Medical malpractice and medical indemnity insurance
Insurance options for medical and allied health practitioners and clinics Australia-wide, from GPs and specialists to dentists, physios, psychologists, nurses, and cosmetic and day clinics.
Medical indemnity for many professions is commonly placed through medical defence organisations (MDOs) and specialist insurers. We help you understand your options, compare them where available, and arrange cover for both your clinical work and your practice.
What it can cover
Medical indemnity policies differ widely. Depending on the provider and policy, cover may include:
Medical indemnity / malpractice
Cover for claims alleging a negligent act, error or omission in the healthcare services you provide.
Civil liability
Compensation you may be legally liable to pay a patient or third party, up to the policy limit.
Legal defence costs
Legal and expert costs to defend a covered claim, often in addition to the limit, depending on the policy.
Disciplinary and regulatory hearings
Support and representation costs for complaints and hearings before AHPRA, the National Boards (including the Medical Board) and health complaints bodies.
Medicare audit defence
Costs of responding to a Medicare or PSR review, where the policy offers it.
Run-off cover
Ongoing protection for past work after you retire, leave practice, change roles or move overseas.
Claims-made, simply explained: most medical indemnity is written on a claims-made basis. That means the policy that responds is the one in force when the claim is first made against you and notified, not when the treatment took place. Keeping continuous cover, and arranging run-off when you stop practising, helps avoid gaps.
Related covers for your practice
Medical indemnity covers your clinical work. Your practice as a business often needs its own protection.
Practice public and products liability
Injuries to patients and visitors on your premises, such as slips in the waiting room, and products you supply.
Management liability
Protection for practice owners and directors against claims such as employment disputes, regulatory investigations and statutory liability.
Cyber insurance
Patient data breaches, ransomware and system downtime, including notification and recovery costs.
Business insurance
Fit-out, contents, stock and business interruption if your practice cannot trade after an insured event.
Practice equipment
Diagnostic, dental and treatment equipment, including breakdown and portable items.
Professional indemnity for non-clinical advice
For consultants and advisers outside clinical practice, see our professional indemnity page.
Who it’s for
- General practitioners
- Medical specialists
- Dentists and dental practices
- Physiotherapists
- Psychologists and counsellors
- Nurses and midwives
- Cosmetic clinics
- Day clinics and day hospitals
- Allied health clinics
- Multi-disciplinary practices
Requirements differ by profession. Registered health practitioners must meet their National Board’s professional indemnity insurance registration standard.
Key risks we help you plan for
Patient claims
Allegations of misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, treatment complications or inadequate informed consent.
Regulatory complaints
A complaint to AHPRA or a health complaints body can lead to an investigation, even when no claim follows.
Cosmetic and elective procedures
Patient expectations are high, and some insurers apply specific conditions or exclusions.
Gaps when changing roles
Moving from employed to private practice, or retiring, can leave past work unprotected without run-off cover.
Patient data breaches
Clinics hold sensitive health information that makes them a target for cyber attacks.
Practice premises and staff
Injuries on site, employment disputes and equipment breakdowns can disrupt the business side of your practice.
How we work with you
Independent broking, Australia-wide, with one point of contact.
- We review your current indemnity and practice insurance, including what your employer or MDO provides.
- We compare options across the specialist insurers and providers available for your profession.
- We explain the key inclusions, exclusions, limits and run-off terms in plain English.
- We support you at renewal, when your practice changes, and through the claims process.
Frequently asked questions
Isn’t my employer or MDO covering me?
Some employers and health services provide indemnity for work done in that role, and many practitioners hold cover through a medical defence organisation (MDO) or specialist insurer. It is important to check what is and isn’t included, especially for private work, locum work and activities outside your employment. We can help you review your current arrangements and compare options where available.
What is run-off cover?
Because most medical indemnity policies are claims-made, a claim about past treatment may be made years later. Run-off cover protects you for past work after you stop practising or change cover. Some providers offer it automatically in certain circumstances, such as retirement, and others charge for it.
Claims-made versus occurrence: what’s the difference?
Under a claims-made policy, the policy in force when the claim is first made and notified responds, not the policy in force when the treatment happened. An occurrence policy responds to incidents that happened during the policy period, whenever the claim is made. Most medical indemnity in Australia is written on a claims-made basis, so keeping continuous cover matters.
What affects the premium?
Common factors include your profession and specialty, the procedures you perform, your billings or income, your claims and complaints history, where you practise, and the limit and excess you choose. Each provider assesses risk differently.
Talk to us about your cover
Call or email us and we’ll review your current arrangements and talk through your options. We service clients Australia-wide.
Get in touch
- Phone
- (03) 9078 6473
- info@mminsure.com.au
- Hours
- 9:00am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday
General advice warning: This information is general advice only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on it, consider whether it is appropriate for you and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD), available from us or the insurer. Cover is subject to the insurer’s acceptance, terms, conditions, limits and exclusions. Access to particular insurers or MDOs is not guaranteed, and we make no guarantee that cover will be available or that any claim will be paid.
M & M Insurance Services Pty Ltd ABN 54 664 837 138 is an Authorised Representative of Ausure Pty Ltd ABN 94 096 971 854 | AFSL 238433. Please read our Financial Services Guide.