Essentially, dental office insurance in Ontario is a type of business insurance. It comprises different coverages that protect a range of perils. In its most basic form, dental office insurance typically includes commercial general liability coverage and commercial property coverage. The former helps protect you from lawsuits alleging third party bodily injury or property damage. An example of this could be if a patient enters your office while the waiting room is being mopped, then slips and falls on the wet floor. If they are injured, the patient could have grounds to sue you.

The latter, commercial property coverage, protects your brick-and-mortar building and its contents from a variety of insured perils. That said, in addition to these two coverages, most dental office coverage plans also offer a range of extra protection by way of endorsements and add-ons that are designed to offer you further protection.

It's important to have dental office insurance to protect your business from financial ruin due to a loss experienced during the course of usual business operations. It's impossible to expect the unforeseen, but preparing for the worst will prevent you from paying out-of-pocket to get your business up and running after a loss. For instance, if a patient experiences a problem with their teeth that they allege was due to your negligence while administering your professional services, then you may find yourself facing the tall end of a lawsuit. This could, in turn, lead to devastating financial losses because of defense fees and legal costs. Rather than dealing with the fallout on your own, if you have the right coverage you don't have to worry about offsetting these costs.

Likewise, dental equipment can often be quite costly to replace if it malfunctions. Rather than having to pay out-of-pocket for a new X-ray machine, with the right insurance policy you can breathe easy knowing the cost will be covered by your insurer. That way, you avoid going into the red to purchase a new machine essential to your medical practice.

Yes, as a medical professional you need malpractice insurance (also known as professional liability insurance). This coverage protects you from lawsuits alleging that your patient experienced a financial loss due to something you did or did not do. Usually, the claims centre around allegations of misconduct, negligence, bad advice or failure to deliver promised services. However, malpractice insurance is usually available through the Ontario Dental Association.

Typically, no. General liability is not quite enough coverage for medical professionals as they are exposed to a wide range of risks that this type of insurance does not cover. For instance, it does not cover any sort of crime or cyber liability. Unfortunately, a medical professional and business owner can't rely on just a general liability insurance policy to be adequately protected. To find out what other insurance products you need for complete coverage, talk to our brokers today.

Anyone who works in or owns a dental office. The owner typically purchases the policy. This includes general dentists, dental hygienists, periodontists, endodontists, oral surgeons, orthodontists, and prosthodontists.