Locum Insurance vs Staff Absence Cover: What vet practices need to know

Running a veterinary practice means balancing quality clinical care with business resilience. One of the biggest operational challenges many practices face is staff absence. Whether it’s a vet, nurse, or practice manager, losing a key team member, even temporarily, can disrupt workflow, increase pressure on remaining staff, and incur unexpected costs. This is where financial protection tools like Locum Insurance, sometimes called Staff Absence Cover, become invaluable. However, many practices are still unsure about what each policy actually covers, and confusion often leads to being under-protected when it matters most.

Let’s break down the purpose of Locum Insurance or Staff Absence Cover and why it’s so important in the veterinary profession.

What is Locum Insurance really for?

One of the most common misconceptions we hear from veterinary practices is that Locum Insurance is designed to protect the locum. In reality, this type of insurance is not to provide cover to the locum, it is there to protect your practice.

Locum Insurance = Budget Protection for the Practice

Not insurance that covers or protects the locum as an individual

When a key member of your team is absent due to illness, accident/injury, or other unforeseen circumstances, the financial pressure sits with the practice, not the absent employee and not the locum who may be brought in. Locum Insurance exists to reduce the financial shock of that absence by paying a benefit that helps the practice maintain service levels.

So, Locum Insurance pays a financial benefit directly to the practice. This payout allows you to make whatever arrangements are necessary to maintain continuity, whether that means hiring a locum vet, redistributing workload through paid overtime, or bringing in temporary administrative support.

Indemnified vs benefit led policies

Unlike indemnified policies, which require you to provide evidence of financial loss, Lloyd & Whyte’s’ benefit-driven Locum Insurance simply requires proof of absence. This speeds up the process and gives the practice full control over how funds are used to keep operations running smoothly.

In a profession where physical injury, long-term sickness, and burnout are unfortunately common due to the physically demanding and emotionally intense nature of the role, Locum Insurance offers a cushion against unexpected operational strain.

Why veterinary practices are particularly at risk 

Veterinary professionals routinely engage in work that carries a high risk of injury. From handling anxious or aggressive animals to long hours in surgery, the physical toll is significant. Around 90% of UK veterinarians report having suffered at least one work-related injury during their careers, with equine vets reporting the highest injury prevalence, up to 98% for equine practitioners.

Furthermore, a striking 91% of UK vets report suffering at least some form of mental ill-health directly connected to their work, with 83% citing general burnout and 80% pointing to overwhelming work intensity as top factors.  With these the mental pressures associated with clinical decision-making and client communication adding to the mix, it becomes clear why long-term absence is not unusual.

Without proper financial cover in place, the impact of even one absence can be substantial:

• Appointments may need to be cancelled or rescheduled.
• Remaining staff may become overstretched, increasing burnout risk.
• Emergency locum cover can be costly and hard to source at short notice.
• Client satisfaction and revenue can be negatively affected.

Locum Insurance ensures that, if the unexpected happens, your budget is protected, and your practice retains the flexibility to respond swiftly and effectively.

Locum Insurance – focused on keeping practices running

Locum Insurance (Staff Absence Cover) aims to safeguard your practice during periods of staff absence. It is designed to protect your overall budget from the financial impact of staff being away from work, not just clinical staff, but anyone within the practice team. Absence can occur for numerous reasons: sickness, jury service, maternity and paternity leave, bereavement and compassionate leave, or even suspension.

The pre-agreed benefit is usually a fixed sum paid to the business, which you can allocate however you see fit. It’s not limited to hiring replacement staff and can help offset overtime costs, loss of productivity, or temporary redistribution of roles.

For veterinary practices where continuity of clinical service is vital, this targeted cover is often the first line of defence against disruption.

Peace of mind through flexibility

The key takeaway? Locum Insurance /Staff Absence Cover is a policy that pays out to the practice, not the individual, as a financial support policy that gives the practice flexibility to manage staff absence without destabilising the business. It gives you the freedom to decide how best to maintain operations. Whether that means hiring a locum, compensating staff who take on extra responsibilities, or mitigating lost revenue, the choice remains with you.

You can tailor your Locum Insurance to match your practice’s resilience. If you’d prefer cover to kick in immediately, that’s an option, or, if you’re confident you can manage the first couple of weeks without support, you can set a longer waiting period.

As a rule, the longer the waiting period, the lower the premium. That’s why it’s important to consider how this cover fits into your wider contingency planning and financial buffer.

Having the right insurance in place protects your operational budget and ensures that when life happens, illness, injury, unexpected duty, your practice can adapt without compromising care or team wellbeing.

If you’re unsure what your practice needs, a tailored review can help identify the right level of protection.

Call Lloyd & White on 01823 250760 to discuss a quote or new policy.

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Lloyd & Whyte® Ltd are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Lloyd & Whyte Ltd is registered in England No. 03686765. Registered Office: Affinity House, Bindon Road, Taunton, Somerset, TA2 6AA.