1800 556 777You're an employee.
Your employer's public liability may cover the shifts it rosters you on. Ask it, in writing, whether it covers any private work too.
Covers: public liability
Public liability insurance for NDIS support workers
Public liability is the cover for accidents that hurt other people or damage their things while you're working.
If you're a registered NDIS provider, you're audited against the NDIS Practice Standards. They name public liability with professional indemnity and accident insurance.
Get a quote
We arrange public liability for support workers and NDIS providers with insurers, in your name or your business's name.
Reviewed by Frans du Plessis, founder of Grace Insurance
Diploma in Broking, Fellow CIP · Last reviewed 30 October 2026
What public liability pays for
Public liability pays for claims made against you by someone else. That might be a participant, their family or a member of the public.
It covers two kinds of harm:
Injury
Someone is hurt because of something you did, or didn't do, while working.
Damage
Something you do while working damages someone's home or belongings.
The insurer's policy document sets out exactly what's included.
Three things that could happen on a shift
These are made-up examples of the kind of claim public liability is for.
A fall on an outing.
You're pushing a trolley at the shops with a participant and it clips another shopper's ankle. They fall, hurt their hip and make a claim against you.
Damage while cleaning.
You're mopping the kitchen and water gets under the floorboards. The participant's family asks you to pay for the repair.
A spill at home.
You're making a cup of tea and it spills on a participant's laptop. The laptop stops working.
What it doesn't pay for
Public liability is for harm to other people and their property. These sit under other covers:
- Mistakes in the care or advice you give.That's professional indemnity.
- Your own injuries.That's personal accident and income protection, or workers compensation if you're an employee.
- Accidents while driving.That's your car insurance or commercial motor cover.
Check the exclusions, the things the policy won't pay for, before you choose. The insurer lists them in the policy document, and we can go through them with you.
How much public liability insurance do I need?
The NDIS Practice Standards don't set an amount. They say:
“Appropriate insurance is in place, including professional indemnity, public liability and accident insurance.”NDIS Practice Standards
Your limit is the most the insurer will pay for a claim. You may be asked for a set limit in any of these:
- A service agreement with a participant may name an amount.
- A platform may set one in its rules for workers.
- An agency or provider that contracts you may write one into your contract.
Get the amount in writing and send it to us with your details. If no one has named one, we'll talk you through the limits insurers offer for your work.
The limit is one of the things that changes your price. Read what support worker insurance costs.
Who holds the policy
You're on an ABN.
Any public liability you take out is in your own name. If you also work through a platform, read its insurance terms. Its cover may only apply to shifts booked and invoiced through the platform.
When you also work through a platformYou run a registered business.
The policy is in your business's name and should cover the support your staff deliver. It's one of the policies your auditor checks.
What we'll ask to quote public liability
Get a public liability quote
Send your details and we'll ask insurers to quote public liability for the work you do.
To quote, we'll ask:
- whether the policy is for you or for your business
- the kinds of support you give, and whether it's in people's homes or out in the community
- any limit an agreement, platform or contract has named
- how many people work for you, if any
- any claims made against you before
An insurance broker that arranges cover for NDIS support workers and providers, Australia-wide.
Public liability questions
Get a quoteIs public liability insurance mandatory for NDIS support workers?
The Practice Standards name public liability among the insurance registered providers should have in place. If you're not registered, a participant, agency or platform can still make it part of your agreement with them.
Does public liability cover mistakes in the care I give?
No. Mistakes in care or advice, like a missed note that leads to the wrong support, come under professional indemnity. Public liability is for accidents, like a fall or a broken window.
Does public liability cover me if I hurt myself?
No. It covers harm to other people and their property. We can also arrange personal accident and income protection, the covers for your own injuries.
I work in participants' homes on my own ABN. Can I get public liability?
Yes. If you work on an ABN, we can arrange public liability in your own name. Tell us whether you work in people's homes, out in the community or both, so the policy describes that.