute resolution methods especially mediation. We fully support quicker dispute resolution.
We offer unlimited retroactive date. Which means that you are covered against any unknown claims arising from day one of your career.
If you are a clinic owner, you can easily add clinic indemnity to your individual professional indemnity insurance within minutes via our online platform. https://quote.thedoctorshield.com
We offer unlimited run off coverage for you to be covered during your retirement years. This coverage is free of charge as long as you have been insured with us for a minimum of 5 consecutive years. In the event that you are planning for retirement less than 5 years, you may inform us and purchase the run off coverage with an additional premium.
Regulator’s inquiries are covered within the policies.
We do not pride ourselves to be the cheapest, but we are certainly the most competitive in most classifications.
We do have our panel of expert medico legal lawyers ready to be engaged. Nevertheless, we also allow lawyers of your choice to represent you as long as they have medico legal experience subject to the Insurer’s approval.
Simplified process with ever ready service consultants who can be contacted via our website or WhatsApp. Our main objective of building an online platform is to help clients make an informed decision without any misrepresentation. We have made the coverage comprehensive so as to minimise caveats and ambiguity. Nevertheless, our service consultants are always available to assist with clarifications over the phone or on WhatsApp.

As a government specialist working locum, how do I proceed to insure?

For government specialists working locum, you need to select your classification as “Government Specialist with locum exposure”. This will lead to a further table requiring you to select the classifications and the percentage of your work in each classification. Your premiums will be calculated instantly based on the information provided. You may proceed to buy your insurance instantly thereafter.

As a government medical officer, how do I proceed to insure?

All government medical officers with locum exposure regardless of their job scope can choose the “Medical officer with locum exposure” classification. We have managed to cater to all government medical officers doing locum in the private healthcare sector by offering a standard rate despite their job scope.

Do you have policy that works by per day working basis?

We have catered a special category for semi-retired specialists such as yourself. This category fits specialists who work less than 20 hours per week. We are sure you will find the premiums much more suitable for your current workload.

What does Extended Notification Period mean?

Period whereby you can report a loss, even after the policy expires. Extended notification period is usually 90 days from the policy expiry.

I still don't understand what does the clinic indemnity cover, is it compulsory?

The clinic may be sued independently by the plaintiff which may not be covered by your insurance cover. Therefore, it’s recommended that the clinic has its own insurance. However, clinic insurance is not compulsory.

The policy yearly premium increases every year and by how much?

This is market and claims driven. We don’t have visibility on the future of claims. Nevertheless, we want to grow this segment and thus may not lose our price competitiveness.

Since we take the sustainability of our premiums seriously, we have structured a price mechanism to absorb lesser of high risks specialists compared to lower risks categories. This balanced portfolio helps us reduce our potential claims exposure and thus helps in keeping premiums sustained longer than others. In other words, unlike our competitors, we accept only limited number of high risks specialists.

Is Doctor Shield a claims-made or occurrence based policy?

Doctor Shield is a claims-made basis policy.

Difference between occurrence-based and claims-made policies?

An occurrence-based policy covers you for life as long as you were covered with them for that policy period. Although such policies are usually superior compared to claims-made policies, the insurers issuing such policies tend to accumulate (potential claims and) losses over years and find it difficult to operate at the same premiums level. Hence, the insurers who used to offer such occurrence-based policies are either getting out of the mode or increasing their premiums consistently to stay afloat.

Doctor Shield offers Claims-made basis- A policy providing coverage that is triggered when a claim is made against the insured during the policy period, regardless of when the wrongful/ negligent act occurred that gave rise to claim.

Although the policy is claims-made basis, we offer unlimited retroactive date. In other words, as long as you are holding on to our policy, we cover you for all the unknown matters arising from the date you started practicing.

We also offer unlimited run off which means you are covered for life even after you cease your operations or after your retirement.

In today’s market, most insurers and clients have moved to providing Claims-made basis as its more cost effective and sustainable.

What are the available grouping of Dental Specialties?

Besides General Dentistry, Orthodontics, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery we have grouped Endodontics, Pedodontics, Periodontics, Prosthodontics, Restorative and Special Needs in the same category.

If I have purchased the policy, but not renewed my APC, will it cover me?

The coverage will not stand if the doctor practises without renewing the APC.

Does Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) recognise DoctorShield?

The MMA is an association. DoctorShield is recognised by the Malaysian government, which is operated in Malaysia by JA Assure Sdn Bhd. The policy is underwritten by Chubb Insurance Malaysia Berhad who are the World’s Largest publicly traded Property & Casualty Insurer. Chubb have local capacity within Malaysia to pay out the claims, whereas others may have reinsured the risk to an overseas reinsurer. This reinsurance may affect large claims as it may go through two layers of loss investigation and approval.

What are the unique benefit in DoctorShield's Professional Indemnity Insurance?

Unlimited retroactive date
Unlimited run-off coverage
Complimentary aggravated extension
Complimentary auto reinstatement
Complimentary loss mitigation extension
Choose your own lawyer
Coverage for notices of contribution and indemnity (NCI)
Defence costs (limit in addition)extension
Complimentary sole trader extension
Complimentary personal accident cover
Comprehensive and customizable clinic property insurance

Where can I get further information?

Should you require additional information about Chubb Elite Medical Malpractice insurance, you can contact us at our hotline at +60122930700 via call or WhatsApp, or email us at [email protected] . You can also refer to our portal at https://thedoctorshield.com and download booklet from www.thedoctorshield.com\booklet.pdf

Can I cancel my policy?

You may cancel your policy by providing us with a 30-day written notice. If there are no claims, inquiries, or circumstances notified to Chubb under this policy, we will refund the unearned premium in accordance with our customary short-term rates. For assistance, you can contact our hotline at +60122930700 via call or WhatsApp, or email us at [email protected], referencing your policy number. Please note that administrative charges amounting to 10% of the premium collected may apply for cancellations by JA Assure.

Premiums

Are premiums monthly or yearly?

The premiums are yearly.

How do I pay the premium?

Premiums can be paid via our website using direct bank transfer, credit or debit cards and there is also an option to pay instalment. https://quote.thedoctorshield.com

Where do I get promo codes? And what does Promo codes offer us?

JA has partnered associations and hospitals to offer their members and staff a special discount. If your association and/or hospitals do not have a collaboration with JA yet, kindly do let us have your HR’s or Person in charge’s contact so that we can make the discounts available to you through your organization

Are there additional premiums to be paid if there are double claims in the same year?

there can be multiple claims in the same year, as long as it is within the Sum Assured amount, there will be no additional charges.

Is there a difference in premiums for government doctors with different classification?

Within government doctors, we do not differentiate between classifications. Therefore the premiums are the same. This flat rate also applies for medical officers with locum exposure. However, for government specialist with locum exposure, the premium will be different depending on the classification.

Does the policy yearly premium increase every year and by how much?

This is market and claims driven. We do not have visibility on the future of claims. Nevertheless, we strive for price competitiveness.

Is there admin charge for withdrawal before inception Or during the insured period?

For any cancellation of insurance policies that may occur, JA Assure Sdn. Bhd. retains the right to impose administrative charges amounting up to 10% of the premium collected. Following the receipt of a cancellation request, the company will refund the remaining amount to your bank account on. However, once the policy is incepted, the refund of unused premiums (if any) is subject to the approval of the insurer.

How does claims affect the premium the following year?

Premium Increase upon claim for individuals apply on case to case basis. Usually for large claims or frequent claims, the insured may be charged higher premiums. The entire portfolio will go thru premiums revisions yearly depending on overall claims experience. Doctorshield focuses on low and medium risk portfolios, as such our claims experience is expected to be low and thus the premiums should be stable in the long run.

What happen if I exceed the limit?

DoctorShield comes with FREE Automatic Reinstatement. The sum assured will be replenished automatically after the claims have exhausted the limit. Auto Reinstated coverage cannot be utilised for the existing claim.

Coverage

What is Run Off Cover? What if I am planning to retire from practicing next year ?

Unlimited Run-Off refers to when you have stopped paying the premiums and have retired – you are still covered for the entire period you had been insured. For retiring doctors, we offer unlimited run off cover without any additional premiums as long as they have been insured with us for a period of 5 consecutive years. In the event that doctors plan to retire in less than 5 years, the doctors can pay an additional premium to start their runoff coverage accordingly.

What's the minimum limit of liability for Annual Practising Certificate eligibility?

Minimum limit of liability provided in our website is RM 250,000 for government doctors and dentists. Whereas, the minimum limit of liability for specialists is RM1,000,000.

We are from a Healthcare company and would like to purchase 1-day insurance for our Doctor from Overseas. Do you have this type of insurance?

Although we don’t offer 1-day insurance policy, your doctor can buy insurance for the period till the end of the year or next year as per the system. It’s best that he holds on to the policy thereafter for some time to protect against any claims that may arise from thereon.
Since the doctor is from overseas, it’s important that he checks if he is eligible to practice in Malaysia.
The Insurance will only cover healthcare professionals who are licensed to practice.

Does Doctor Shield provide retroactive coverage? If yes, how long is it for?

Yes, Doctor Shield provides unlimited retroactive coverage. This means the healthcare staff would be covered from the day he/she started his/her medical practice against any unknown claims.

Everything seems to be related to the Schedule. Can I get a copy of this Schedule please?

The sample Policy Schedule is found inside the policy wordings obtained via our website https://quote.thedoctorshield.com when you request for a quote.

What is the minimum and maximum duration of the policy?

The minimum duration is 6 months and the maximum period for the policy is 18 months.
The policy will always end on 31st December. Policies effected in the first half of the year (1st Jan to 30th June) will provide coverage till the end of that year only.
Policies effected on or after 1st July will provide coverage till the end of the following year, ending on 31st December of the following year (maximum coverage for 18 months).

Do you provide coverage for hospitals other than principal place of practice that are not mentioned in the Annual Practicing Certificate?

Yes. We do provide coverage for the doctors in any location irrespective of the address mentioned in your APC. All of our policies cover practice worldwide except for USA/Canada.

Do you offer Clinic Indemnity?

Yes, we do offer Clinic Indemnity as a rider to Individual Professional Indemnity who own clinics as a separate legal entity (registered as a Sdn Bhd or a partnership). A doctor who wishes to insure himself with his clinic can opt for this policy. For doctors who own sole proprietorship clinics, our policies carry a “Sole Trader” extension that extends complementary coverage to cover their clinics.

If you are planning to insure just your medical establishment without insuring your individual medical indemnity with doctor shield, you may approach our service consultants for manual submission and processing of your policy.

If I get a government Doctor with locum policy for now, later can I still upgrade to fully private practice? Or if I get a coverage of RM1 million, can I upgrade to a higher coverage later?

Yes, it is possible. The higher coverage you choose to upgrade to will be prorated.

Will the client be compensated if the doctor loses their job due to a claim?

No. The insurance will only pay for legal costs and the medical damages, not for the loss of income of the doctor.

Is there any guideline on how much coverage a client should get?

The coverage is recommended to be in tandem with the risk level of each classification and the claims paid out in recent times.

If the Doctor has 2 or 3 years before retirement, do we offer run-off coverage?

Yes, we can offer run off coverage with an additional premium charge. But if the doctor is insured with us for 5 consecutive years, the run off coverage is free of charge.

Does DoctorShield cover for regulators inquiries caused by disciplinary act?

Yes. The policy covers legal expenses to represent you during regulator’s inquiries.

Do we get covered for appeal cases?

If the insurer agrees that the appeal is necessary, they will bear the cost for it. The policy states the procedure for determining whether the contest should be escalated to appeal or to settle.

Can coverage be bought for half year coverage?

No. However, if your policy starting date is before 1st July, the policy will end 31st Dec of that year.

Does the policy cover loss of records and leak of documents?

Yes, you are covered.

Does the policy cover public relations and counselling cost?

Yes, you are covered for public relations but NOT counselling.

For locum cover, is there a restriction on number of days or hours?

Our policies don’t impose a restriction on locum hours. Government laws and regulations are applicable.

The policy states that it also covers personal accident. How do I nominate a name in case of accidental death?

By default, the estate of the insured (family of the insured) will receive the payout. Nomination is not available at the moment.

If I choose neurosurgery, does it include spine surgery as well?

Neurosurgery does not include spine surgery. You will have to choose spine surgery in addition to neurosurgery.

A client stays insured with us from 2020 to 2026 and then retires. She informs us about her retirement and gets our approval on unlimited run off coverage. In year 2028, she receives notice of claim for an incident that she operated on in year 2015.

Will we continue to provide coverage for a doctor after retirement?

Answer: Yes, coverage will still be provided.

What is the sum assured?

Answer: The sum assured will be determined based on the insured’s most recent policy before entering retirement.

If the doctor was not covered by any policy in 2015, what would happen?

Answer: The doctor would still be covered since our retroactive date has no limit.

Does the unlimited retroactive date apply when someone is on run-off coverage with us?

Answer: Yes, the unlimited retroactive date applies during run-off coverage with us.

Does the personal accident coverage apply during the run off coverage period?

No, personal accident coverage ceases during Run-off period.

What are aggravated damages cover?

Aggravated damages are the special and highly exceptional damages awarded on a defendant by a court, when his/her conduct amounts to tortious conduct subjecting the plaintiff to emotional and malicious circumstances.

If a doctor's locum doctor gets sued, will the clinic owner(doctor) be affected?

The doctors who are working for the clinic owner will be protected under the vicarious coverage of the clinic owner’s policy. Nevertheless, the Insurer may still sue the locum doctor separately to recover their losses.

I am a practicing doctor in Malaysia and would like to know whether your company covers telemedicine. It does not state so in the policy wordings.

Yes, it is covered. The policy does not exclude telemedicine. We don’t restrict the medium thru which the doctor provides consultation. Government laws and regulations are still applicable

For tele medicine coverage, will it cover cross country telemedicine consultation?

Yes, it’s covered subject to the territorial limits worldwide except USA / CANADA and subject to the national laws on tele consultation. In the event of a claim, the case has to be heard in courts of Malaysia only.

Does the General Practitioner policy cover for antenatal follow ups?

Antenatal follow ups by GP is allowed for up to 24 weeks. Beyond 24 weeks, it must be done by GP with obstetrics. Additionally, GP with obstetrics can only care and manage. Deliveries & surgeries must be done by specialists only.

What if sole proprietor clinic gets sued?

If the sole proprietor clinic get sued, our policies will be triggered as they come with a “Sole Trader” extension that covers all sole proprietors’ clinics. However, in order for the “Sole Trader” extension to be triggered, it is important that the sole proprietor is involved directly with the patient treatment. If you have a locum doctor practicing in your clinic, it is advisable to add on a clinic indemnity insurance cover as there is a chance that the sole proprietor may not be directly involved with patient treatment.

Are High Risk Surgeries covered under locum exposure?

Yes. High risk surgeries are covered under locum exposure.

What Limits of Liability Are Available under this policy?

It varies with the specialty. Premium charges are based upon the relative risk associated with practice in a specialty. You can check our website https://quote.thedoctorshield.com/

For Occupational Therapist, which classification do I need to choose?

You can choose your classification under Allied Health Practitioner.

May I know what is covered for clinic insurance policy?

In the event of a legal suit, the clinic is treated as separate legal identity if the clinic is registered as a Sdn Bhd, and therefore needs to have its own indemnity insurance. This is an addition to the doctor’s indemnity insurance. The clinic insurance has all the same benefits as the individual professional indemnity to cover legal expenses and to respond to claims.

Is retroactive date applicable while someone is on run-off coverage with us?

Yes, we provide unlimited retroactive date during run-off coverage.

Can we buy a higher coverage on the last year before retiring so that we can have higher coverage run off during retirement?

Yes , you can choose a higher coverage before your last year retirement as long as you have been insured with us for 5 consecutive years.

In case of locum coverage, does the place of practice matter?

No, the place does not matter. With regards to places of locum practice, the DoctorShield policy covers locum services both in the private and government sectors across the world except for USA/Canada. However , legal case must be heard in Malaysia. However , for dentist the place of practice declaration must be in compliance with MDC regulation.

I am a general ophthalmologist and do cataracts, glaucoma and eyelid surgeries etc but no laser refractive surgery. Which category would I be in? Ophthalmic surgery category or ophthalmology with no laser refractive surgery - except cataracts? I don't do any high risks like laser refractive surgery and oculoplastic procedures.

As it is low risk, you may choose “ophthalmology with no laser refractive surgery – except cataracts”.

If there are 2 claims in the same year, within limit, is it that covered?

Yes. Claims are paid to the limit of the sum assured. You may have multiple claims but the insurer will pay up to the limit of the policy.

Does the percentage of specialty job scope determine the coverage an insured receives?

The percentage of specialization the insured fills up is based on his/her practice’s job scope. While it determines the premium, it does not affect the amount of coverage the insured would receive. The amount of coverage will be according to the limit of liability purchased.

Will my policy lapsed if my claim reaches the limit of indemnity ?

Once the claims limit has reached, the policy will be automatically replenished under our Doctorshield policy as it comes with free auto-reinstatement. It’s important to note that the new limit will cover the new claims, not existing ones.

Does DoctorShield include Public Liability cover?

DoctorShield does not cover for Public Liability coverage. However, you may choose to purchase clinic property insurance separately on our website which include public liability.

Policy

Do you issue a policy that ends before 31st December?

If you purchase a policy any time before 1st July, the policy is designed to end on 31st December of the same year and your premiums will be pro-rated. All policies purchased after 1st July, will end on 31st December the following year. This is the new industry arrangement following the regulation on mandatory insurance for doctors that all policies must end on 31st December. This is in alignment with the Annual Practicing Certificate (APC).

Why is DoctorShield’s maximum limit capped at RM 10,000,000?

DoctorShield currently caps the maximum policy at RM10m as the maximum record claims payout is RM7m to date.
DoctorShield policy comes with FREE auto reinstatement coverage. That will automatically replenish your limits to another RM10m in the event that the first RM10m is exhausted. Auto Reinstated coverage cannot be utilised for the existing claim

Is there a charge for withdrawal before inception Or during insure period?

May I know what is covered for clinic insurance policy?

In the event of a legal suit, the clinic is treated as separate legal identity and therefore needs to have its own Medical Malpractice Insurance. This is an addition to the doctor’s Medical Malpractice Insurance.
The clinic insurance has all the same benefits as the doctor to cover legal expenses and to respond to claims.

Do you have a policy that works by ‘per day working’ basis? As I've retired but occasionally work a couple of days to see a few patients. Buying full time coverage is too expensive for just few days of work.

Do you have a simplified insurance document for APC submission?

We have created a summary document which you will receive along with your policy documents via email.

How to view your policy before confirmation?

You can request for a quote online via our platform and you will receive the quote and policy wordings straight away. You can go through the policy wordings before you choose to buy.

Why do I need to specify the percentage breakdown of my classification?

This is required by the insurer to understand risk exposure.

If I am a O&G Specialist in Government Hospital and I am doing locum as a GP Obstetric, can I buy indemnity for GP with obstetrician practice as I don't do the delivery or Caesarean section as a locum?

You have to buy according to what you are licensed to do and not what you practice currently. This is to protect your historical liabilities according to what you are licensed to do.

Why is the legal costs included in the limit of liability for Doctor Shield whereas other insurers may keep it separate.

Doctor Shield offers a choice of lawyer engagement whereas other insurers may not. As such, the legal costs is enveloped within the limit of liability.

Is aggravated damages covered by Doctor Shield? Why is it not stated in the policy document?

DoctorShield provides full coverage for aggravated damages unless specifically excluded. Please refer to clause 7.2 of the policy wordings for further details.

How do I specify the percentage breakdown of my classification? Will it affect the sum assured?

The percentage serves as a tool for the insurer to estimate your exposure within each specialization. However, it does not impact your liability limit for each breakdown category. For instance, if your liability limit is RM 1 million and you’ve specified pediatric at 80% and neonate at 20%, in the event of a claim related to neonatal issues, you will still be covered for RM 1 million.

If the owner of the clinic is a General Practitioner (GP) and there is another full time doctor who is a specialist, to whose classification should the clinic indemnity be added on?

The risks of the clinic must correspond to the highest risk medical professional in that clinic, so that the premiums are justified according to the risks.
In the event, the higher risk specialist is no longer with the clinic, the owner may want to find a suitable replacement.

Can I add auto reinstatement to my existing policy after purchase?

Auto reinstatement can only be purchased at the initial point. To add auto-reinstatement midway, you can either:
a. Buy a new policy with auto reinstatement increasing your overall coverage with 2 policies or
b. Buy a new policy with auto reinstatement & cancel the previous policy. Take note that there would be a 10% cancellation fee imposed.

Renewals

Do I have to renew the policy before 31st December?

Yes. An online renewal link will be sent to you 2 months prior the policy end date which would allow you to renew your policy within a few minutes. Alternatively, you can also choose the “Renew” option from our website https://quote.thedoctorshield.com to start processing your renewal within minutes.
To get an Annual Practicing Certificate you must renew your policy and submit the details of the policy to the regulator.

When should I start policy renewal Process ?

You can start renewal process six months prior to the end date of the policy.

What is the process for renewal?

You can choose the “Renew” option from our website to start processing your renewal within minutes. The system will help prefill up your renewal application for you to review before you make the renewal payment.

Claims

What is Doctor Shield's claims philosophy?

Medical Malpractice is likely to cause pain and loss to patients that cannot always be exacted with financial compensation. At the same time, it is our belief that no doctor would have intentionally caused pain to any of his/her patients.
During the litigation process, the general conception could be one party being favoured over the other. This is why we strongly recommend professional mediation as the first course of action so as to achieve a suitable outcome that is positive for all parties. We are confident that we have well-qualified and experienced panel of medicolegal/dentolegal lawyers who can achieve successful outcomes through mediation and also protect our clients’ interests should litigation be necessary.

What is your claims approach?

We recommend that you allow us to choose the expert lawyer to represent your interests through the claims process. We have confidence in our panel of handpicked lawyers to help you through a successful meditation process and arrive at a positive outcome.
The objective is to help clients and their respective patients to move on with their lives without having to go through any more pain than necessary. In order to achieve effective dispute resolution, professional mediation is the best course of action and we fully support this effort.
However, if mediation is unsuccessful, our panel of expert lawyers will be able to move the case into litigation confidently.

How to file a Claim or notify of a claim?

Timely claims reporting is a requirement of the insurer. In a bid to reduce any time lapse between claims notification and lawyer engagement, we have created an online link for you to submit the details so that the insurers and the lawyers get real time updates.

https://quote.thedoctorshield.com/claims

Once the online form is submitted, our team will be notified and we will immediately activate one of our trusted lawyers to contact you and provide you with the appropriate advice on the next course of action.
As we have access to a wide range of medico-legal expert lawyers across the country on our panel, our preference is to activate the nearest to you. However, if you have a preferred lawyer, we can arrange for a quick approval with the insurer if he/she is not already on our panel.

If there is a claim due to a research product, who will cover the loss?

We insure doctors for medical malpractice. If the product is under clinical trial, then it is covered under the insurance policy of the product manufacturer who would have insured separately under clinical trial insurance / product liability insurance.

What happens if a claim is more than the limit of liability chosen on the policy?

Once the claims limit is reached, the policy is automatically replenished due to the auto reinstatement feature of our Doctorshield policy. However, the coverage reinstated automatically cannot be applied to existing claims and can only be utilized for subsequent claims. Therefore, it’s crucial to select suitable coverage aligned with your specialization and limit, keeping in mind the current trends.

What situations require us to immediately notify the insurer?

Claim made against you
Any and all circumstances that may lead to a possible claim being made against you
Any and all medical incidents that could potentially lead to a claim
Any inquiries that imply a claim is being considered against you

Can we consult medical experts upfront in the event of a claim?

Yes, if it is necessary to consult medical experts to clarify your situation, we will arrange a call for you to discuss further. If you wish to consult on the situation with a specific medical expert, please let us know so that we can have this arranged formally.

Is out of court settlement covered by your policy?

Yes, we cover (and strongly encourage) out of court settlement, arbitration, mediation, litigation and regulators’ inquiries.

Will any fines or penalties imposed by MMC be covered by Doctor Shield?

Fines and penalties are not covered under DoctorShield.

Who are your panel lawyers?

Most reputed medico legal law firms are in our panel. However, we allow any lawyer of your choice as well as long as they have medico legal experience subject to our insurer’s approval.

What is the meaning of Excess?

Excess refers to a pre-agreed sum of money you need to pay to your insurance provider if you ever make a claim. A standard DoctorShield policy does not have excess. This may be imposed on a case to case basis, dependant on past declaration/s.

If my liability limit is 1 million and there are three claims in a year, can all of them be claimed?

You will be eligible to make a claim up to the maximum liability per annum.

If the case is brought up to court in Brunei, will DoctorShield cover legal fees & subsequent claims?

DoctorShield will only cover cases brought up in Malaysian court. However, if you are practicing in Brunei and had purchased for Brunei coverage, you will be covered.

How do I submit a claim?

You must submit all claims within 30 days after the occurrence of the loss. In addition to the claims submission procedure in the policy wording, you may follow the claim submission process stated herein. To reduce any time lapse between claims notification and lawyer engagement, we have created an online form for you to submit the details. This ensures that insurers and lawyers receive real-time updates. You can submit your claim at https://quote.thedoctorshield.com/claims . Once the online form is submitted, our team will be notified, and we will immediately activate one of our trusted lawyers to contact you and provide the appropriate advice on the next course of action. If you prefer, you can also send your claim details via email to [email protected] . Our preference is to activate the nearest medico-legal expert lawyer to you. However, if you have a preferred lawyer, we can arrange for a quick approval with the insurer if they are not already on our panel.

Dentist

Do government dentist have to bare the lawyers fees?

If the dentist is being sued by a government patient, the case is brought up to the attention of the Senior Dental Officer in charge/ the Timbalan Pengarah Kesihatan Negeri ( Deputy Directors of State) then referred to the Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri ( State Health Department ) who have their own panel of lawyers to act on the case. However , if the dentist is being sued by a private patient , the dentist is on his own.

Government Dentist being sued - do the government claim back from the dentist after the sue is done?

This is decided on a case-by-case basis. There is always a special committee by the State Health Department (JKN) medico-legal team that decides if further action needs to be taken against the dentist or if they have to face additional charges.

Evidence for government dentist doing locum require Indemnity insurance?

Dental Act 2018 does said that it is Compulsory that all practitioners have indemnity and this will only be reinforced on 1st January 2025.

CALL OR CHAT WITH US FOR MORE ASSISTANCE

Our friendly professionals are ready to assist you with all your questions about our Malaysian doctor’s indemnity insurance coverage options.

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