Indemnity Arrangements (renewal)

If you are practising as a registered dispensing optician or optometrist, you must provide us with details of at least one indemnity arrangement that contains appropriate cover in accordance with Section 10A of the Opticians Act:

10A(1) A registered optometrist or registered dispensing optician who practises as such must have in force in relation to him an indemnity arrangement which provides appropriate cover for practising as such.

(2) For the purposes of this section, an "indemnity arrangement" may comprise—
(a) a policy of insurance;
(b) an arrangement made for the purposes of indemnifying a person;
(c) a combination of the two.

(3) For the purposes of this section, "appropriate cover", in relation to practice as a registered optometrist or registered dispensing optician, means cover against liabilities that may be incurred in practising as such which is appropriate, having regard to the nature and extent of the risks of practising as such."

You can obtain cover through a private insurance policy, indemnity arrangements by your employer or professional body, or a combination of these. The arrangements must ensure that, if a patient makes a successful claim against you (e.g. for professional negligence) there will be sufficient funds to cover the compensation and any other costs.

The amount of cover will depend on a number of factors including the area of practice, the types of services and the types of patients. Your employer, professional body or insurance broker can help you assess the risks, but it remains your responsibility to ensure that your cover, including its run-off provisions, are appropriate. You may need to obtain a secondary policy if you expand your scope of practice.

We may verify your insurance details at any time. A breach of this requirement could result in your immediate removal from the register.

If you are a member of ABDO, FODO or AOP, your insurance expiry date is likely to be 31 December.