Medical Professional Coverage Costs Under Scrutiny
Medical Professional Coverage Costs Under Scrutiny
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Amid rising concerns, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has flagged the escalating expenses associated with indemnity insurance premiums as a serious issue that demands attention.
Following a heated discussion at a recent national conference held on the Gold Coast, the AMA and its New South Wales branch convened with a number of medical defence organisations to tackle this pressing matter.
During these meetings, participants delved into changes in healthcare delivery and the evolving scopes of medical practice-factors contributing significantly to the rising costs within the medical indemnity sector.
According to a statement published on the AMA’s website, the Medical Defence Organisations (MDOs), which largely operate as member-based mutual entities, acknowledged the industry's growing unease. They shared global insurance market trends and emphasized the importance of maintaining open communication and collaborative efforts with the AMA to address systemic policy issues. Despite the need for cooperation, the constraints of competition law were noted as a limiting factor.
The organizations represented at the meeting included key industry players such as Avant, MDA National, Medical Indemnity Protection Society, MIGA, and Tego.
In its latest report, Avant informed Insurance News that their average rate increments have managed to remain below inflation for several renewal periods. Nevertheless, certain specialized fields have experienced sharp double-digit rate hikes due to specific claim frequencies and severities, affecting less than 1% of their membership.
Insurance Australia Group (IAG) has revised its annual profit forecast upward by $100 million, attributing this positive adjustment to the recent acquisition of RACQ Insurance. The company now anticipates a reported insurance profit ranging between $1.55 billion and $1.75 billion for the current financial year, an increase from the previous estimate of $1.45 billion to $1.65 billion. - read more
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The Australian general insurance industry is on a trajectory of substantial growth, with direct written premiums (DWP) projected to exceed $144 billion by 2029. This forecast, provided by data and analytics firm GlobalData, highlights the expanding demand for insurance coverage in response to the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters. - read more
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Knowledgebase
No-Fault Insurance: A type of car insurance where your insurer pays for your damages regardless of who is at fault in an accident.
