Indemnity Insurance Cover

The Professional Indemnity Insurance Programme is available to Members* of the College of Nurses Aotearoa (NZ) Inc. 

The insurance policy is underwritten by NZI and provides you with legal representation and advocacy during formal investigations in New Zealand.

Indemnity insurance cover is assured in New Zealand providing members hold a current APC and/or appropriate qualification of training for related work at the time of any claim

  • International, Retired Members and those who have specifically opted out of Insurance cover are excluded from College Insurance cover.

  • The College of Nurses Indemnity Insurance policy excludes midwifery.

Individual indemnity insurance cover is essential for all Nurses.

pdf Professional Indemnity Insurance (0.18MB)

pdf Complementary Therapies (0.25MB)

Please note:

  1. It is the expectation of the College of Nurses that members whose area of work or practice is not direct clinical practice will hold the appropriate or relevant qualifications.  This applies to work such as use of complementary therapies, quality surveying or health promotion.

  2. You are not covered if the claim relates to a time when you were under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

 

You are Insured for:

Civil liability arising from an error while performing your professional services and the legal costs and expenses of defending claims against you. Importantly, this includes the costs of representing you at a legal or quasi legal process into whether any professional code of conduct has been breached, as well as complaints against you by a registration board and coronial enquiries etc. Any costs or damages awarded against you in any medical malpractice / negligence claims will be met under the policy, together with any other defence costs, irrespective of whether the claim against you is successful.

 

You are covered for:

$1,000,000 per policy period (per year) for civil liability and $1,000,000 per policy period for Nursing Council or HDC complaints. You do not pay any excess on a claim, the College of Nurses will pay the excess for you.  You are covered 24 hrs a day, during work hrs as well as outside of work hrs anywhere within New Zealand. You are covered whether you are working in your regular job or assisting at a roadside accident.

You must contact the College office as soon as you are aware of a possible claim or complaint against you-

Andrea Bond
College Administrator
T: (06) 358 6000
E: admin@nurse.org.nz
For urgent Indemnity Insurance matters outside office hours please call
Andrea Bond - 021 179 9340 


Indemnity Insurance FAQ

What does indemnity insurance cover?

Indemnity insurance covers you for claims related to your professional practice:

  • Negligence claims or errors that may lead to injury, death or damage.

  • Disciplinary and competency proceedings eg. Nursing Council, Health & Disability Commissioner Investigations

  • Coroners Inquests

The current Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) scheme means that generally health practitioners cannot be sued for compensation however there are still some circumstances where patients may sue. Health practitioners may also face or be involved with other forms of legal action where the require legal representation as specified above and you can be sued to punish you for your actions.

 

What if my employer has Indemnity Insurance?

A major problem with indemnity insurance provided by an employer is the potential for conflict of interest. A conflict of interest can occur when the issue for the employer is different from the issue for the nurse as both have different responsibilities and roles. As separate legal representation is recommended, separate Indemnity Insurance coverage is also required.

 

What are the steps if I am in a situation where there may be a possible claim against me?

  1. Contact the College office as soon as you can to discuss your situation with the Executive Director.

  2. The Executive Director may recommend a support person for you in your area and/or refer you onto the Insurance claim team and legal representation.

  3. We recommend that you make your own notes on the events surrounding the claim as soon as possible, be honest and factual, please send a copy of these notes into the College office.

  4. Notify the college prior to any meetings you have with your employer around the situation.

  5. In the event that you require representation our legal team and Insurer will liaise directly with you, they will keeping the College ED informed as the claim proceeds.

The College endeavours to support you and keep in regular contact right through the legal process.

 

Are Complementary Therapies Covered by My Insurance?

Yes if you hold the appropriate qualifications and training for the complimentary therapy you are covered for Indemnity Insurance, please see full document for details.

 

Is there any excess to pay if I have to make a claim?

There is no cost to you if you make a claim, the College of Nurses, Aotearoa (NZ) Inc will pay the excess for you.

If you have any other questions please phone the College office.

Areas of Interest