Will privately practising midwives need PI for homebirth care from 1 January 2027?

Yes. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) says the professional indemnity insurance (PII) exemption for privately practising midwives providing intrapartum care outside a hospital will end on 31 December 2026. From 1 January 2027, the exemption no longer applies and all privately practising midwives must hold insurance for all aspects of their practice, including intrapartum care during a homebirth. The NMBA page was updated 11 August 2026; figures checked 1 October 2026.

What changes from 1 January 2027?

The NMBA’s position is date-specific:

The change is therefore clear: there is no further PII exemption for this category of homebirth care after 31 December 2026.

Does this mean midwives did not need PII before 2027?

No. The broader requirement is separate.

Under the National Law, nurses and midwives must not practise the profession in which they are registered unless they hold appropriate PII arrangements for that practice. The change from 1 January 2027 removes the specific exemption for intrapartum care provided by privately practising midwives outside a hospital; it does not introduce the broader PII requirement for the first time.

In other words, readers should separate two issues:

• the continuing National Law requirement for appropriate PII arrangements; and
• the ending homebirth exemption for privately practising midwives from 1 January 2027.

What does PII cover?

The NMBA describes PII arrangements as securing insurance for a nurse’s or midwife’s professional practice against:

• civil liability incurred; or
• loss arising from a claim resulting from a negligent act, error or omission in their conduct.

That is the general regulatory description. It does not establish that every policy responds to every circumstance. The scope, exclusions, conditions and limits relevant to an individual practice should be checked in the policy’s Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and policy documents.

What should privately practising midwives check before 2027?

A practical checklist is to:

1. List all aspects of the practice, including intrapartum care during homebirth.
2. Seek written confirmation that appropriate PII arrangements will cover all aspects of practice from 1 January 2027.
3. Check the PDS for the activities covered, exclusions, conditions and limits.
4. Keep evidence of the arrangements in place for the registered practice.
5. Recheck the NMBA page before relying on this summary, particularly as the transition date approaches.

Is this legal or financial advice?

No. This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Readers should check the current NMBA regulator page and their policy’s PDS. The PDS and policy wording describe the contractual cover, while the NMBA page explains the regulatory requirement.

Sources

• Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia — Professional indemnity insurance arrangements

FAQ

Does the homebirth PII exemption end on 31 December 2026 or 1 January 2027?

The exemption ends on 31 December 2026 and no longer applies from 1 January 2027.

Will all privately practising midwives need PII from 1 January 2027?

Yes. From 1 January 2027, all privately practising midwives must hold insurance for all aspects of their practice, including intrapartum care during a homebirth.

Does the change mean midwives did not need PII before 2027?

No. The broader National Law requirement already prohibits nurses and midwives from practising their registered profession without appropriate PII arrangements for that practice. The 2027 change specifically ends the homebirth exemption.

Does the general NMBA description guarantee that a policy covers every homebirth circumstance?

No. The NMBA description explains the purpose of PII arrangements, but readers should check their own PDS and policy documents for the specific cover, exclusions, conditions and limits.