General practitioner
We understand that where, how, and what you practise as an general practitioner (GP) is unique to you. That’s why our protection is suited to the work you do and your level of experience.
MIPS is your partner through uncertainty, providing more understandable insurance cover, risk education, and expert advice specific to your career in general practice.
Providing you protection for up to $20 million in claims*
*The maximum amount we will pay in the aggregate per annual membership period.
Ability to speak with an experienced professional any time of the day
Access to accredited professional development (CPD) and on-demand learning.
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Am I covered as a general practitioner?
MIPS offers three categories of cover for GPs:
- GP non-procedural
- GP procedural
- GP procedural including anaesthetics and/or obstetrics.
GP non-procedural category
Your MIPS membership will be under this category if you hold specialist registration in General Practice with Ahpra and you undertake treatments, procedures, or practice (‘activities’) most GPs commonly undertake including but not limited to:
- acupuncture, including laser acupuncture
- after hours deputising services
- allergy testing/ desensitisation program
- arterial blood gas estimations
- blood transfusions
- exercise electrocardiogram (ECG) - with appropriate resuscitation facilities
- external auditory canal syringing
- eyelid – excision/curettage of chalazion
- foreign bodies, including superficial corneal and aural removal
- fracture treatment not requiring reduction or anaesthesia
- hormonal contraceptive implant insertion and removal
- intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) insertion and removal
- iron infusion
- local anaesthesia, including digital nerve blocks but excluding regional blocks
- lumbar puncture excluding administration of spinal or epidural anaesthesia
- nosebleed electrocautery
- peripheral joint aspiration and/or intra-articular injections, excluding spine
- post-mortems
- proctoscopy/sigmoidoscopy (without biopsy)
- shared antenatal care in consultation with a hospital, specialist obstetrician or GP obstetrician where you are not involved in the induction or management of labour or delivery of the infant
- simple closed joint dislocation reduction
- skin flaps and grafts, limited to:
- single-stage skin flaps on the face (including nose, eyelids, eyebrows and ears) where the diameter of the lesion prior to excision, including the margin to be excised, is 15mm or less
- skin flaps and skin grafts excluding full thickness grafts (split/partial only) on any location other than the face (including scalp, neck, trunk, limbs, digits) where clinically appropriate and where the diameter of the lesion prior to excision, including the margin to be excised, is 50mm or less.
- skin lesions biopsy, including punch biopsies
- superficial abscess incision and drainage
- superficial lacerations of skin and subcutaneous tissue repair
- superficial skin lesion cautery and cryotherapy
- superficial skin lesion, tumour, and cyst removal
- surgical assistance
- thrombosed external haemorrhoids drainage
- toenail avulsion, including wedge resection, excluding total removal of nail bed
- urinary catheter insertion
- venepuncture and simple insertions of Intravenous (IV) lines/IV drug therapy
- voluntary assisted dying (VAD) medication administration in accordance with relevant legislation.
This list is not exhaustive.
You require an endorsement if you undertake any ‘Minor cosmetic services’ as defined by MIPS in the Member Handbook. The ‘GP non-procedural’ category excludes cover for the following practice where you are not indemnified by your employer:
- Activities listed under GP procedural
- Administering and monitoring sedation for procedures such as (but not limited to) gastroscopy and colonoscopy
- Obstetric services other than shared antenatal care
- General anaesthesia, regional anaesthesia, or intravenous/intravascular sedation.
GP procedural category
Your MIPS membership will be under this category if you hold general registration or specialist registration in General Practice with Ahpra and you perform procedures not covered under the non-procedural category definition and/or procedures usually performed under regional or general anaesthesia, sedation, or neurolept-analgesia. This category should be selected even if such procedures are performed without anaesthesia.
Activities include:
- accident and emergency activities undertaken in rural and remote settings
- arterial line insertion
- bronchoscopy
- chest tube/drains
- colposcopy
- hyperbaric medicine
- intravenous (IV) sedation for medical and dental procedures using narcotic/benzodiazepine combinations (contact MIPS for cover for other sedatives)
- male circumcision
- minor general surgical procedures (e.g. haemorrhoidectomy by banding or excision, and hernia repairs)
- regional anaesthesia excluding spinal, or epidural
- skin flaps and grafts, including full thickness grafts
- termination of pregnancy (up to 20 weeks)
- uterine dilation and curettage (D&C)
- vasectomy
- varicose veins sclerotherapy.
This category also includes cover for all activities listed in ‘GP non-procedural’ category. This list is not exhaustive.
You require an endorsement if you undertake any ‘Minor cosmetic services’ as defined by MIPS in the Member Handbook. The ‘GP procedural category’ excludes cover for the following activities where you are not indemnified by your employer:
- Obstetric services other than shared antenatal care
- Administration of sedative muscle relaxant or anaesthesia agents such as propofol
- Neurosurgery, bariatric surgery, and spinal surgery.
GP procedural including anaesthetics and/or obstetrics category
Your MIPS membership will be under this category if you hold a Diploma of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (DRANZCOG) or equivalent, or you hold Joint Consultative Committee on Anaesthesia (JCCA) or equivalent.
Activities include:
- Administering agents other than narcotic/benzodiazepine combinations
- General anaesthesia
- Pain medicine within individual scope of training, qualification, and experience, including spinal cord stimulator implantation via open partial or total laminectomy
- Private obstetric services beyond shared antenatal care in a healthcare facility
- Regional anaesthesia (beyond digital blocks)
- Spinal or epidural anaesthesia.
This category also includes cover for all activities listed in the ‘GP procedural’ and ‘GP non-procedural’ categories. This list is not exhaustive.
If you are training and undertaking unsupervised obstetrics or anaesthetic services, and you are not indemnified by your employer for those services, contact MIPS so we can advise on the right cover.
You require an endorsement if you any ‘Minor cosmetic services’ as defined by MIPS in the Member Handbook.
The ‘GP procedural including anaesthetics and/or obstetrics’ category excludes cover for any planned involvement in home births not indemnified by your employer.
Do I still need insurance if I’m covered by my employer?
If you’re working for an employer (e.g. hospital), you may be covered for some adverse or unexpected events, however there may be instances where your employer is unable to cover or assist you.
The minimum level of professional indemnity insurance required by Ahpra only relates to civil claims, so the indemnity provided by your employer might not cover you for issues relating to:
- professional and disciplinary matters
- employment, training program and university disputes
- pursuit matters
- other matters.
MIPS brings experienced foresight to help you build a risk prevention mindset and reinforce your sense of confidence.
Does MIPS understand my practice?
In addition to being in one of the three GP categories, your MIPS Membership factors in the type of practice you undertake. Your practice basis describes, for example:
- If your practice is employer indemnified, not employer indemnified, or a combination of both.
- If you have obtained specialist registration, or you are currently undertaking or enrolled in a specialist training program.
- If you have completed your healthcare studies within the last five years.
- If you undertake practice that requires an endorsement.
How are my membership fees calculated?
As a member-owned not-for-profit organisation, we use a risk-based approach to calculate membership fees, and work hard to keep them as low as possible. Your individual membership fee will be based on your membership details including your membership classification for your current and past practice for up to three previous membership periods. This means your fee responds to how your practice changes over time.
Your membership classification includes:
- your category (outlined above)
- your practice basis (outlined above)
- any endorsements you might have (see the Member Handbook for more detail)
- the state you practice in.
I’m a sole practitioner. Does my membership cover my staff?
If you work in your own private practice and qualify as a Sole Practitioner, your MIPS Membership can extend to cover you against claims made against your staff by your patients when under your guidance or in relation to their administrative work. We will cover you and your practice while you’re on leave and replaced by a locum/temporary healthcare professional.
See the Member Handbook for more detail.
Why choose MIPS?
As a member-owned not-for-profit organisation, every decision is made with our members in mind. We’re here to protect you and your professional reputation with comprehensive insurance cover. As a MIPS Member you’ll also have access to resources, advice, and support 24 hours a day from experienced practitioners and medico-legal experts.
Our areas of cover include:
- civil liability
- professional and disciplinary matters
- employment, training and university disputes
- pursuit matters
- and more.
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Insurance cover is subject to the terms, conditions, and exclusions of the policy. The information provided is general advice only and does not consider your personal circumstances or needs. You should review the Member Handbook Combined PDS and FSG and/or contact MIPS on 1800 061 113, before making a decision. Information is current as at the date published.