Doctors in specialist training

	Aggregate Limit of Cover for all Claims*
Defend you in civil legal proceedings brought by patients Defend you in civil proceedings alleging breach of privacy Defend you in civil proceedings arising from telehealth Defend you in civil proceedings when you have been acting as a good Samaritan Defend you in some civil proceedings whilst practicing overseas for limited time Defend you in civil proceedings arising from clinical trials Defend you against allegations of defamation Defend your practice in civil proceedings Pay the legal costs of defending you in professional negligence and some civil liability matters Pay civil damages you are ordered to pay in professional negligence and civil liability matters Pay costs you are ordered to pay	$20 million
We will...	Aggregate Sub-limits*
Represent you and pay legal costs when you are investigated by Ahpra or a professional services review committee Represent you and pay legal costs in inquiries relating to provision of healthcare services Represent you and pay legal costs when self-referring regarding a health impairment Pay costs you are ordered to pay with respect to covers for investigations and inquiries Represent you and pay legal costs in defending allegations of some sexual misconduct and criminal matters	$2 million
Represent you and pay legal costs in certain employment, credentialing and training disputes	$100,000 but for claims by you for unpaid remuneration we will not pay more than the amount reasonably sought by you
Represent you and pay legal costs when you are defamed	$100,000 (with Excess of $20,000)
Represent you and pay legal costs in obtaining AVOs on your behalf	$100,000
Defend you against imposed fines and penalties for breach of Privacy Act Pay fines and penalties imposed on you for breach of Privacy Act Pay notification costs for breach of Privacy Act	$250,000
Compensate you when you contract certain communicable diseases	$100,000 for Medical Practitioner
Pay you for loss of income in some circumstances	$20,000 (with a maximum of $2,000 per day for up to 10 days)
Cover you for loss of documents	$100,000

^*Provided that the Maximum Limit of Indemnity is not exceeded.
†A copy of the Policy Wording is available at mdanational.com.au/Downloads. 

For more information please read our Professional Indemnity Insurance Policy Combined Financial Services Guide (FSG), Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Policy Wording and Supplementary FSG and PDS including Amendments to the Policy Wording from our Download Center.

MDA National is committed to providing junior doctors with the support they need, starting with low membership and insurance premiums made possible by the broader MDA National membership. Our policy runs on a financial year basis from 1 July to 30 June. Please refer to the table below for our premium relating to your career stage:

Professional Indemnity Premiums tailored to your career stage
Post Graduate Years 2 and 3	$50
Post Graduate Year 4/5 (including those on an accredited training program)	$100
Post Graduate Year 6+ and on an accredited training program or employed in an unaccredited registrar position	$150
Starting in Private Practice	Reduced Premiums for your first four years in private practice - starting with a premium reduction of 80% in your first year.

If you are a member of the AMA in Queensland or Western Australia you may be eligible for further reductions'. Find out more

For more information on our junior doctor categories and eligibility criteria, please refer to our Risk Category Guide available from our Download Centre.

These rates are effective 1 July 2023 includes Membership Subscription, Insurance Premiums, ROCS Support Payment and relevant taxes.

Once you have a general AHPRA registration after completion of your internship, MDA National provides automatic cover for unlimited private locum work and surgical assisting, as long as you are undertaking the majority of your work in an employer indemnified position, or you are enrolled in and the majority of your practice is within your fellowship training program.

Occasionally, you may find that you are not able to access State or employer indemnity for the treatment of public patients in public hospitals. Under such circumstances you may apply for an extension of cover under your Policy by completing the Treatment of Public Patients Form, available from our Download Centre or by contacting Member Services to discuss your individual circumstances.

If you intend on undertaking a fellowship, additional training, or volunteer practise overseas, MDA National can provide an extension of cover in certain situations for additional peace of mind and protection overseas.

For more information refer to page 9 of our Risk Category Guide in our download centre for our automatic inclusions and extensions to your cover. 

As you progress through your specialist training working towards fellowship, you may be considering your options upon completion of your specialist training, such commencing in private specialist practice or opening your own consulting rooms or medical practice. 

As a Member or Practice Indemnity Policy holder, our Support in Practice team are here to guide you through this process, so you can keep on focusing on providing outstanding patient care. 

Our Support in Practice service is designed to support and assist practices in identifying and assessing risks within their practice environment and implementing simple strategies to mitigate those risks.

Our discounts commence at 80% in your first year. If you commence private practice as a specialist between January and 30 June, you’ll receive the 80% discount for that period, and again for the following full financial year. Subsequent discounts are 60% in your second full year, 40% in your third and finally 20% in your fourth year, before reaching a mature premium.

 

We understand that starting or joining a private practice can have various startup challenges and costs. To alleviate some of the financial burden associated with commencing in private practice MDA National have premium reductions in the first four years you undertake private practice*. Contact our Member Services team as soon as you obtain your Fellowship or decide to start practising in a private practice category to see if you are eligible. The premium in the first year of your private practice is an 80% reduction on the mature premium payable. The subsequent years involve incremental increases until the mature rate is reached, helping members transition into full premium payments gradually.

*Subject to Underwriting approval and certain eligibility criteria.

For more information on our Starting in Private Practice premium reductions, please refer to our Starting in Private Practice brochure. 

• 24-hour medico-legal advice– expertise and support when you need it most.
• Member Online Services– access your insurance documents at your convenience, update your details, access Member-only resources and online education. 
• Practice Indemnity Policy– recommended in addition to your own professional indemnity policy, to protect your practice entity and practice staff. 
• Accredited education– gain CPD (continuing professional development) points from our extensive suite of education, which we believe is unrivalled in Australian medical indemnity today.
• Support in Practice– personalised services to assist you in managing your professional risk.
• Starting In Private Practice– resources and guidance on starting in private practice, from billings and fees to advertising guidelines and the management of patient records.
• Part of your profession– doctors are an integral part of MDA National with key roles on our Mutual Board, our group and management committees, and on staff. Please contact us if you are interested in contributing to MDA National.
• Experienced medico-legal advisers and case managers – with broad medico-legal experience, and healthcare and legal qualifications.
• Industry events– in addition to hosting our own events, we participate in industry events across the country via sponsorship, and by providing education to the medical profession.
• Doctors for Doctors Program– confidential peer support during medico-legal matters, exempt from mandatory reporting.
• Professional Support Service– complimentary and confidential professional support from an independent psychiatrist, should you need it during a medico-legal matter. 
• Defence Update– periodical publication and blog to keep you up-to-date with relevant practical medico-legal advice and case studies. 
• Specialty Updates– supplements for key specialties to inform you of emerging risks and specialty specific medico-legal matters.
• Financial stability– responsible stewardship of Members’ funds. We manage all elements of a strong insurance business and invest in Member value by delivering quality support services. 
• Up to 20% off medical publications, reference and text books.
• Corporate Social Responsibility– giving back to our community, including a Charity of Choice association with Beyondblue to help support doctors’ mental health. 
• Local presence, national support with offices in NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC and WA.