Understanding insurance arrangements is essential for your protection and peace of mind during clinical placements.

University insurance provision

Your university will typically provide some level of insurance coverage while you're on approved placements. However, this may have limitations.

Speak to your course tutor about:

• your university's insurance details

• the scope of your university insurance for podiatry students

• any exclusions on your university's insurance cover

• periods when your university insurance does not apply

Royal College of Podiatry student membership benefits

Student membership with the Royal College of Podiatry includes professional indemnity insurance and many other benefits for students. 

Understanding liability

Speak to your course tutor about:

• specific liability risks for podiatry students

• professional negligence definitions for students

• vicarious liability arrangements during placements

• documentation requirements for insurance purposes

• examples of situations that may invalidate insurance

What to do if an incident occurs

If an incident occurs during placement:

• make sure patient safety first

• report the incident to your supervisor

• document what happened accurately

• follow local incident reporting procedures

Speak to your course tutor about:

• detailed incident reporting procedures

• required documentation for incidents

• notification timelines for insurance claims

• university policies for placement incidents

• support available following incidents

Who to contact about insurance

Speak to your course tutor about:

• specific contact details for insurance queries

• documentation required when making insurance inquiries

• process for insurance verification before placements

• who has authority to advise on insurance matters

• emergency contacts for urgent insurance issues