Retiring or ceasing practice

When you cease practice in Australia (permanently or temporarily), the potential for claims to arise relating to your past clinical practice will continue.

Under a claims made policy you are only covered if you are a member at the time the claim is made against you and reported to MIPS.

Run off cover provides cover for those claims made after you cease or retire from practice in Australia and ensures you will continue to meet your AHPRA registration requirements. 

To notify MIPS you have ceased (or will cease) practice so we can update your membership details to an appropriate run-off cover classification complete a Ceasing Practice form. 

Medical practitioners may be eligible for the Run Off Cover Scheme (ROCS) when they cease practice in Australia due to retirement or other reasons which meet the eligibility criteria. ROCS is an Australian Government Scheme that provides run off at no cost to eligible medical practitioners.

If not immediately eligible for ROCS when you cease practice, medical practitioners will become eligible after three (3) years of no practice in Australia.

In the meantime, for the period from when you cease practice until you meet the criteria for ROCS, MIPS can offer you run-off cover for your past practice in an Extended Reporting Period (ERP) membership classification. Although you may initially receive a refund when you amend your membership details to run off cover, the cost of ERP cover is calculated on your individual previous practice details (currently up to three prior membership periods) and will vary for each member.

For further information regarding ROCS please visit the Department of Health ROCS FAQ’s. 

MIPS can offer you run-off cover for your past practice in an Extended Reporting Period (ERP) membership classification. Although you may initially receive a refund when you amend your membership details to run off cover, the cost of ERP cover is calculated on your individual previous practice details (currently up to three prior membership periods) and will vary for each member.

If you have been with MIPS for five continuous years and you are permanently retiring from all healthcare practice, including gratuitous services, you will be eligible for ERP loyal run-off cover which is offered at $50 per annum. 

If you are a medical practitioner and eligible for ROCS you will continue to be covered by the scheme as long you maintain your eligibility (ie not return to practice in Australia) even if you cancel your MIPS membership.  

For non-medical practitioners (dental or nuclear medical technologists), we are unable to advise you how long you need run off cover as the potential for claims to arise from past practice is ongoing. We suggest you contact our Professional Services department so you can make an informed decision about the ongoing potential for claims to arise and the factors to consider before cancelling your run-off cover. 

If you were employer indemnified for all practice undertaken in Australia this will meet your AHPRA registration requirements for run off cover as that practice will be covered under a claims incurred basis (ie you are covered regardless of when the matter is reported).

Alternatively, if you update your membership details to run off cover when you cease practice in Australia, MIPS will continue to provide you the additional cover and assistance for that employer indemnified practice that may not be provided by your employer including:

• Medical or Dental Practitioners Board complaints
• Coroner’s inquests
• Health Services Commissioner matters and
• General assistance and clinico-legal advice.

For further information regarding employer indemnified practice refer to the Member Handbook.

If you cease clinical practice but wish to maintain cover for volunteer or gratuitous services (for example prescribing and referrals) you can request cover for those services on the Ceasing Practice Form. There is a cost ($200 per annum) for cover for gratuitous services that will be added to the cost of your run off cover.