Original (in Estonian, subscription): "Ootamatu halb uudis: vastutuskindlustust jäi pakkuma vaid üks selts" (Unexpected bad news: only one insurer left offering liability insurance), Äripäev, 19 September 2024. Article in Äripäev
Date note: the date of this post (19 September 2024) is the date of the original publication. This English summary was written for this website in 2026.
Six weeks before Estonian patient insurance took effect, the business daily Äripäev reported that of the three, and later two, insurers that had planned to offer compulsory liability cover to healthcare providers from 1 November, only one remained. Olavi-Jüri Luik commented as WIDEN's insurance law attorney.
Key point
Luik noted that if, hypothetically, no insurer offered the compulsory cover, the matter would become one for the state. A compulsory insurance scheme presupposes a functioning market: if insurance is a precondition of practice but cannot be bought, the obligation cannot be met.
Why it matters
A narrow market for compulsory cover affects both price and wording quality. Providers should check that their policy meets at least the minimum requirements of the Healthcare Provider's Compulsory Liability Insurance Act (tervishoiuteenuse osutaja kohustusliku vastutuskindlustuse seadus, TOKVS) and that exclusions are no wider than the act allows. For foreign insurers and MGAs, a concentrated compulsory line can also be a market entry opportunity.