Medical indemnity cost in the United Kingdom is driven by specialty more than by anything else, and by whether the work is NHS or private. The range across specialties is very wide, which is why a figure quoted by a colleague in a different field tells you almost nothing about your own position.
Specialty
Obstetrics, spinal and neurosurgery, and cosmetic procedures sit at the top because the claims are rare, catastrophic and long lived. General practice, psychiatry and most physician specialties sit far lower. The gap between the extremes is a multiple rather than a percentage.
NHS against private work
NHS clinical work is generally covered by state backed schemes, and the arrangement a clinician buys is usually for private practice. A consultant with a small private list therefore pays on that list rather than on their whole career, which is why declaring the private workload accurately matters.
Insurance or discretionary assistance
A commercial insurance policy is a contractual right with a limit and a claims made trigger. Membership of a defence organisation has historically offered discretionary assistance instead. The two price differently and behave differently, and which you hold is worth knowing before a claim rather than after.
Claims history and scope changes
A claim is underwritten for years, and so is a change of scope. Adding a procedure, starting a clinic or taking on aesthetic work changes the risk and the arrangement has to follow, which usually means a new premium rather than a note on the file.
Questions people ask about medical indemnity insurance cost
Why is medical indemnity so expensive in some specialties?
Because a small number of claims are catastrophic and long lived. Obstetrics, spinal surgery and cosmetic work sit far above general practice.
Does NHS work cost me anything?
NHS clinical work is generally covered by state backed schemes. What clinicians buy is usually cover for private practice.
Does adding a procedure change the price?
Yes. Scope changes are underwritten, and an arrangement written for your previous scope may not cover the new one.