Hospital recovers costs from insurance companies

by GD Tue 19 Feb 2013, 7:53 pm

The Health and Social Services Department (HSS) is to start recovering, from insurance companies, some of the costs incurred in treating people injured in road traffic accidents.

On Tuesday 19 February 2013, the States Assembly voted for new regulations that will form part of the Motor Traffic (Third Party Insurance) Law. These regulations put in place a system that allows HSS to recover £755 per day for in-patients, £615 per day for out-patients and £185 per person, per ambulance journey. There is a cap of £45,000 per claim.

These costs are in line with those currently recovered by all UK hospitals and trusts for treatment provided to patients involved in road traffic accidents.

HSS will only be able to recover the costs associated with treating patients injured in road traffic accidents if they make a successful claim through their vehicle insurers. Individual patients will not be liable for those costs, nor will non-insured road users such as pedestrians or cyclists.

All costs recovered will be ploughed back into hospital services for the benefit of Islanders.

Deputy Anne Pryke, Minister for Health and Social Services, said “The motor insurance premiums paid by Islanders are already calculated to cover the cost of hospital treatment in the event of a road traffic accident. By voting for these regulations, the States have allowed us to recover – on behalf of our taxpayers – monies that are already accounted for in our insurance premiums.

“Motor insurance companies are aware of these changes but none have raised any objections or claimed that premiums will rise. They recognise that we are simply putting in place the systems that allow us to recoup the monies which are already built into our insurance premiums, in the exactly the same way as the NHS currently does. The insurance industry knows about our plans and accepts them.”

It is estimated that it will cost HSS around £2,400 per year to recover charges in the region of £100,000 to £250,000, depending on the number and severity of insurance claims made.