As a physiotherapist, you may find that running your business from home offers an appropriate balance—lowered costs and greater flexibility.

However, as with any business, there are risks and working from home carries risks that may not be on your radar.

What are they?

What are the potential risks?

Slips and falls

Slips and falls can happen anywhere.

Whether your business is located at a clinic or based out of your home, there are risks if a slip or fall occurs.

If a patient or client slipped and fell within your premises, they could file a claim against you and/or your business.

While accidents such as these are beyond your control, having sufficient insurance cover could offer you support and peace of mind.

Check the professional indemnity and public and products liability cover you have and if it extends to cover these risks when providing your professional services from home.

Mistakes and errors

Even the most experienced and diligent physiotherapists can make mistakes.

Human error can happen anywhere—while practising from your home-based business, practising from your clinic or working offsite.

If a patient believes an injury happened as a result of your professional services or because of a product you sold, they could file a claim against you and/or your business.

If either of these scenarios were to occur, your insurance may or may not extend to cover these risks while practising from home.

Check your professional indemnity and public and products liability insurance policy or speak to your broker to ensure you have suitable cover.

Theft, damage and interruptions

Working from your home-based business carries risks that aren’t necessarily covered under your home and contents insurance policy.

This might include damage, theft or the loss of professional equipment.

If your professional equipment is stolen, for example, your domestic insurance is unlikely to cover it.

Domestic insurance will often apply only to circumstances associated with your home, not your business.

Make sure you understand what is covered by your home and contents insurance and speak to your broker to learn what options could help you avoid business interruptions.

How do I know I have the right cover?

To assess what cover is right for you, consider asking the following questions:

• Where is equipment stored and used?
• Where is your business run? (Is it run in a secondary unit on your home property? Or in a spare room of your house?)
• Do you sell products?

How can BMS help?

As an APA member, you have exclusive access to a range of insurance options to cover your business.

Register for an account or log in to the BMS Portal to access a range of cover including business and entity insurance.

Alternatively, speak to BMS by emailing apa@bmsgroup.com for more information.

Disclaimer: You must be a current Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) member to be eligible to register for the APA member insurance program. You must be part of the APA Member Insurance program in order to access additional cover. If your membership ceases you will not be offered renewal when your policy expires. In offering this insurance to our members APA is a distributor of BMS Risk Solutions Pty Ltd (BMS) AFSL 461594, ABN 45161187980. The insurance is issued by BMS under authority with the insurer. When acting under this authority BMS acts as agent for the insurer and not as your agent. This is general advice only and BMS has not considered whether it was suitable for your personal circumstances, current objectives, needs or financial situation. Please read the Policy Wording/Product Disclosure Statement and the BMS Terms of Engagement which contains the Financial Services Guide before making a decision about purchasing this policy. There is a Target Market Determination for the Personal Accident policy. APA receives an annual payment from BMS which is used for insurance related marketing and professional development activities to support our members. As a distributor, APA may receive a percentage of the commission paid to BMS by the insurer and/or a fee per policy in offering this insurance to members. APA receives an annual payment from BMS which is used for insurance related marketing and professional development activities to support our members.