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For all the challenges you face. For life.

When a complaint, investigation or claim threatens your career, being fully protected means more than just a policy. It means indemnity without financial limits* or policy restrictions – with award-winning defence, and support from doctors like you.

Full protection for every kind of challenge

We are the only organisation in South Africa to protect medical professionals with occurrence-based discretionary indemnity. From criminal negligence claims to regulatory investigations, we protect you against all the challenges doctors face – without financial limits or policy exclusions,* for life.

Why choose us?

As a member-owned, not-for-profit medical defence organisation, we exist purely for the benefit of over 350,000 members around the world. Here are 5 reasons to choose our full protection over standard cover.

Reason 1

No time limits*

A negligence claim can arise years after the incident that triggered it. Our occurrence-based indemnity protects you against claims for life, providing you were a member when the incident happened.

Reason 2

No financial limits*

Complex medicolegal challenges can become expensive fast. Our indemnity is unlimited,* so decisions are driven by what you need, not by financial caps.

Reason 3

No settling for convenience

Not every case should be settled. When the facts support a defence, our legal experts will fight fiercely to secure the best outcome for you, rather than simply the quickest resolution.

Reason 4

Local expertise, global strength

Since 1957, we’ve been supporting doctors in South Africa with the unique challenges they face – supported by the strength of a global organisation dating back to 1892.

Reason 5

Flexible protection that puts you first

Our discretionary approach goes beyond the constraints of standard policies, enabling us respond to the specific needs of each member in each case.

How full protection goes further than standard cover

Your benefits
  • No claim limits or excesses to pay*
  • Discretionary indemnity gives us the flexibility to assist you even in the most unusual circumstances
  • Support with incidents that arose when you were a member, even if a claim or complaint arises many years later
  • A huge range of free online courses and resources, created by our global experts to help you protect and advance your career
  • No shareholders to pay – subscriptions are invested for the benefit of members
  • Dedicated solely to protecting healthcare professionals
  • Support for your profession: the MPS Foundation is dedicated to improving patient safety and clinician wellbeing
Medical Protection
 
Insurance companies
 
No claim limits or excesses to pay*

Medical Protection

 

Insurance companies

 

Discretionary indemnity enables us to support you even in the most unusual circumstances

Medical Protection

 

Insurance companies

 

Support with incidents that arose when you were a member, even if a claim or complaint arises many years later

Medical Protection

 

Insurance companies

 

A huge range of free online courses and resources, created by our global experts to help you protect and advance your career

Medical Protection

 

Insurance companies

 

Dedicated solely to protecting healthcare professionals

Medical Protection

 

Insurance companies

 

Support for your profession: the MPS Foundation is dedicated to improving patient safety and clinician wellbeing

Medical Protection

 

Insurance companies

 

*99% of members with occurrence-based indemnity have no financial limit. Limits apply to a small number of obstetric, gynaecology, paediatric and GP obstetric members. For members with claims-made membership, ongoing protection requires active membership, or the purchase of extended reporting benefits once claims-made membership ends, as applicable.

More support for you and your career –
all included in your membership

Medical Protection membership gives you access to invaluable medicolegal advice and assistance to support you through complex legal and ethical challenges.

Wellbeing
support

Confidential counselling and personalised wellbeing resources to help with stress.

 
Medicolegal advice

Guidance and support from our experts, with unlimited access to our helpline.

 
Media
support

Immediate support from our media specialists if you find yourself in the spotlight.

 
Essential
reading

Case reports, articles and factsheets full of vital insights and practical advice.

 

Frequently asked questions

  • How does discretionary indemnity work?
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    30 July 2025

    The principle of discretion means having the freedom to decide what should be done in any given situation. The discretionary approach to indemnity gives us the flexibility to help members in situations where a tightly worded insurance contract might rule out help.

    We use people, rather than contracts, to decide how best to help. Our medicolegal consultants, specialist lawyers, and cases and claims experts use their insight to determine the right course of action, and bring their experience and understanding to supporting you every step of the way. We are owned by members, so our starting point is always to see how we can help members.

  • How is Medical Protection’s indemnity different to insurance?
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    30 July 2025

    There are two types of professional protection: occurrence-based and claims-made.

    • Occurrence-based indemnity – the type Medical Protection provides in South Africa – protects you for incidents that occur during your period of membership, even if a claim related to the incident is not made until years after. Providing you were in membership and paying the correct subscription at the time of an incident that’s given rise to a case or claim, we can protect you even if you’re no longer in membership, or retired. That means you are protected for future claims arising from any year in which you were a member.
    • Claims-made indemnity is what insurance policies are usually based on. This type of indemnity protects you for claims related to your practice that arose, and are reported during, a continuous period of membership. This means that if a claim arose outside that period, you would not be able to seek assistance unless you bought ‘run off’ cover (also known as extended reporting benefits). This can be expensive and limited to a set number of years, whereas complaints and claims can arise even decades after the event.
  • How does Medical Protection differ from an insurance company?
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    30 July 2025

    While most insurance companies have shareholders to pay, Medical Protection is a member-owned, not-for-profit organisation. This means we exist purely for the benefit of our members.

    As well as everything we do to protect and support you as an individual, we campaign for regulatory and legal reforms on behalf of all our members and the profession as a whole.

    We are the only medical defence organisation to run a global, not-for-profit research initiative, the MPS Foundation, dedicated to improving patient safety, reducing risk, and enhancing the wellbeing of all healthcare professionals.

  • How likely are you to help me if I have a case or claim?
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    30 July 2025
    Because the indemnity we protect you with is discretionary, we have the flexibility to help even in the most unusual circumstances, or where a new problem appears. This is very different to insurance, where policies include fixed terms and exclusions. It is only in exceptional circumstances that we’re unable to help – for example, if a member wasn’t in membership when the incident occurred, had underpaid their subscription or underdeclared their scope of work.
  • How soon should I contact you if I have a problem?
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    30 July 2025
    As soon as you can. Unlike some insurers we don’t have to wait until a claim is made to help – if you receive a complaint, for example, our experts can help you prepare the best response in order to prevent the situation escalating. Or if you just need some advice – contact our medicolegal advice team.
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Fact 1

We’ve been supporting doctors in South Africa since 1957, as the leader in medical defence.

Insurance companies only offer insurance, using fixed terms and conditions, with a limit on how much they cover and an excess to pay.

We offer discretionary medical indemnity which has no financial limits and no excesses, giving you comprehensive protection and peace of mind.◊

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Fact 2

We use people, not contracts, to decide how to help members through challenging times. Rather than using policy terms and conditions to make our decisions, when a member approaches us to ask for our support, we rely on healthcare experts to consider each case on its merits to decide how we can help. This allows us to say yes to requests for assistance – even in complex or unusual cases.

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Fact 3

As the world’s leading member-owned, not-for-profit medical indemnity organisation, we are focused solely on protecting healthcare professionals.

Unlike most providers in South Africa, we don’t have shareholders to answer to and create a profit for.

We answer only to our members, and we exist for only one reason – to help support, protect and defend those members when they most need it.

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Fact 4

We use people, not contracts, to decide how to help members through challenging times.

Rather than using policy terms and conditions to make our decisions, when a member approaches us to ask for our support, we rely on healthcare experts to consider each case on its merits to decide how we can help.

Many doctors will experience a claim or complaint at some point in their career, and it can have a huge impact on their reputation and finances. If a clinical negligence claim is made against you, your indemnity is there to cover any legal and compensation costs that arise.

At Medical Protection, our indemnity is discretionary. This gives us the flexibility to provide assistance when issues arise that may not even have existed when your protection began.

We are a global company operating in many countries, and we have a dedicated team looking after our members in South Africa. Our internal claims team works closely with our panel law firms to provide comprehensive, world-class assistance to members.

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Fact 5

We use people, not contracts, to decide how to help members through challenging times.

Rather than using policy terms and conditions to make our decisions, when a member approaches us to ask for our support, we rely on healthcare experts to consider each case on its merits to decide how we can help. This allows us to say yes to requests for assistance in very unique and unusual circumstances.

At the heart of our discretionary approach is the freedom to ask, "How can we help?" - not the intent to say no.

Our service stands apart because it's shaped by expert insights from experienced doctors and legal professionals who understand the complexities of the healthcare system.

We provide flexible, tailored protection for healthcare professionals in a fast-paced, ever-evolving clinical environment. Our approach to medical indemnity is fair, empathetic, and built on deep medico-legal expertise.

Discretion allows us to respond to unusual or complex cases with flexibility and informed judgment. We understand that clinical negligence claims can take years to surface. That’s why we offer specialist support that adapts to the unique demands of your profession.

The healthcare landscape is constantly changing. New challenges—many previously unimaginable—continue to emerge. Our discretionary model means we can support you through unexpected events or novel medico-legal issues, without being limited by rigid contracts.

We’re different because we treat every request individually. As a discretionary organisation, our first question is always: "How can we help?"

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Fact 6

We’re not about making a profit. We exist to support and protect our 300,000 members.

We don’t have shareholders to answer to and create a profit for.

We are owned by our members and we exist for one reason – to help support, protect and defend them when they most need it.

As a member-owned, not-for-profit organisation we use a discretionary approach to provide assistance.

We know we’re different, but we’re different in a good way. Our membership is designed to give you the protection you need to practise with confidence in today’s complex and uncertain healthcare environment. 

Mutual means we’re owned by members. And that matters.

We are different to shareholder-owned companies whose primary purpose is to make money for other people. We don’t answer to shareholders. There is no one to pay dividends to or to tell us to abandon our purpose because the profit isn’t there. All our decisions are focused on doing what’s best for our membership. We take mutuality seriously because it’s our commitment to you, not just today, but for as long as you need us.

Not-for-profit simply means we don’t make a profit for shareholders, because we don’t have any. Instead, any surplus is reinvested to meet the needs of members. That means we’re always seeking to improve the benefits and services offered to members, adapting to the emerging threats in clinical negligence, and challenging the root causes of the claims environment. 

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Fact 7

We protect our members’ work in the Greater Bay Area without limiting the number of days you can work.

No matter how much time you spend, or work you do, in the Greater Bay area of China, your Medical Protection membership will be there and provide you with the right to request assistance – with no limits on the number of days you can work in the Greater Bay Area. +

What this means for you 

✔ Comprehensive protection for your clinical practice across the GBA 

✔ Unlimited indemnity◊

✔ No changes to subscription fees 

With extended support across the GBA, you can practise with confidence, knowing we're here to protect you for the long term. 

 Our commitment to you 

Our GBA support comes as a result of listening to our members, to make sure we’re meeting your needs and we will continue to listen. 

Find out more about the protection provided for the Greater Bay Area here 

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Fact 8

For over 70 years, we’ve been dedicated to supporting medical professionals in Hong Kong

We don’t have shareholders to answer to and to create a profit for.

We are owned by our members and we exist for one reason – to help support, protect and defend them when they most need it.

As a member-owned, not-for-profit organisation, we take a unique, discretionary approach to supporting healthcare professionals. Unlike traditional insurance providers, our mutual model puts our members at the heart of everything we do. We’re not driven by profit, but by purpose: to provide reliable, responsive protection in today’s complex and ever-changing healthcare landscape.

Being a mutual means we’re owned entirely by our members. There are no shareholders to satisfy, no dividends to pay out—just a singular focus on delivering the best outcomes for those we serve. This allows us to stay true to our mission: protecting healthcare professionals with integrity, transparency, and care.

Every surplus we generate is reinvested directly into the membership fund, enhancing the services and protection we offer. We continuously improve our member benefits, adapt to evolving risks in clinical negligence, and advocate for solutions that address the root causes of claims.

Our not-for-profit status means your contributions go further, supporting your practice, strengthening your protection, and ensuring that you can face the future of healthcare with confidence.

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Fact 9

Insurance companies offer insurance typically with fixed terms and conditions; with a limit on how much they cover; and often an excess to pay.

We use discretionary medical indemnity which has no financial limits and no excesses, providing you with comprehensive protection and peace of mind.†

Rather than using policy terms and conditions to make our decisions, when a member approaches us to ask for our support, we rely on healthcare experts to consider each case on its merits to decide how we can help. This allows us to say yes to requests for assistance in very unique and unusual circumstances.

Membership provides protection and support for a number of medicolegal scenarios, such as clinical negligence claims, disciplinary proceedings, and MCHK investigations. The indemnity offered is usually ‘occurrence-based’, encompassing incidents that happen during the membership or policy period, regardless of when the claim is made. 

This means that if a claim is made years after an incident occurs, you can request assistance, as long as your membership was valid at the time. This is worth considering, given the common delays between an incident and the reporting of a claim. We offer indemnity within a package of additional services that help reduce the risk of receiving a claim or complaint and offer support through the stress of an investigation.

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Existing members

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