In searching to provide our members with the best value for membership possible, it is unwise to simply look within our own borders. There is so much to learn from other like-minded membership organisations, and particularly those that have developed a physiotherapy profession that is similar to our own.

‘In our view, we provide a product that offers the highest level of coverage for our members, that is aligned with great service and strong legal support.’

In May this year, myself, CEO Cris Massis, APA vice presidents Darren Rivett and Jenny Aiken, and APA corporate services general manager Craig Maltman took part in a range of meetings that sought to improve the value of our professional indemnity (PI) and insurance program. This meeting included lawyers who act for our members, our broker BMS, insurer QBE, and colleagues from physiotherapy organisations in the US, Canada and New Zealand. Many of us share the same brokerage and insurance model, meaning we are able to accurately share and compare our information.

Our journey with PI insurance has been a successful one. In our view, we provide a product that offers the highest level of coverage for our members, that is aligned with great service and strong legal support. Insurance structures can be complex but we have made every effort to make our insurance offering to members as seamless as possible.

Since 2017, we have had the ability to access de-identified, highly reliable and clear information on what is happening in PI coverage of our profession through our insurance arrangements. This was not possible prior to this. It is powerful, as it provides the opportunity to really understand what is happening, create strategies based on good data, and have a tangible impact on risk management and quality of practice.

In meeting with our colleagues from overseas, there have been a number of clear benefits:

• being able to share accurate and meaningful data on our most recent notifications and claims experience. This enables us to compare global trends, look at how our protection may need to change over time, and also to see strategies in risk management that are working in other markets


• exploring the increasing number of claims and notifications relating to boundary violation and discussing how we can best educate our members around this evolving and serious issue


• starting the discussion on how we could potentially pool our resources to create a stronger product and invest further into risk management strategies to support and protect our profession


• being able to negotiate competitive pricing to ensure the best value for members and the Association while maintaining the most comprehensive policy available


• discussing how we can best support our members who may be going through a notification, claim or a regulatory process. Watch this space, as there are some promising models which we are looking at.

I don’t often look at insurance as something exciting. However our global collaboration at present—and the opportunity that reliable and high-quality data provides—fills me with a sense of great excitement and opportunity. I would value your thoughts and insights on this issue, so please feel free to contact me.

To contact Phil, email national.president@australian.physio.