BMS is now the exclusive broker for the PAA’s new insurance program.
BMS is a Lloyd’s broker and has 15 global teams, including in Melbourne and Ottawa, dedicated to providing coverage, and value-added services to associations and its members.
The Australian and Canadian teams provide coverage to more than 500,000 allied health and regulated professionals through 70+ associations globally.
This experience gives BMS a unique insight and ability to create and deliver significantly enhanced and continuously evolving member centric insurance programs. This includes ensuring broad, market-leading coverage, evidence-based risk management and exceptional member service.
To find out more visit www.bmsgroup.com/affinity
If you have any questions about the insurance program or PAA Indemnity Policy, contact BMS at 1800 940 764 or email pilatesaa@bmsgroup.com.
Ensuring PAA members have access to the most comprehensive coverage, additional, evidence-based risk management material and exceptional service for insurance queries and claims is paramount. BMS is a specialist broker dedicated to servicing associations and its members and will continue to enhance the Pilates Alliance Australasia Insurance Program.
Yes you can opt back in to the insurance program via the membership area on the PAA website. www.pilates.org.au
If you have a current claim with your previous insurance company, you will need to continue dealing directly with them. Any new claims or notifications under the new insurance program can be directed to BMS on 1800 940 764.
Professional Indemnity Insurance protects you against allegations or claims of financial loss due to injury or damages that have resulted from a negligent act, error, omission, malpractice or breach of duty that has arisen out of your professional capacity as a Pilates Instructor.
The PAA PI policy will also respond to protect your reputation should a claim occur.
Public Liability Insurance provides cover for bodily injury or property damage to a third party that occurs while conducting your professional activities.
This is primarily a legal defence costs cover but also covers settlement costs in the event that you are found to be liable / negligent in causing the injury or property damage.
Products Liability Insurance covers you for actual or alleged bodily injury or property damage to a third party arising through use of a product sold, supplied, or manufactured by you.
As with Public Liability, this cover will also respond to legal defence costs even if you are found to be not liable for the injury / damage.
For more information please refer to the policy wording or contact BMS on 1800 931 074 or at pilatesaa@bmsgroup.com
You can contact BMS’ team of Brokers on 1800 940 764 or by email at pilatesaa@bmsgroup.com to obtain the extra cover.
The following PAA membership categories automatically include $10,000,000 PI Insurance at each year’s renewal:
Once you have completed and paid for your PAA membership (and provided you have not opted out of the insurance) you will automatically be sent a copy of your Certificate of Currency.
You have the option to opt out of the PAA program during the application or renewal process. While it’s not compulsory to take up the Pilates Alliance Australasia’s Professional Indemnity and Public and Products Liability Policy, all Pilates Instructors must have adequate PI Insurance to be a member of PAA.
You can contact BMS’ team of Brokers on 1800 940 764 or by email at pilatesaa@bmsgroup.com.
No. There is no cover for when you are providing your services to family members.
The PAA PI Policy has run-off cover, so you can remain covered in the event you have a leave of absence (such as maternity leave or due to an illness).
To activate this, you must apply for run-off cover by contacting BMS on 1800 940 764 or via email at pilatesaa@bmsgroup.com. An additional premium may apply.
Yes. The PAA Insurance Policy provides run-off cover, which means you can be covered when you retire.
To activate this, you must apply for run-off cover by contacting BMS on 1800 940 764 or via email at pilatesaa@bmsgroup.com. An additional premium may apply
Yes. The PAA Insurance Policy complies with and exceeds all requirements set by AHPRA.
As a PAA member participating in the insurance program, you are covered for a number of additional, exercise-based modalities.
Automatically covered, no additional premium:
Additional Premium may apply (list is not exhaustive):
If your modality is not listed, contact BMS Group on 1800 940 764 or at pilatesaa@bmsgroup.com to discuss insurance options.
Yes. The PAA PI Insurance Policy will match the retroactive cover date that you had in place on your previous policy, provided that there are no known and unreported circumstances that may lead to a claim.
If you have not had insurance coverage in place at the time you purchase the PAA Insurance Policy, your retroactive date will be the start date of your PAA Insurance Policy.
Yes. As a Public Health Sector worker, without your own insurance policy you are relying on your employer’s Insurance, which may be geared more towards protecting your employer. Further, Public Hospitals or Health Centres typically carry policy excesses upwards of $250,000; which means that, in the event of a claim against you, they may decline to cover you.
Your employer’s policy may not cover you for:
PAA members who participate in the Insurance Program also have peace of mind that they have an individual $10,000,000 limit covering their interests as well as access to 30 minutes of free legal assistance with a senior lawyer for each potentially claimable issue that arises.
Having your own individual policy ensures you are covered if you want to work while transitioning from one employer to the next.
Lander & Rogers, a leading independent Australian law firm is pleased to offer summary pro bono legal advice to all PAA members participating in the insurance program. To ensure all eligible members are provided with superior legal defence in the event of a claim or complaint, Lander & Rogers has been retained as the preferred legal provider for claims made under the Pilates Alliance Australasia Insurance Program.
PAA members can take advantage of this complimentary service for practice related questions involving issues such as:
Lander & Rogers is one of Australia’s leaders in insurance claims services and offers expertise in all areas of litigated and non-litigated claims.
The Lander & Rogers team not only defends a large portfolio of litigated claims against allied health professionals and health care providers, but also provides specialised services in coronial investigations, disciplinary hearings and complaints resolution processes. The team works closely with its clients to identify what is particularly important in resolving claims, including accuracy, speed, and sensitivity to reputational risk and intelligent and controlled solutions to litigation.
Members should
Members should not
If you are aware of a potential claim should contact BMS directly at 1800 940 764 or pilatesaa@bmsgroup.com
If you are a practice owner and operate under a legal business entity; you will need to apply for Entity Coverage which will extend your PAA Member Insurance Policy to include cover for Vicarious Liability for your Business. Vicarious Liability is where you or your business can be held responsible for the actions of an employee, agent or Sub-Contractor.
Business Insurance is designed for Allied Health & Medical businesses with assets not exceeding $5 million. It covers various general elements of business risk relating to property and interruption to operations; it is comprised of 6 sections providing a range of property and revenue covers against different types of losses (i.e. fire & storm damage, theft, glass breakage, machinery breakdown, business interruption).
Cyber Liability coverage responds to various losses resulting from but not limited to, stolen credentials, malware, phishing and social engineering and insider threats. Coverage is provided for loss suffered by your business, claims made by third parties affected and for your business interruption in the event of a breach.
Australia has recently passed a law making it mandatory for businesses to notify of data breaches within 30 days. This can have a massive financial impact on a business and we recommend visiting the Risk Resources page for more information and resources in respect of this historic change in legislation
Personal Accident insurance is designed for companies (group cover) or individuals to provide coverage in the event of death or permanent/temporary disability due to injury or sickness.
There are a range of benefits that the coverage extends to provide, including but not limited to rehabilitation, corrective surgery, medical expenses and child support. Benefits are paid by either lump sum or weekly throughout the benefit period for prolonged sickness or injury.
This coverage is particularly important where:
Journey Insurance provides cover in the event that you are injured on your commute to and from work. This is a typical exclusion to many workers compensation policies, which would leave majority of employees uninsured and left to manage expenses should they be unable to work for an extended period of time.
Corporate Travel Insurance is an annual policy covering all staff and directors of a company for business travel. Cover will also respond to leisure trips taken by directors and business owners as well as associated leisure travel for employees of the business.
Cover also extends to any employees spouse and dependent children.
You can apply to have your PAA Insurance Policy extended to include your business entity. Click here to find out more about business entity cover and apply online.
This will act as an extension to your PAA policy to protect your business in the event the entity is named in an action.
Download an application form from the relevent product page on this site; once completed, send through to BMS to obtain a quote. If you cannot locate an application or would like to discuss in more detail, please contact BMS at pilatesaa@bmsgroup.com or on 1800 940 764.