This means they are seeing patients, still under supervision if they wish. It is up to them to get insurance. Their supervisor's insurance will cover them from a prescribing point of view but not public liability, etc. At the moment this involves submitting cases to the Society and a site visit by an RSHom for a day. If they are accepted, they then start paying their subs. which includes insurance.
Subs are on a sliding scale to ease the transition into full time practice.
They are free to buy their own insurance, as stated above. This aspect of practice needs to be addressed in the COlleges, and often is not. Doctors referrals are few and far between generally, and because patients are used to the NHS system, they have grown up with the idea that healthcare should be 'free', and therefore can't or won't pay. We have many unemployed, single parents and the like who are on State benefits, and get 'free' NHS healthcare. Whilst homoeopaths do their best to see as many concessions as possible, we still have to eat, and it is very frustrating to have to turn people away if they can't pay when your books are full.