Do I need my own cover?

Is professional indemnity (PI) insurance cover best held by the employer or the individual practitioner?

Guild Insurance provides cover on an individual practitioner basis as we view this as the best way for chiropractors to meet their PI insurance requirements.

The new PI insurance standard of national registration requires that registered chiropractors maintain insurance with a limit of at least $10 million at all times when practising. To meet this standard, chiropractors need to consider having their own PI insurance in cases where they practice in locations outside their employment.

A distinct advantage of having cover on an individual basis is that it is portable, and covers a chiropractor in a broad range of circumstances where they may not be covered under their employer’s policy but could still be liable including when working in multiple practices as well as volunteering or providing off-the-cuff advice.

While it is possible under national registration to be covered under a group policy this cover may not provide the best protection for the individual practitioner.

There are circumstances where the ‘law of vicarious liability’ may not protect practitioners in the employ of others. For example, if you are deemed to be acting outside of the scope of your position of employment.

A broad defence mounted by your employer may also not safeguard your specific professional interests. With your own insurance, you can be sure that your best interests, rather than your employer’s, are being defended.

Consider also that some of these policies may not provide cover for legal expenses associated with inquiries and proceedings. Facing a disciplinary inquiry can be stressful and potentially expensive. When a regulatory body makes a decision against a practitioner, the likelihood of a civil suit also increases. This is why Guild provides chiropractors with cover for legal support to aid their defence in disciplinary matters.

Combined Liabilities

Public liability claims may also be made against the individual practitioner or the employer. That is why Guild provides a combined liabilities cover to offer peace of mind. For chiropractors insured with Guild, products liability, public liability and professional indemnity are all covered under the one policy.

Am I covered if I…?

At Guild we often receive questions about whether we cover ‘this’ or ‘that’. It is difficult to make assumptions as each claim has its own specific set of circumstances.

However, we can say that Guild provides cover for the full scope of chiropractic practice that you are qualified and registered to perform. The best advice we can give is stay within the regulations and your qualifications and have peace of mind that you are covered.

For more information on Guild’s Liabilities Insurance for Chiropractors contact us on 1800 810 213