Membership Benefits

Professional Indemnity Insurance

Your safety net

Your career is one of your biggest lifetime assets and HSUWA understands the importance of protecting your job and your career. That is why HSUWA provides Members with professional indemnity insurance that you can rely on.

We have partnered with Austbrokers Countrywide to develop a package tailored especially to meet the needs of HSUWA members. Under our policy, if you are a Financial Member, you are protected from the cost of a claim made against you.

The HSUWA professional indemnity insurance covers all Financial Members who are employed for up to $20 million (any one claim) and up to $60 million (in the aggregate). This insurance protects you from claims made against you for acts which are an unintended error, mistake or malpractice that occurs directly in connection with the healthcare service you provide.

While you will likely have cover from your employer’s indemnity insurance arrangements, this may not cover all circumstances. For example, HCC complaints and AHPRA investigations are considered personal liabilities and are not covered by your employer, so your union’s insurance policy will provide additional cover, subject to the policy’s terms. This cover is for all HSUWA Financial Members and is especially beneficial for Members who are required to have insurance because they work in a profession regulated by the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Authority (AHPRA).

This policy applies to your services conducted in your occupation or profession regardless of whether you are employed or self-employed and includes when you train, educate or volunteer.

If you are self-employed, the self-employed portion of your gross earnings must not exceed $125,000 annually for the policy to apply to you in that role.

In summary our safety net policy provides members with:

$20 million cover – meets national registration requirements

This policy covers you to the level of risk for the full scope of health care services, treatments and practices that you are qualified to perform – including as a regulated professional under the national registration standards of AHPRA.

No excess and no waiting period

In the event of a claim, you receive immediate assistance. There is no waiting period, no excess, no ‘deductibles’ and no charge for making a claim.

84 month run-off and retroactive cover

We provide run-off cover that protects you even after you retire with no ongoing costs and at no additional charge, for 84 months (7 years). Retroactive protection is also included for unknown events that may have occurred prior to you becoming a HSUWA Member.

Self-employment or contract work extension

Self-employed HSUWA Members, including those working as contractors, are covered by our PII. It is important to note however that there are limits to this form of PII protection. For instance, our PII applies to self-employed Allied Health Professionals so long as the quantum of incomes earned through self-employment does not exceed $125,000 gross per annum.

Important

The policy will not cover dishonest criminal acts, fraud, fines and penalties that are imposed, or known circumstances of existing claims against Members not disclosed when joining. Our professional indemnity insurance is:

• Included with your membership – there is no extra cost.
• Free to claim with no excess.
• Underwritten by Lloyds.
• Specialty Insurance.
• Fully compliant with relevant professional registration boards at AHPRA.

NOTE: You must retain your HSUWA Financial Membership status to retain cover. This means your membership contributions need to be kept up-to-date or you could risk becoming ‘unfinancial’ and losing cover. Any questions about this – call us.

 Your disclosure

• You have no known claims or circumstances, at the time of joining HSUWA, that may give rise to a claim.
• You have a duty to disclose any relevant information that would lead to a potential claim or affect the insurer’s risk. If an incident occurs, you must notify HSUWA as soon as possible and HSUWA will lodge a notification with the insurer (members are not to send notifications directly to the insurer).

Is my employer’s insurance not enough?

You should not rely on your employer’s insurance because:

• your employer’s insurer may sue you to recover their financial loss if you act outside the scope of your normal duties;
• you may be sued as an individual rather than as an employee;
• your employer may have insufficient insurance cover;
• employers often do not support regulatory investigations, claiming that it is a personal investigation or personal liability; and
• your employer may become insolvent.

Certificate of Currency

Certificates of Currency are available on request.

Need help?

HSUWA Members are welcome to contact us for more information about the policy and to obtain the policy documents.

Phone and speak to our Enquiries Team on 9328 5155 or send us an email at enquiry@hsuwa.com.au

Disclaimer

The information above has been prepared for general information purposes only.

All claims are subject to the terms and conditions of the policy arranged by Austbrokers Countrywide. The HSUWA policy is underwritten by TEGO Insurance Pty Ltd on behalf of Certain Underwriters at Lloyds of London via Austbrokers Countrywide. Countrywide Insurance Group Pty Ltd t/as Austbrokers Countrywide holds Australian Financial Services Licence No. 244436 under the Corporations Act 2001 to provide General Insurance Broking Services.

Members can contact their union for a copy of the Insurance Policy and Certificate of Currency.

The policy has been issued as a group policy. As such it has not taken into account the objectives, financial situation or needs of any individual Members covered by this policy. Please note that the HSUWA does not determine or decide on the applicability of the policy to a Member’s circumstances, this is a decision of the insurer.