New Professional Indemnity Insurance Available for Midwives' Intrapartum Care
Midwife Professional Indemnity Scheme Expands Coverage Options
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As of 1 July 2025, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has introduced a professional indemnity insurance (PII) product specifically designed for midwives providing intrapartum care.
This development, under the Midwife Professional Indemnity Scheme (MPIS), ensures that midwives now have access to comprehensive PII coverage for all aspects of private midwifery practice.
Previously, midwives attending home births or providing intrapartum care faced challenges in obtaining suitable PII, leading to an exemption under the National Law. This exemption has been extended until 31 December 2026 to allow midwives time to transition to the new insurance product and to ensure continuity of care for their clients.
The new PII product is available through Miga, a provider specializing in medical indemnity insurance. To be eligible, midwives must hold an Endorsement for scheduled medicines for midwives with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). This endorsement signifies that the midwife has met specific qualifications and competencies, including the ability to prescribe certain medications.
In November 2025, a collaborative webinar was held to discuss these changes and provide guidance to midwives on adopting the new PII product. The session featured representatives from the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), and Miga. The webinar addressed practical steps midwives need to take to comply with the new requirements and offered a platform for addressing concerns within the profession.
While this advancement is a positive step for midwifery in Australia, some concerns have been raised, particularly regarding PII solutions for second practitioners attending home births who may not be endorsed midwives or whose primary practice context is not private midwifery. Ongoing consultations aim to address these issues to ensure that all midwives can meet the new requirements without disrupting the continuity of care they provide.
In summary, the introduction of this PII product marks a significant milestone for midwives, offering them the necessary protection to practice intrapartum care confidently. Midwives are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the new requirements and take proactive steps to secure appropriate coverage ahead of the 31 December 2026 deadline.
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