Insurance for Midwives:

There are several choices for midwives in relation to insurance. If you work in a hospital you will be covered by the hospital vicarious liability, you will however need to find out what that insurance covers:

To practice as a private practice or independent midwife you will need some form of insurance in order to be registered with the Nurses and Midwives Board of Australia. Currently these are your choices:

Option 1
The Government Insurance:
MIGA (Medical Insurance Group of Australia) has won the contract to offer midwives professional indemnity insurance, with support by the Commonwealth under the Midwife Professional Indemnity (Commonwealth Contribution) Scheme Act 2010 and the Midwife Professional Indemnity (Run-off Cover Support Payment) Act 2010. See blog 14 June
MIGA have a News Flash in relation to collaborative arrangements click here to see more....
Further information about Collaborative requirements appears below.

I am interested in securing formal Collaborative Arrangements, but I don't think I can obtain an obstetrician's or a hospital's agreement to collaborate with me before 1 July. Can I still be covered by the MIGA insurance?
Yes. If you are unable to obtain a Collaborative Arrangement for a particular woman, you will still be covered if you communicate a maternity care plan for that woman to a public hospital that provides obstetric services.

Option 2
Vero insurance policy for antenatal and postnatal care only - the agents for this will be Mediprotect http://www.mediprotect.com.au/
The policy will cover activities such as, the provision care and education services, but will exclude birthing. Midwives will be able to choose between two categories for their activities.
The insurance will cost between $1800 - $3010.00 ( cover will be from $1,000,000 - $5,000,000
Information about the Vero policy can be obtained from the Mediprotect website or by phoning Mediprotect on 07 3426 0440.

To be eligible for this cover, practitioners need only be registered as a ‘practising midwife’ with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

Option 3
The ANF is contemplating an insurance option this is still to be confirmed, the best thing to do is to check with your local office....

Watch this space for more information......
Remember there is no insurance cover for Homebirth;

Cheers Pauline

ref for cartoon: www.getmilked.com/.../ThankYouInsuranceMan.html