HIPPY Australia undertakes an annual review of insurance documentation across the Network.
We know these requests can take time, and the wording can sometimes feel formal. To support this work we have additional resources, including a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
The FAQs
- Why has our organisation received this letter?
- Is this a routine process?
- Is our Sublicence at risk?
- Why does HIPPY Australia need this documentation?
- What insurance is required?
- What each insurance type covers
- Certificates of Currency and what to send
- What exactly do we need to send?
- Where do we send documents?
- Timelines and common scenarios
- What is the deadline?
- What if we cannot meet the five-business day timeframe?
- What if our insurance renews later in the year?
- We are changing insurers. What should we provide?
- We already sent these documents. Why are we being asked again?
- If your broker says “you already have enough cover”
- Our Professional Indemnity is below $10 million. What is the broker letter pathway?
- Can we use the broker letter pathway for Public Liability as well?
- Our insurance is held under a parent organisation or group policy. Is that acceptable?
- Support
Why has our organisation received this letter?
HIPPY Australia undertakes an annual review of insurance documentation across the Network. If you have received a letter, it means our records indicate that one or more insurance documents are missing, have expired, were not recorded, or do not currently meet the required level of cover.
Is this a routine process?
Yes. This is a standard annual process that applies to providers where documentation is not current, not recorded, or below required thresholds. It is not a targeted investigation, and it does not mean there is a specific concern about your site.
Is our Sublicence at risk?
No. This request is about updating records and confirming compliance. It is not a notice of breach. However, ongoing non-response after follow-up communications may need to be escalated under the Sublicence and Funding Agreement.
Why does HIPPY Australia need this documentation?
The HIPPY Sublicence and Funding Agreement requires providers to maintain appropriate insurance cover for the full term of the agreement and for as long as any obligations remain. This helps protect families, staff, volunteers, and provider organisations, and it supports HIPPY Australia to meet its obligations under Australian Government funding arrangements.
What insurance is required?
What are the required insurance types and minimum levels?
Providers are required to hold the following insurances, and to keep them current at all times:
- Workers’ Compensation (also called WorkCover in some states): as required by law in your state or territory.
- Public Liability: minimum cover of $20 million per claim.
- Professional Indemnity: $10 million per claim. If your Professional Indemnity cover is below $10 million, you may be able to use the broker letter pathway described below.
Why are the coverage levels set this way?
These thresholds align with common expectations for government-funded community services. Public Liability and Professional Indemnity help manage the financial and legal risks that can arise when delivering services to families and children in community settings.
What each insurance type covers
Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ Compensation insurance is a legal requirement for employers. It supports organisations where an employee or worker is injured or becomes ill in the course of their employment. It can assist with medical costs, rehabilitation, and compensation, and helps manage financial and legal risk for organisations.
Personal accident insurance is not the same as Workers’ Compensation. Personal accident cover does not meet the Workers’ Compensation requirement in the HIPPY Sublicence.
Public Liability
Public Liability insurance protects an organisation against claims relating to injury to third parties or damage to property that may arise from program activities.
The minimum Public Liability cover required for HIPPY is $20 million per claim.
Professional Indemnity
Professional Indemnity insurance provides protection against claims arising from professional advice, services, or actions that may result in loss or harm. In the HIPPY context, this applies to the work of Tutors and Coordinators, who deliver a structured early learning program and provide guidance and support to families.
Professional Indemnity insurance is not the same as Medical Malpractice insurance. Medical Malpractice insurance is designed to cover risks associated with clinical or medical services, such as diagnosis, treatment, or clinical decision-making. HIPPY delivery does not involve medical or clinical services. The work undertaken by Tutors and Coordinators is educational and program-based rather than clinical in nature. As such, Medical Malpractice insurance does not extend to, or cover, the risks associated with delivering the HIPPY program.
For this reason, Medical Malpractice insurance does not meet the Professional Indemnity requirement under the HIPPY Sublicence and cannot be relied upon as a substitute.
Certificates of Currency and what to send
What is a Certificate of Currency?
A Certificate of Currency is a document issued by your insurer or broker that confirms your policy is active. It usually shows the type of insurance, the level of cover, and the effective and expiry dates.
What exactly do we need to send?
Please email current Certificates of Currency for Workers’ Compensation, Public Liability, and Professional Indemnity. If you are using the broker letter pathway for Professional Indemnity, please send the broker letter as well.
Where do we send documents?
Email your documents to HIPPYAustralia@bsl.org.au If possible, include your organisation name and the relevant HIPPY site name(s) in the email so we can match your documents quickly.
Timelines and common scenarios
What is the deadline?
The letter asks you to provide the requested documentation within five (5) business days.
What if we cannot meet the five-business day timeframe?
If you anticipate a delay (for example, you are waiting on renewal paperwork or your broker), please email HIPPY Australia as soon as you can with a short explanation and an expected date. Proactive communication is always better than silence, and it helps us record your situation accurately.
What if our insurance renews later in the year?
If your current certificate is still valid, please send it now and let us know when renewal is due. If your current certificate has already expired, we will need either the renewal certificate or written confirmation from the insurer that cover has been extended while renewal is being finalised.
We are changing insurers. What should we provide?
If you are mid-transition, please send whatever documentation is available (for example, a confirmation of cover, policy schedule, or a letter from your insurer). If there is any gap in cover, please let your Site Advisor know straight away so we can discuss next steps.
We already sent these documents. Why are we being asked again?
This can happen for a few reasons. For example, the earlier email may not have been received or recorded, the documents may have since expired, or one of the three required insurance types may have been missing. If you believe this is an administrative error, please forward your earlier email (if you have it) and attach your current certificates so we can reconcile records quickly.
We are a new provider and submitted insurance documents during onboarding or our Expression of Interest. Do we still need to respond?
Yes, please respond if you received the letter. Documents provided during onboarding do not always transfer into the annual compliance register, and we also need to confirm the documents we hold are current and meet required thresholds.
If your broker says “you already have enough cover”
My broker says we have enough insurance. Why is HIPPY asking for different levels?
Brokers often advise on what is generally suitable for an organisation’s overall risk profile. HIPPY Australia must also apply the minimum insurance levels set out in the Sublicence and Funding Agreement. If your broker recommends a different level for Professional Indemnity, the broker letter pathway may be used so we can record that your cover is appropriate for your organisation.
Our Professional Indemnity is below $10 million. What is the broker letter pathway?
Where Professional Indemnity cover is below $10 million, HIPPY Australia may accept a broker letter that confirms your organisation’s risk profile and confirms that the current level of cover is commensurate with the broker’s recommended level of Professional Indemnity cover for your organisation. The letter should be on broker letterhead and signed by an authorised representative.
Can we use the broker letter pathway for Public Liability as well?
Public Liability has a minimum requirement of $20 million per claim under the Sublicence. The broker letter pathway applies to Professional Indemnity only. If your Public Liability cover is below $20 million, please speak with your broker about increasing the cover and then send the updated certificate of currency.
Our insurance is held under a parent organisation or group policy. Is that acceptable?
Yes, this can be acceptable. What matters is that the documentation clearly shows your organisation (or your HIPPY site) is covered under the policy, and that the level of cover meets the required minimums. If the Certificate of Currency does not clearly show this, please include a short, written confirmation from your insurer or broker explaining that your organisation is covered under the parent or group policy.
Support
If you have questions, or you would like to talk through your situation, please contact your Site Advisor. You can also contact HIPPY Australia at https://bslhippy.freshdesk.com/support/home. We appreciate the time it takes to pull this information together, and we’re here to help.
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