NZOHA Member Insurance FAQs 2023

BMS is the official and exclusive broker for the NZOHA Member Insurance Program. BMS is part of the wider BMS group which is dedicated to providing cover and value-added services to associations and their members.

The BMS group provides cover to healthcare and regulated professionals through associations across Australia, Canada, Europe and New Zealand. This experience gives BMS a unique insight and ability to create and deliver significantly enhanced and continuously evolving member centric insurance programs. This includes ensuring broad, market-leading coverage, evidence-based risk management and exceptional member service. To find out more visit their website.

If you have any questions about the  NZOHA Member Insurance Program, contact BMS at 0800 999 267 or nzoha@bmsgroup.com.

Ensuring NZOHA members have access to comprehensive cover, additional, evidence-based risk management material and exceptional service for insurance queries and claims is paramount. BMS is a specialist broker dedicated to servicing associations and their members and will continue to enhance the NZOHA Member Insurance Program.

• $10,000,000 Limit of Professional Indemnity and an annual limit of $20,000,000

• Cover is provided worldwide (excluding only the USA)

• Retroactive cover for past activities if you have held continuous cover

• Run-off cover available when you  permanently retire

• Cover for locum and student Dental Hygienists and Oral Health Therapists

Yes you can opt into the insurance program at any time by purchasing via the dedicated BMS link.

This cover is not automatically included in the NZOHA Member Professional Indemnity Insurance policy.

Cover can be provided at an additional cost for the application of Botox and/or dermal filler provided you are adequately trained in cosmetic injectables to undertake these activities. Products must be used in line with manufacturer’s instructions.

Note, Platysmal bands Botox treatment is excluded from the cover.

Contact BMS on 0800 999 267 or nzoha@bmsgroup.com for more information or to apply for cover.

Professional Indemnity Insurance protects you against allegations or claims of financial loss due to injury or damages that have resulted from a negligent act, error, omission, malpractice or breach of duty that has arisen out of your professional capacity as Dental Hygienists and Oral Health Therapists.

Contact the BMS team on 0800 999 267 or nzoha@bmsgroup.com.

The NZOHA Member Professional Indemnity insurance policy is a claims made policy. This means the policy only provides cover for any prior acts as long as you have an active policy at the time of a claim. Therefore, it’s important to ensure you have a policy in place should you take a leave of absence (leave where you’ll likely return to work at some stage). This will ensure you’re covered should a claim arise during this time.

Yes. The NZOHA Member Professional Indemnity insurance offers run-off cover, which means you are covered when you retire. To activate this, you must apply for run-off cover by contacting BMS on 0800 999 267 or nzoha@bmsgroup.com. An additional premium may apply.

Yes. As a Public Health Sector worker, without your own insurance policy you are relying on your employer’s insurance, which may be geared more towards protecting your employer. Further, Public Hospitals or Health Centres typically carry policy excesses upwards of $250,000; which means that, in the event of a claim against you, they may decline to cover you.

Your employer’s policy may not cover you for:

• Your services with previous employers.

• Your private practice work.

• Your past services rendered.

• Your services provided as a contractor, sub-contractor or consultant.

• If you are sued by your employer

NZOHA members who participate in the NZOHA Insurance Program also have peace of mind that they have an individual $10,000,000 limit per claim covering their interests.

Having your own individual policy also ensures you are covered if you want to work while transitioning from one employer to the next.

Members should

• Immediately report any potential claim to BMS

• Formally document the incident, including details of those involved

• Submit any formal statement to BMS

• Report any regulatory investigations or notice of complaint immediately

• Gather any noted and supporting documentation

Members should not

• Speak with any third parties about the claim

• Assume any legal fees before reporting a claim

• Offer compensation to independently settle a claim

• Amend or change any previous medical records once a statement of claim has been received

If you are aware of a potential claim you should contact BMS directly at 0800 999 267 or nzoha@bmsgroup.com