Introducing public liability cover for eligible Avant members

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