Avant Getting Started in
Private Practice Program

GSIPP eligibility rules and FAQs

• What is the Avant GSIPP discount?

  The Avant GSIPP discount is available to doctors starting out in private practice and is a progressive discount off your base Avant Practitioner Indemnity Insurance premium. That is, a sliding scale of reductions applied to your base premium over a four year period.

   
• Am I eligible for the Avant GSIPP discount?

  Avant offers a discretionary program. You may be eligible for Avant's GSIPP Program if you:

  • Hold or are applying for an Avant Practitioner Indemnity Insurance Policy
  • Are moving into a specialist category of practice, that is:
  • general practice categories
  • specialist non-surgical categories
  • surgeon categories (excluding Surgeon General including Bariatric, Orthopaedic Surgeon including Spinal and Neurosurgeon)
  • other medical category - defence forces or psychotherapy (non-specialist)
  • Pay your premium directly to Avant Insurance
  • Have not previously generated more than $25,000 in private practice billings in any 12 month period anywhere in the world.
  • Apply for the discount in the first year you become eligible. The first year you become eligible is defined as the first 12 month period in which you estimate your gross private practice billings at more than $25,000. 

  IMPORTANT: Private practice billings you may have generated as a Doctor in Training (‘Registrar’) are exempt. 

   
• What are the features of Avant's Practitioner Indemnity Insurance Policy?

  Step into private practice with confidence knowing you’re protected by Avant’s comprehensive Practitioner Indemnity Insurance Policy.

  Below are just some of the benefits covered by your policy:
  (Please note: This is not a complete summary of the policy, terms and conditions that apply. Visit the Avant Practitioner Indemnity Insurance Policy page for more information).

  
  

  Part A: Professional Indemnity Insurance, $20 million maximum policy limit
  Civil liability protection	We cover you in case you're sued by a patient or another person because of the health care you provide. Cover also includes the costs of lawyers to defend you in the case and legal costs of the other side (if you're ordered to pay those too). Civil liability cover is up to $20 million.
  Part B: Cover for disciplinary and other matters
  Disciplinary, coronial and criminal proceedings and investigations (sub-limit $2 million)	The policy covers legal fees that we incur in relation to: defending a prosecution, responding to a commission, inquiry, inquest, investigation or complaint brought by or before a registration board, tribunal or complaints unit defending or responding to a criminal inquiry, investigation or proceeding investigations by the coroner or a commission.
  Private health fund defence (sub-limit $2 million)	The policy covers legal fees that we incur defending a prosecution or responding to an inquiry brought by a health or medical benefit fund.
  Medicare audit (sub-limit $2 million)	The policy covers legal fees we incur for defending a civil or criminal action or responding to an investigation or complaint that is related to an allegation of inappropriate practice.
  Tax audit (sub-limit $50,000)	The policy covers accounting fees or legal fees and other expenses that we incur responding to an audit of you or your practice entity commenced by the Australian Taxation Office.
  Part C: Communicable disease cover and away from work costs
  Communicable disease cover	Your policy provides you with communicable disease cover if, as a result of you being diagnosed with HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C during the policy period you retire due to disability, substantially modify your practice to enable you to continue to practise medicine or undergo substantial training or retraining to enable you to continue to practise medicine.
  Away from work costs	Your policy will cover you up to $50,000 ($500 per day) for reasonable travel and accommodation expenses (‘personal expenses’) and/or up to $125,000 ($2,000 per day) for lost earnings or income (‘interruption to earnings’) incurred when attending a court, tribunal, inquiry, investigation, inquest or disciplinary proceeding at Avant's request in relation to a matter covered under your policy.

   
• Why does Avant offer this discount?
  We understand that starting or joining a private practice can be expensive. This is why we created the Avant GSIPP discount; to help take the pressure off your first years in private practice by offering substantial savings on your base Practitioner Indemnity Insurance premium.  
• How can Avant afford to offer the GSIPP discount?

  Avant is a financially strong mutual owned by and run for our members. Everything we do is for the benefit of our members, including the reinvestment of any financial surplus – this is why we can offer you member benefits like the Avant GSIPP discount.

   
• Can you define what you mean by first year you become eligible?

  The first year you become eligible is defined as the first 12 month period in which you estimate your gross private practice billings at more than $25,000.

   
• I have never practised privately in Australia before but I did work in private practice overseas and my billings would have been over $25,000. Am I still eligible?

  No, unfortunately not. As per our eligibility criteria, you cannot have previously generated more than $25,000 in private practice billings in any 12 month period anywhere in the world.

   
• How do I apply for the GSIPP discount?

  If you are an existing member of Avant:

  As an existing Avant member moving into private practice for the first time, you just need to speak with a service specialist in our Member Services team.

  They will ask you questions such as your estimated gross billings for private practice and confirm other details such as your category of practice, principal place of practice etc. They will also run through the eligibility criteria for the GSIPP discount with you. If you meet the eligibility criteria, the GSIPP discount will be applied automatically.

  
  

  If you are applying for membership with Avant:

  On receipt of your Practitioner Indemnity Insurance Policy application, Avant will automatically assess your eligibility for the GSIPP discount. If you meet the eligibility criteria, the discount will be applied to your premium. You do not need to do anything.

  
  

  If on assessing your application, we require any further information to help us determine your eligibly for the GSIPP discount, a service specialist will contact you directly.

   
• Will the years I am with Avant but receiving the GSIPP discount still count towards my Loyalty Reward Plan tenure?

  Yes.

   
• Do the four years of discounts have to run consecutively?

  No. Should you cease private practice for a period of time, your GSIPP discount will be frozen rather than cancelled. When you return to private practice you just need to speak with a service specialist in our Member Services team, and advise them that you would like your discount reactivated.

   
• I’m eligible to receive the GSIPP discount but as I’m already part way through this policy period, can I defer year one to the start of my next policy period?

  Option 1: Members who have less than six months remaining.
  No you cannot defer the GSIPP discount but this is not bad news. As you have less than six months remaining on your current policy, you will receive the discount for the remainder of the current policy and for the full year next policy period also. Your year two will start the year after that, and so on.

  Option 2: Members who have more than six months remaining.
  Unfortunately no, you cannot defer the GSIPP discount. You will receive the year one discount for the remainder of the current policy period and move to the year two discount at the time your policy is renewed.

   
• Does receiving a discount affect my indemnity insurance cover in any way?

  No. You will still receive the same cover under Avant’s Practitioner Indemnity Insurance Policy.

   
• What is the GSIPP microsite?

  The Avant GSIPP microsite is a website that provides practical tools and resources to guide you through the essential aspects of starting or joining a private practice, and information on how to minimise your risk in private practice.