VetProtect is a suite of insurance products designed specifically for veterinarians, with a primary focus on professional indemnity (PI) and public liability (PL) insurance.

Professional Indemnity (PI) provides legal defense and awards cover against claims arising from third parties due to:

• Breach of contract;
• Medical Malpractice;
• Services rendered, or which should have been rendered in the course of duty.

Public Liability (PL) - Covers legal liability for claims arising out of:

• Accidental death, bodily injury, illness or disease of or damage to any third party person;
• Accidental loss of possessions or control of, or actual damage to property as defined in the policy wording arising out of and in the due course of running a veterinary practice.

VetProtect offers more than Professional Indemnity and Public Liability insurance. Veterinary practices may also select optional cover for Products Liability, Employers’ Liability and Online Vet Shop Liability. In addition, policyholders have access to a free Legal Assistance Helpline for guidance on professional and business-related legal matters.

• VetProtect caters for veterinarians and paraveterinarians in all spheres of practice with a unique categorisation of practices and include cover for lay staff working in registered veterinary practices.

• Each practice is quoted individually. Risk is more fairly assessed, and premiums suited to the individual practice rather than a blanket approach to all veterinarians.

• An approach of speedy settlement of claims rather than protracted legal processes is followed. Claims are processed quickly, are transparent, fair and hassle-free.

• All staff in a veterinary practice is covered under one policy.

• Indemnity forms are not a requirement for cover in case of emergencies.

• 100% of the premium paid, save for broker commission, goes towards insurance cover.

• Discounts are available to qualifying SAVA, IVPD, and SAAPRA members. Veterinary practices may qualify for a 7.5% discount where at least 75% of their veterinarians are SAVA or IVPD members. Individual SAAPRA-registered para-veterinary professionals may qualify for a 6% discount. Eligibility criteria apply.

Insurance is split across more well defined categories of practice and provides innovative risk solutions that aim to reduce the cost of insurance over the long term.

• Category A : Professional Individual domestic and exotic pets (small animals) including pedigreed animals but excluding animals used for professional breeding.
• Category B : Domestic General Practice (multi person practice) domestic and exotic pets (small animals) including pedigreed animals but excluding animals used for professional breeding.
• Category C : Commercial Livestock - Agriculture including commercial extensive farmers focused on livestock excluding stud farming. Excluding intensive farming. Equine (recreational) practice excluding stud and professional or race horse practices. Animals covered in category A and B are included.
• Category D : Wildlife, Zoological, Aquaculture and Aquariums, Professional (competition) and/or Race Horse and Stud Farming, Commercial dog breeding or any stud animal. Intensive Farming (eg. Feedlots, Poultry Farming, Piggeries, Fisheries, Rabbit Farming.) Dairies larger than 30 head of cattle being in milk.

Yes. VetProtect is designed to insure a veterinary practice and its staff under one policy, rather than requiring each veterinarian in the practice to obtain a separate policy, which would be considerably more costly.

The following people should all be covered under the product:

• The veterinarian/s;
• All qualified professional assistants, associates or partners working in the practice;
• Any present or former employees (at the request of the insured);
• Final-year veterinary students temporarily employed seeing private practice as part of the elective studies;
• Any qualified veterinarians (locum tenens) temporarily employed by the insured practice to assist with increased workload or professional staff going on leave.
• Support staff including reception staff, kennel staff, grooms and administrative staff.

• Reinstatement and retroactive cover;
• Insurance is provided on a “claims-made” basis. This means that the policy generally responds only when a claim is first made against the insured and reported to the insurer during the policy period, subject to the applicable retroactive date and the policy’s terms, conditions and exclusions.

• Damages resulting from the issuing of certain soundness and other certificates are not specifically excluded;

• Damages resulting from certain extra-label use of medicines are not specifically excluded however it remains important for the insured to inform their clients when they are using compounded or extra label medicines;

• Damages resulting from vasectomies or cauda epididectomies are not specifically excluded.

No. The product makes provision for standard cover of R1 000 000 (one million rand) up to R10 000 000 (ten million rand), but should a veterinary practice require more cover due to specific practice circumstances, extra cover can be provided up to R 20 000 000 (20 million rand).

Products Liability
VetProtect Products Liability cover protects veterinary practices against claims arising from products they sell or supply. This may include circumstances where a product allegedly causes injury, illness, or damage to a client’s property.

Subject to the policy terms and conditions, the cover may provide for legal defence costs, settlements, compensation, and related veterinary treatment costs.

Under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), veterinary practices that sell or supply products may be held liable for harm caused by unsafe or defective products.

Products Liability cover is therefore strongly recommended for practices that sell pet food, medication, supplements, veterinary products, or other retail items.

Products Liability
VetProtect Products Liability cover protects veterinary practices against claims arising from products they sell or supply. This may include circumstances where a product allegedly causes injury, illness, or damage to a client’s property.

Subject to the policy terms and conditions, the cover may provide for legal defence costs, settlements, compensation, and related veterinary treatment costs.
Under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), veterinary practices that sell or supply products may be held liable for harm caused by unsafe or defective products.

Products Liability cover is therefore strongly recommended for practices that sell pet food, medication, supplements, veterinary products, or other retail items.

The South African Veterinary Association (SAVA) initiated the process that led to the development of VetProtect. iTOO Special Risks (Pty) Ltd underwrites VetProtect. Financial advice and brokerage is provided by Leonie Delgado Platinum Portfolios CC.

Download a Proposal Form from the www.vetprotect.co.za website, complete it, and email it to vetprotect@myownbroker.co.za to receive a competitive quote.

No. One of the distinguishing features of VetProtect since its inception has been our proactive approach to complaint management. Our aim is to prevent client complaints from escalating into formal complaints before the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) or civil litigation wherever possible.

We therefore encourage insured veterinary professionals to notify us as soon as they become aware of a client complaint or any circumstances that could potentially lead to a formal claim. We will assist the insured in managing and resolving the matter at the earliest possible stage. Where appropriate, and with the insured’s knowledge, consent and assistance, a member of our team may engage directly with the client in an effort to resolve the complaint before it escalates.

For more than a decade, VetProtect has successfully assisted veterinary professionals in preventing client complaints from developing into formal SAVC proceedings or litigation. We believe that unnecessary escalation is seldom in the interests of the veterinary professional, the animal owner or the insurer. We will therefore make every reasonable effort to facilitate an early and appropriate resolution.

Where the insured was unaware of the complaint or potential claim and first becomes aware of the matter upon receiving a formal “Please Explain” letter from the SAVC or legal proceedings, VetProtect will step in to assist and defend the insured in accordance with the terms and conditions of the policy.

Where the available evidence supports the veterinary professional’s conduct, we will defend the matter robustly. Where the insurer determines that the insured may have incurred liability, we will explore whether the matter can be resolved appropriately with the client without the need for lengthy and costly formal proceedings.

Each individual or practice applying for insurance with VetProtect is quoted individually and separately and there is no “one size fits all”. Many, many factors are considered and some of the factors which are brought into consideration are things like:

• how long the individual or vets involved in a practice have been in practice;
•  what the size and scope of the practice is; 
• what kind of animals are treated and what the commercial value of those animals are; 
• what kind of veterinary services are provided; 
• what experience the vet/s involved have had in a specific field of interest and how and through whom they have gained that experience; 
• whether there have been previous claims against an individual or practice and what the details of those claims were; 
• incumbent or existing claims against someone who applies for insurance; 

VetProtect has always aimed to be fair and equitable in its insurance pricing strategy to ensure that practices/individuals who carry higher risk, pay higher insurance premiums and practices which carry lower risk, pay lower premiums. The product has been very competitive from inception and in many cases have saved vets thousands of rands in terms of how the insurance cover is structured and provided.