Premiums & Deductibles

The basic or minimum individual deductible is $2,000. A deductible is only triggered when the Professional Liability Program (PLP) incurs expenses on a member’s behalf, i.e. when PLP resolves a matter by making a monetary payment, pays legal fees to defend a dentist, or when an expert is retained to deliver an opinion and the expert charges a fee for this service.

Step-up deductibles are as follows:

  • $5,000 for the member who has had one prior claim in the previous 84 months
  • $10,000 for the member who has had two prior claims in the previous 84 months
  • $20,000 for the member who has had more than two prior claims in the previous 84 months.

For claims opened before 2010, the deductible formula in place in the year the file was opened will apply. The RCDSO Council has authorized the waiver of deductibles in certain circumstances:

  • in case of the member’s death, the deductible is automatically waived
  • in case of the member’s bankruptcy, the deductible is automatically waived with proof of bankruptcy

The PLP Committee has discretion to reduce or waive a member’s deductible in the following situations:

  • if the deductible was triggered by the payment of defence costs and, in the opinion of the PLP Committee, the action against the member was without merit
  • if the Committee considers the matter frivolous and vexatious, it can consider a deductible waiver or reduction.
  • there are no similarities between the claim being considered for a deductible reduction and the prior claim (s)
  • appropriate remedial action has been undertaken prior to resolution of the claim, or the member agrees to take remedial action e.g. a course or training recommended by the PLP Committee.

Request to waive or reduce a deductible

A request to waive or reduce a deductible should be in writing, addressed to the Committee and sent to the  PLP Advisor who handled the claim. The request will be presented to the Committee at an upcoming meeting. The request should include the reasons for the request and, where appropriate, a description of the measures taken by the member to remediate the deficiencies giving rise to the underlying claim for compensation.