Introducing public liability cover for eligible Avant members
Thursday, 29 May 2025
From 1 July 2025, Avant is enhancing its practitioner indemnity insurance policy to include public liability cover, for eligible members. This new inclusion reflects our commitment to supporting doctors with extensive protection that evolves with the demands of modern medical practice.
Michael Lynch, Avant’s General Manager – Product and Chief Reinsurance Officer, says; “Public liability meets a member need and is designed by Avant as easy to access and understand. It supports our purpose of providing confidence to doctors so you can focus on your patients and the community”.
What is public liability cover
Public liability cover bridges a crucial gap for contractors and visiting doctors who may not be covered by a practice’s insurance for public liability incidents which is separate to the healthcare provided. This cover helps protect you if a patient is injured or property is damaged during an incident related to healthcare services, but not the healthcare itself. This is different from professional indemnity insurance, which covers mistakes made while treating a patient.
Why this insurance matters?
If you work as a contractor or visiting doctor, many hospitals and clinics now expect you to have public liability insurance. It’s there to protect you in situations that professional indemnity insurance doesn’t cover — like if a patient trips over a chair in your consulting room.
What does Avant’s public liability insurance cover?
Avant’s new public liability cover protects you for up to $20 million if something goes wrong while you’re working as a contractor in someone else’s clinic or facility. It includes cover for things like:
- Personal injuries – if a patient or visitor slips and falls in your consulting space.
- Property damage – like accidentally breaking a patient’s phone.
It’s important to remember, your medical indemnity insurance covers you for claims arising from the healthcare you provide and your practise as a healthcare professional. In contrast, public liability covers personal injury or property damage that occurs in a non-clinical context, such as a patient tripping in the waiting room.
Who benefits from this cover?
Cover is only provided to members working as contractors who are providing healthcare on third-party premises that you don't own, lease, or control. This includes:
- contractors or visiting medical officers in hospitals
- Surgeons performing procedures in private facilities
- GPs who locums or works under contract
- specialists consulting across multiple practices.
What’s not covered?
While this cover offers broad protection, there are a few things it doesn’t include. It doesn’t extend to your practice entity unless you’re a sole practitioner who owns and runs it yourself. It also doesn’t cover your staff or any incidents that happen at premises you own, lease, or control.
Options for practice owners
If you need cover for your practice, we continue to offer optional public liability insurance through our Business Insurance. This standalone option provides protection for your practice entity, staff, and incidents at your own premises.
No action needed
If you're eligible, you're already covered, and there’s nothing you need to do. The cover will automatically apply from 1 July 2025 for policies starting or renewing on or after that date. For policies starting or renewing from 1 January 2026, cover will apply from the beginning of your policy.
More information
You can find more information about public liability cover here or call us on 1800 128 2698
Professional indemnity insurance products are issued by Avant Insurance Limited, ABN 82 003 707 471, AFSL 238 765 (‘Avant Insurance’). The information provided by Avant Insurance is general advice only and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. You should consider these, having regard to the appropriateness of the advice before deciding to purchase or continue to hold these products. For full details including the terms, conditions, and exclusions that apply, please read and consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement or policy wording, which are available at www.avant.org.au or by contacting Avant Insurance on 1800 128 268.
Avant Insurance arranges Avant Business Insurance as agent of the insurer Allianz Australia Insurance Limited ABN 15 000 122 850, AFSL 234 708 and may receive a commission on each policy arranged.
*As per our definition of a sole practitioner noted in the Avant Practitioner Indemnity Insurance Policy
Other resources
More ways we can help you
Our CPD courses for Avant members
Tick off some CPD hours and learn more with our in-depth eLearning courses, free for Avant members. Our courses include education activities, reviewing performance and measuring outcomes.