I am a Vet School/Nursing student who is arranging their own placement, what do I need to do about insurance?

When arranging your own placement, you should first check that your employer has Employers Liability insurance in place – that will provide cover for if you are injured in the course of your work, due to the company negligence. All employers in the UK and the EU legally should have this cover. If you are going outside the UK, you may find that some employers (particularly small, charitable organisations) do not have this insurance. You will then need to consider the risks and discuss with your department – it will be up to them to decide whether you can still go on the placement.

You should complete TravelCert to get your University Personal Accident and Travel Policy in place – this will provide you with general cover for your trip.

We also recommend that you take out a specialist indemnity policy to cover your work (British Veterinary Association or Royal College of Nursing). This will provide cover if you cause harm through your negligence. Some employers, particularly those in the US, may require you to have this type of policy.