Insurance
Professional indemnity insurance
We've got your back
Our members have professional indemnity cover of up to £10 million on a loss occurring basis. Student members also have cover when on placement in the UK or in the country you live (except for USA and Canada) when working under the supervision of a qualified occupational therapist.
One of the things that makes our insurance policy so unique is that our scope of practice for occupational therapy is so broad. It also covers you as an individual whenever you practice as an OT − all day, every day. This means whether you’re paid or not.
Your employer's insurance policy may not cover you personally for the work you do for them. It's usually designed to cover the specific work you're contracted to do. We suggest checking with your employer to understand their insurance cover.
Understanding your insurance
Insurance benefits include medical, healthcare and treatment insurance up to a limit of £10 million per member.
This covers you for claims brought in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, or if you live in the Republic of Ireland. The insurance protects you against a claim for damages brought by a service user or client if you’re alleged to have committed a negligent act, error or omission in the course of your occupational therapy work.
Your liability insurance covers a variety of risks in respect of occupational therapy work.
Your insurance covers you as an individual member, whether you’re employed or self-employed or a combination of both. It doesn’t provide cover for any kind of entity you set up, whether that’s a company or a partnership. If cover is required for any such entity, a separate policy will need to be arranged in the name of that entity.
The policy is provided on a 'claims occurring' basis, which means that as long as you were a member of RCOT/BAOT (RCOT is the brand we provide BAOT member services under) when the claim occurred, you'll be covered by the policy.
If you cancel your RCOT membership, your insurance cover will automatically stop.
It’s essential to notify the insurers directly of any potential claim or circumstances that might give rise to a claim as soon as you’re aware of them. If you’re not sure if an incident should be reported, ring the Aon helpline and discuss it with an insurance expert.
We’ve renewed the RCOT policy
For the membership year 2025/26
As previously, the underwriters require some conditions and exclusions to the policy that you should be aware of. These are detailed in the policy and briefing downloads below.
Working outside of Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, The Channel Islands or the Republic of Ireland
Whilst the policy covers RCOT/BAOT members engaged in occupational therapy work worldwide (excluding the USA and Canada), members working in other territories should check whether there is a legal requirement to arrange local cover.