Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) requires that nurses and midwives declare that they hold professional indemnity insurance (PII) or are appropriately covered by their employer as a condition of registration. While employers are responsible for maintaining a variety of insurances, Association members are also able to comply with AHPRA requirements, by virtue of the Association holding PII cover for its members, without having to check the employer’s insurance status.
What does the cover provide?
Professional Indemnity:
$5 million per claim.
Inquiry Costs:
$100,000 per insured.
(eg for coronial inquests and NCAT)
Public & Products Liability:
$10 million per claim
Who is covered?
NSWNMA’s Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) is available to:
- Financial members* (who are employees)
- Members on short-term contracts interstate secondary to their main employment**
- Members who undertake nursing work secondary to their main employment**
- Members affected by recency of practice who are unable to access PII via an employer
Who is not covered?
The PII policy does not cover:
- Claims arising from work undertaken as an independent contractor if that work provides the substantive income (i.e. income is greater than that received from an employer)**
- Home birth practices
- Private practice birthing services.
Will I receive immediate legal assistance?
The Association should be contacted for advice and legal assistance will be provided in accordance with our standing practice.
Is there a waiting period?
No. Members who were financial at the time of the incident giving rise to a claim or inquiry are covered.
Can I increase the limit on indemnity?
No. The limits stated here are the maximum.
I wish to return to nursing by undertaking supervised practice, however, the hospital has advised that I must have my own PII insurance. Will this policy provide this cover?
Yes. This policy covers those members required to fulfill recency of practice criteria under AHPRA’s registration guidelines.
Are midwifery practices covered?
Where midwives are employees of either a public or private hospital they are covered, however, there is no cover provided for home birth practices nor private practice birthing services.
Please click here for a copy of the Policy Wording.
* Members must have been financial at the time of the incident giving rise to a claim or inquiry.
** Members whose substantive work is as an independent contractor are not covered – such independent contractors should have their own PII insurance.
