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Indemnity Insurance Cover 

Indemnity Insurance Cover for Registered Nurses

The Professional Indemnity Insurance Programme is available to members of the College of Nurses Aotearoa (NZ) Inc. This insurance, underwritten by NZI, provides comprehensive legal representation and advocacy during formal investigations within New Zealand on approved claims (conditions apply)

Coverage Details:
 

  • Civil Liability: Coverage for professional errors and the associated legal costs of defending claims.

  • Disciplinary Proceedings: Representation in disciplinary actions, including Nursing Council or HDC complaints.

  • Policy Limits: Up to $1,000,000 per policy period for civil liability and Nursing Council or HDC complaints.

  • No Excess: Members do not pay any excess on claims; the College covers this cost.

  • 24/7 Coverage: Valid within New Zealand, both during and outside work hours.
     

Important Notes:
 

  • Coverage is only valid if members hold a current APC and/or appropriate qualifications at the time of any claim.

  • Exclusions apply for midwifery, international, retired members, and those who have opted out of insurance cover.

  • Members must contact the College office immediately upon becoming aware of a potential claim or complaint.

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-

 

T: (06) 358 6000
E: admin@nurse.org.nz
For urgent Indemnity Insurance matters outside office hours please call
Kate Weston - 027 225 8287

Indemnity Insurance FAQ

  • 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.

  • The College advises against relying on an employer's insurance policy for the following reasons -

    • You are only covered while at your workplace.

    • A direct conflict of interest - where their insurance covers staff as well as the employers/practice/GPs at the same time there is a potential conflict of interest. In general, a claim made against a nurse will also accompany a claim against the practice and may also result in a claim by the employer against the nurse. In such a case it is far better for all parties to have entirely separate and independent legal representation.

    • The employer is funding their insurance policy and will be covered first and foremost before individual staff members. Each person involved in a case should have their own indemnity insurance cover/legal representation.

    • We advise strongly that nurses need their own separate professional indemnity insurance.

    The College of Nurses professional indemnity insurance cover provides individual and separate representation for each of our members, covering you 24 hours a day anywhere in NZ (even assisting at the site of an accident). In addition, without belonging to a nursing professional organization you are disconnected from nursing as a profession. You are cut off from the publications and the information, and you may not be informed what is going on in health and in nursing. It benefits not just nurses but the employers and patients as well to have well informed up to date nurses.

    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.

  • 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.

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

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