Volume 7 • 2020 • Issue 4

Supporting Dentists During the Pandemic Let’s start by discussing TripleGuard™ Insurance pandemic coverage. Amidst the early stages of the pandemic, I remember feeling a twinge of relief knowing that CDSPI was going to be able to help over 7,000 dentists who purchased TripleGuard™ Insurance. 1 Pandemic coverage was a unique, gem‑like feature of the TripleGuard policy, providing income replacement for up to $20,000 per year if a practice was ordered to close down. Why did this become an issue? The wide-ranging implications of COVID-19 are truly unprecedented and governments, associations and public services everywhere were struggling to respond. While the dental associations made clear and strong recommendations to close practices, the coverage purchased under the TripleGuard policy is not triggered until a formal provincial order is explicitly made. Each province issued these orders on different dates (between March 18 to April 1) and some provinces were not as specific as was needed to trigger the coverage. This resulted in added complexity and delays as the insurer, Aviva Insurance Company of Canada (Aviva), had to work with some provincial governments to explicitly state their direction and then calculate the coverage amounts on a province-by-province basis before they could begin processing claims. What role did CDSPI play in supporting dentists? During the period of uncertainty, CDSPI advocated to Aviva on behalf of dentists, for pandemic claims to be paid. This meant working closely with provincial and territorial dental associations who played a fundamental role, as did our Board of Directors in helping to get a resolution. We worked with Aviva personnel at many different levels of their organization, providing insight and information to help bring this to a positive conclusion. In looking back on this situation, I want dentists to know that there's an incredibly devoted and passionate group of people who worked tirelessly on behalf of the profession. What is the current status? Aviva adjusters are reaching out to dentists to collect their information. Claims are being processed and paid as quickly as possible. There are thousands of policyholders to call and Aviva has added more resources by contracting a claims management firm called ClaimsPro to assist with the extraordinary volume. I’m pleased by the positive feedback I’ve received from many dentists who have expressed their gratitude and appreciation in dealing with their adjuster. Are there other insurance plans that could provide coverage as a result of the pandemic? DisabilityGuard 2 and Office Overhead Expense 3 Insurance provide coverage for disabilities resulting from illness or accident. Dentists who contract COVID-19 and are unable to work, can file a claim.* DisabilityGuard Insurance provides a monthly benefit based on your coverage amount to replace your income. Office Overhead Expense Insurance reimburses your eligible on-going office expenses if you are disabled. Malpractice Insurance 4 provides Ed Dermit, CDSPI president, shares his perspective on how CDSPI supported dentists at the onset of the pandemic. S upporting Y our P ractice 30 | 2020 | Issue 4