Professional Errors & Omissions Liability Insurance

[inside out]

I understand that many provinces already have this insurance as mandatory. This is new to this years registration for Saskatchewan Opticians. So far we are being guided by our regulatory body to obtain this through OAC as the our regulatory body offers no other option even though it is now being required. In order to do this you must also be a member of OAC. I would like to know how Opticians in other provinces are dealing with Professional Errors & Omissions Liability Insurance. We require 3million liability here or we are threaten with a restricted licence. This was only passed this June in are bylaws. It has been poorly announced to the province. This march is our renewal time. Our renewal forms did not come with a letter stating this policy. I think many Opticians will be caught off guard by this in the province. I think this is a good example of how Optician are being herded by provincial regulatory bodies to be members of OAC. I would like to provide sask opticians with an alternative. I humbly ask for this boards help.

[idispense]

they will deal direct & outside of XXX , try it , agents live on the renewal commissions , not many would turn you down.

if not then call any other insurance agent and they will be aggrressive enough to want to put a plan together to get the business too

[uncut]

I understand that many provinces already have this insurance as mandatory. This is new to this years registration for Saskatchewan Opticians. So far we are being guided by our regulatory body to obtain this through OAC as the our regulatory body offers no other option even though it is now being required. In order to do this you must also be a member of OAC. I would like to know how Opticians in other provinces are dealing with Professional Errors & Omissions Liability Insurance. We require 3million liability here or we are threaten with a restricted licence. This was only passed this June in are bylaws. It has been poorly announced to the province. This march is our renewal time. Our renewal forms did not come with a letter stating this policy. I think many Opticians will be caught off guard by this in the province. I think this is a good example of how Optician are being herded by provincial regulatory bodies to be members of OAC. I would like to provide sask opticians with an alternative. I humbly ask for this boards help.

Error and Omissions Liability Insurance.............by the OAC(Opticians Association of Canada) is not a new thing.............it has been available for a loooong time, and was offered to all members who joined as a choice.

Some provinces, in the move to upgrade their provincial association's standards, have chosen to require that licenced opticians, not only must have error and Omission Liability Insurance, but that it be of particular type and style that the OAC has, through it's offering.

I don't believe that an insurance of your choosing, would be rejected, if it had the same minimum requirements of coverage.

[idispense]

3 million would seem like a lot of insurance . What claims have there ever been ?

[idispense]

I did some research , now I understand , insurance requirements and minimums are higher in Sakatchewan due to the geography of the land.

If a farmer wearing bifocals stumbles and falls off his tractor in Sakatchewan he will land and stay under the wheels of the machine, but if the same farmer stumbles & falls off his tractor in Alberta or B.C. he will roll away from tractor unscathed.

Now in B.C. anyone can sell eyeglasses without being an optician so there is obviously no risk of harm (farmers roll away from their tractors) in B.C. so the requirements are less as well . In some cases in B.C. though, opticians that dispense in valleys are required to have higher coverage. This makes sense because the valley farmer first rolls away from the tractor but as he rolls uphill and looses momentum he then rolls right back under the tractor wheels again.

Now regulators also stepped up to the plate and informed me that internet vendors are not required to carry professional liability insurance because their product wrappers carry this warning " not intended for use where good vision is required" although some modified versions of this warning have been seen " not intended for use off site " they were probably referring to their 'web site' .

The regulators also pointed out that even in court cases in BC they have not been able to introduce evidence of 'risk of harm" .

I guess there is no disputing the farmer and his tractor theory.


P.S. Maybe farmers should have to do Continuing education and be taught to roll off to the downhill side of their tractors ? Maybe our insurance premiums would be lower ?

[idispense]

All humor aside , there is no doubt that insurance premiums are cheap and there is no doubt that it is a good idea. The cost of being a member is is worthwhile just for the insurance.

[Chris Ryser]

Opticians insurance program...........................................

2012
OPTICIANS INSURANCE PROGRAM
PROFESSIONAL ERRORS & OMISSIONS LIABILITY

The Opticians Association of Canada continues to offer a master Professional Liability
Insurance Program for all members. The policy protects members from lawsuits for damages
claimed by a third party, resulting from a professional error or omission or negligent act,
committed during the course of their activities as an “Optician”.
The policy also protects the Opticians Association of Canada “vicariously” for claims resulting
from professional services rendered by a member insured under the program.

The plan provides:
$3,000,000 or $5,000,000 Professional Errors & Omissions Liability Insurance

Annual Aggregate Limit

Pays the full cost of your legal defense up to the limit of liability.

NIL Deductible

Automatic coverage for students working under the supervision of an insured
member.

“Occurrence” policy form

Includes Libel & Slander

Broad definition of “Insured Services”

“Prior Acts” – January 1, 2006

Worldwide coverage subject to suits brought & made in Canada.

$10,000 Sexual Abuse Therapy Fund- pays for the therapy and counselling of a sexually
abused patient when a member has been found at fault under any Provincial or
Federal legislation regulating the profession.

$25,000 Legal Expense For Disciplinary Hearings- pays 100% of the costs for
members to obtain legal representation at any disciplinary hearing, review
committee formed by virtue of any Provincial health legislation or before any
court under such legislation.

$100,000 Criminal Defense Reimbursement Fund- pays for costs, charges and
expenses to defend members against actions or suits for penal offenses in
respect of charges lain in Canada. Costs, charges and expenses are covered on
a “reimbursement” basis only after a “not guilty” verdict on final appeal.


2011 Premiums $3,000,000 $5,000,000

Ontario $81.00 $97.20
Quebec $81.75 $98.10
All Others $75.00 $90.00

Total premiums include applicable provincial sales taxes


http://www.opticians.ca/CMS2011/ckfi...ary%202012.pdf


Insurance Broker ---------------->

http://mitchellandabbott.com/

[Chris Ryser]

That is absolutely a good deal:

I am not a retailer, but a small manfaturer and pay $ 3,500.00 a year for Liability Insurance while an optical retailer in Canada can get it below $ 100.00 including taxes per year.

[finefocus]

I did some research , now I understand , insurance requirements and minimums are higher in Sakatchewan due to the geography of the land.

If a farmer wearing bifocals stumbles and falls off his tractor in Sakatchewan he will land and stay under the wheels of the machine, but if the same farmer stumbles & falls off his tractor in Alberta or B.C. he will roll away from tractor unscathed.

Now in B.C. anyone can sell eyeglasses without being an optician so there is obviously no risk of harm (farmers roll away from their tractors) in B.C. so the requirements are less as well . In some cases in B.C. though, opticians that dispense in valleys are required to have higher coverage. This makes sense because the valley farmer first rolls away from the tractor but as he rolls uphill and looses momentum he then rolls right back under the tractor wheels again.

Now regulators also stepped up to the plate and informed me that internet vendors are not required to carry professional liability insurance because their product wrappers carry this warning " not intended for use where good vision is required" although some modified versions of this warning have been seen " not intended for use off site " they were probably referring to their 'web site' .

The regulators also pointed out that even in court cases in BC they have not been able to introduce evidence of 'risk of harm" .

I guess there is no disputing the farmer and his tractor theory.


P.S. Maybe farmers should have to do Continuing education and be taught to roll off to the downhill side of their tractors ? Maybe our insurance premiums would be lower ?

You have a fine grasp of the inanity of the world at present.

[inside out]

thanks to all you made me laugh. The logic is no less than many regulations we have as opticians. My point was not about the price it is where we are unofficially being directed. When Sask Opticians phone the regulatory body for directs as to where they can get this insurance they are directed to OAC. From my understanding of the OAC website you must be a member first at 105$ (that is the price listed on our Sask licence fee renewal form) and then also purchase the insurance. So then really if all you want is the insurance it will still cost you 180 to get it.
In my research I found an alternative for 135$ for the 3mil.

[Chris Ryser]

Insurance Broker ---------------->

http://mitchellandabbott.com/

[inside out]

The price of this liability insurance is not the only factors to consider. We need to be hyperopic not myopic.

[inside out]

My province liablity insurance has now been lowered 1,000,000$. How much does your province require? How much insurance does an Optometrist require in your Province? Optician should need no more than them. In Sask Optometrists require 1,000,000$ only. Now in Sask Opticians can get this 1,000,000$ for 50$ from Cherry ins. Guess who made that happen with a few phone calls???? They rewrote this section in our standards of practice just like that. They had to accomodate this irrefutable logic that Optometry was asking. Now OAC is trying to come up with a million dollar package and compete with that 50$ premium. Maybe soon all Opticians accross Canada will only need 1,000,000$ ins for 50$. Why should Opticians in one province need more insurance than another? We all should be the same. If that comes true remember inside out saved you a buck or two. I did it in Saskatchewan help me do the same accross Canada.

[uncut]

Congratulations, on your success, for Saskatchewan, inside out!

[idispense]

My province liablity insurance has now been lowered 1,000,000$. How much does your province require? How much insurance does an Optometrist require in your Province? Optician should need no more than them. In Sask Optometrists require 1,000,000$ only. Now in Sask Opticians can get this 1,000,000$ for 50$ from Cherry ins. Guess who made that happen with a few phone calls???? They rewrote this section in our standards of practice just like that. They had to accomodate this irrefutable logic that Optometry was asking. Now OAC is trying to come up with a million dollar package and compete with that 50$ premium. Maybe soon all Opticians accross Canada will only need 1,000,000$ ins for 50$. Why should Opticians in one province need more insurance than another? We all should be the same. If that comes true remember inside out saved you a buck or two. I did it in Saskatchewan help me do the same accross Canada.

Now Look here inside out , I have just about had enough of you , you get right back on that phone and and have those requirements raised back to at least 2 million and really 3 million would be better. I can't live on less kick backs than I get now and as you also know opticians for the most part do not have any retirement pension plans . Now with inflation , how do you expect me to sue you for only a million, pay off my lawyers and live for the rest of my life ? Do you really think I will be able to sue the onliners ? Come on be reasonable and get those rates and coverages back up to where I will want to sue you ! Geez some people just don't understand how the world works ....


.... now you call me on my tractor mobile phone tomorrow and let me know you got it done ..... I'll be practising my left side roll and tuck off the tractor


....honestly it is such a tug of war with you prairie farmer/optician types , ya'll just got too much time on yer hands and too much emptiness in yer life ...alll you guys do is play with tractors ...... now ya'll watch this video and see what Ontarians will do with your tractors if'n ya'll don't keep with the plans and stay in line

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/80628835/



..... now this sascatchewan farmer takes his "downhill fall off the tractor" practise seriously ! he even built is own hill to practise on plus a safety landing area to splash in afterwards .... ain't no risk of harm here , he was the only farmer in the world that regularly wears a life jacket too ( betcha this Sasky farmer is the only person in that province with a waterski boat too )

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1267274/Farmer-narrowly-escapes-injury-tractor-rolls-500m-hill-plunges-reservoir.html

--only thing is he'll need that insurance to pull this bad boy outta the only lake in Saskatchewan