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The PDL Master Policy provides professional indemnity insurance for Australia’s registered pharmacists, ensuring they are protected against claims arising from their professional practice — as long as they are acting within their scope and in accordance with the Pharmacy Board of Australia’s registration standards.

Professional Indemnity – covering you for claims resulting from a breach of your professional duty in the provision of your professional services (as permitted by your registration). This includes any legal costs associated with any proceedings or inquiries brought against you by any statutory or regulatory body.

Public Liability – cover for any bodily injury or property damage claims made against you by a third party arising from accidents that happen in connection with your professional services.

Products Liability – cover for any bodily injury or property damage claims made against you by a third party arising from products sold or supplied by you.

Existing active PDL members and non-PDL members wishing to be covered under the PDL Master Policy must ensure they read the policy to ensure they understand what they are covered for. If you are an existing member, you can log in and download a copy of the Policy Wording, otherwise please contact us on 1300 854 838 or email us at info@pdl.org.au to obtain a copy.

As a PDL member insured under the PDL Master Policy, you are covered by a policy specifically designed to meet the Professional Indemnity (PI) insurance requirements set by the Pharmacy Board of Australia under the National Law. The policy is tailored to support the unique needs of the pharmacy profession and helps ensure your registration standards are met, while also protecting your livelihood and professional reputation.

Key features of the policy include:

Professional Indemnity: Covers the cost of claims resulting from breaches of professional duty, including legal defence. Representation at inquiries is sub-limited, refer to your policy schedule.

  • Limit of Liability: $20 million per claim
  • Aggregate Limit: $60 million per year

Public Liability: Covers claims for bodily injury or property damage caused to third parties in connection with your business activities.

  • Limit of Liability: $20 million per claim
  • Aggregate Limit: $60 million per year

Products Liability: Covers bodily injury or property damage resulting from products you sell or supply.

  • Limit of Liability: $20 million per claim
  • Aggregate Limit: $20 million per year

Coverage is subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions outlined in the Policy Wording. To ensure the policy responds, pharmacists must be practising within their scope and in accordance with the Pharmacy Board of Australia’s registration standards.

Claims made cover is a type of insurance that provides coverage for claims you first become aware of during the policy period, and you notify the insurer during the policy period, regardless of when the incident that led to the claim occurred.

It is the maximum amount payable for any one claim, and the maximum amount for all claims notified during the policy period, under each section of the policy.

All pharmacy students enrolled in accredited Australian programs, provisionally registered pharmacists (interns) and general registered pharmacists practising in Australia are eligible to join PDL. This also includes pharmacists who have been granted ‘Limited’ registration by the Pharmacy Board of Australia, provided their practice remains within the scope permitted by their registration type.

PDL offers a $75 discount for early-career pharmacists for their first five years, which is automatically applied to your premium.

As a proprietor, you may choose to hold your own individual Professional Indemnity (PI) cover for added peace of mind—particularly to ensure you’re protected for matters that may arise against you personally as a pharmacist. Depending on your business insurance policy, you might only be covered for activities conducted within your pharmacy. This means that if you provide professional advice or services outside the pharmacy setting (e.g. socially or in a volunteer capacity), your business policy may not respond to a claim.

PDL consists of two components

  • PDL membership, and
  • PDL Professional Liabilities (PI) cover for individuals.

These components are bundled together unless your pharmacy holds a business policy with Guild Insurance. In that case, you may opt to hold PDL membership only, without the individual PI cover.

If you choose PDL membership only, you will still receive valuable benefits, including:

  • Incident support and advice from our pharmacist Professional Officers
  • PDL Practice Alerts, educational content and news
  • Access to the Australian Journal of Pharmacy (AJP)
  • Access to the PDL member portal to lodge pharmacy-related incidents

No, PDL provides Professional Indemnity (PI) cover for individual pharmacists only.

For business cover, please contact a business insurance provider or Guild Insurance (underwriters of the PDL Master Policy). 

If you would like to discuss this further, please call us on 1300 854 838

The PDL Master Policy has been developed to meet the specific insurance needs of individual pharmacists and complies with the Pharmacy Board of Australia’s requirements for Professional Indemnity (PI) insurance arrangements under the National Law. It is your responsibility to ensure that you always practise within your scope and in alignment with the PDL Master Policy. You can refer to the PDL Master policy for further guidance.

If you would like to confirm whether PDL will cover your new role, please call us on 1300 854 838. Depending on the role, we may need to refer the matter to our underwriters (Guild Insurance) for confirmation.

If you are taking maternity leave or a career break, under the PDL Master Policy, there is an additional cover called Temporary Leave of Absence and Run-Off Cover options.

You can review these options by logging into your PDL Member Portal and selecting either the “Notify PDL that you have retired or permanently ceased practising” button or the “Commence a temporary leave of absence” button. 

If you would like to discuss which option best suits your situation, please give our Member Service Officers a call on 1300 854 838.

For returning members (previously with PDL):  To rejoin PDL, log in to the PDL Member Portal using your previous login details (email and password or mobile number). Once logged in, click ‘Join now’ and follow the prompts to complete your application. You maintain the same PDL member number throughout your career.

For new members (haven’t been with PDL before):  To join PDL for the first time, select ‘Join PDL’ in the top right corner of the navigation bar. Once you have submitted your email address to initiate the process, look out for the email from PDL where we will ask you to verify your email address. Follow the prompts to complete your application.

The policy is designed to protect pharmacists, pharmacy students and interns for activities performed within their recognised scope of practice. This includes professional duties such as dispensing and supplying medicines, providing clinical advice, conducting medication reviews, administering vaccinations and delivering health programs approved for pharmacy practice. Coverage applies to these activities when carried out in accordance with regulatory standards and professional guidelines.

If you would like to confirm whether PDL will cover your activities and services, please call us on 1300 854 838

The PDL Master Policy provides cover for pharmacists practising in roles such as Home Medicines Review (HMR), Diabetes Educator and Credentialled Diabetes Educator (CDE), provided you are working within your scope of practice and have completed the required training for these services.

If you are invoicing for your pharmacy services like HMR under an Australian Business Number (ABN), please contact PDL directly to confirm whether your ABN arrangement complies with the criteria for coverage under the PDL Master Policy. This step is important to ensure your activities remain eligible for indemnity under the policy.

Pricing for PDL individual cover is listed on the here and applies to a full 12-month membership period. The policy renews annually on 30 April. If you join partway through the membership year, your fee will be calculated on a pro-rata basis, covering the period from your join date up to the next renewal date on 30 April.

No. You cannot hold Professional Indemnity (PI) cover without PDL Membership unless you are a business owner insured under a Guild Insurance business policy.

All members covered under the PDL Master Policy must ensure their registration profile is current and accurate, in line with their Ahpra registration details. 

To update your registration information via the PDL Member Portal, follow these steps:

  1. Log in using your email and password, or mobile number.
  2. Click on ‘Update my details/registration’.
  3. Make any necessary changes under ‘My registration profile’.
  4. Click Save. You’ll be prompted to confirm the update—follow the on-screen instructions to finalise your changes.

Students and Intern pharmacists continue to receive free PDL Membership, including Professional Liabilities (PI) cover, whilst newly registered pharmacists may be required to pay a pro-rata fee for the remaining months left of the current membership year at the time of change.

To update your ABN, call PDL on 1300 854 838 and press option 2 to speak with our member service team, who will assist with updating your ABN on your PDL record.  If you claim the NSW stamp duty exemption, you will need to declare this within your renewal questions each year under ‘renew with changes’.

To update your contact details, log in to the PDL member portal using your email address and password or mobile number.

Once logged in, click the ‘update my details/registration’ button to review and update your information.

To download your PDL Certificate of Cover and Tax Invoice, log in to the PDL member portal using your email address and password or mobile number. Once logged in, click ‘access my documents’ to view and download your certificates and invoices.

To manage your subscription preferences, log in to your PDL member portal, select “Update my details/registration,” then go to “My subscription preferences.” Ensure the option for “PDL Practice Alerts and educational content” is set to “Send.” Click “Save” to confirm your preferences, then log out of the portal.

You can update your AJP login details by logging in to the AJP Portal using your PDL email address.  If it’s your first time logging in, you may need to reset your password. Once logged in, go to ‘My Account’ → ‘My Profile’, then click ‘Edit Profile’ to update your details.

If you receive the AJP magazine in print, please be aware that your delivery address is captured in your PDL member record.
Alternatively, you can contact PDL on 1300 854 838 for assistance.

Your PDL membership gives you access to the Australian Journal of Pharmacy (AJP) website for completing Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities.

To get started via the AJP website:

  1. Log in to the AJP portal using your PDL email address. If this is your first time, you may need to reset your password.
  2. Once logged in, select ‘CPD’ from the menu and choose the activity you’d like to complete (e.g. Risk Management, CPD Webinar, CPD Podcast) to earn your points.

Our Professional Officers are available Monday – Friday (9am – 5pm AEST). If there are urgent matters outside these business hours, your call will be triaged to our out-of-office agents for transferring to a Professional Officer. If your call is not urgent, a message will be taken, and we will contact you the next business day.

PDL provides a variety of payment options for members. You can pay upfront using Mastercard, Visa, American Express (AMEX), BPAY or PayPal. Alternatively, monthly payments are available through PDL’s insurance premium funding partner, Attvest Finance.

You agree and acknowledge that by electing the monthly instalment option that:

  • You are taking out a loan with Attvest Finance Pty Ltd.
  • Attvest Finance will pay Pharmaceutical Defence Limited (PDL) the insurance premium and membership fee payable on your behalf.
  • You are subject to Attvest Finance’s Terms and Conditions.
  • You become indebted and obliged to pay the monthly instalments as calculated.
  • If you do not comply with Attvest Finance’s Terms and Conditions, your loan and PDL Membership (including PI cover) will be cancelled effective from the date that your last instalment was paid to.

You can pay for 12 months when you join or renew your PDL membership including Professional Liabilities (PI) cover, during April and May.

If you join PDL in another month, you will be charged a pro-rata amount until the next expiry date of 30 April each year.

Yes, PDL offers a hardship plan. Please contact us on 1300 854 838 to discuss your options.

Attvest Finance (Attvest) is an established premium funding provider that PDL has partnered with to provide our members with the option to pay their PDL membership including Professional Liabilities (PI) insurance premium on a monthly basis. When a member elects the monthly instalment payment option, they actually establish a loan with Attvest.

As this option is a loan, it does cost slightly more than paying upfront as it is subject to a monthly interest rate – the current rate is 6.3% per annum which equates to less than $2.00 extra per month.

For any approved loan, Attvest will contact members directly to provide them with a Welcome Pack. They will also make direct contact with PDL members in the following circumstances:

  • a monthly debit is ‘dishonoured’ / is unsuccessful;
  • they need to confirm payment details to resolve a disputed transaction; or
  • need to advise you of a pending cancellation due to non-payment.

They will also keep PDL informed of these activities to ensure that we contact you should there be any impacts to a member’s membership / PI insurance.

Members with loans can also contact Attvest directly on 1300 363 594 or email collections@attvest.com.au to:

  • Change your credit card or bank account details for your monthly instalment deductions; or
  • payout / cancel your loan.

If you are eligible, the monthly instalment option can be selected online when you first join PDL or renew your membership each year. If selected, you will be required to nominate your preferred credit card or bank account to have your monthly instalments deducted from.

If you are an existing member and have previously had a loan cancelled by Attvest due to multiple defaults, this option may not be made available to you.

Monthly instalments are deducted on the 30th of each month unless that day falls on a weekend or a public holiday wherein the amount will be deducted on the last business day before the 30th. The instalment represents payment for the following month.

All instalment amounts are equal except the first that may be subject to rounding.

If you wish to cancel your monthly loan with Attvest.
Contact PDL on 1300 854 838 and we will make the change/liase with Attvest.
Please ensure your current month’s instalment is up to date before cancellation can take effect from the current month.

This will only appear if you have a PDL student membership. If you are a pharmacy student who is currently studying and you are unable to apply via the website, please email your application to grants@pdl.org.au.

Yes, first year pharmacy students are welcome and encouraged to apply.

No, the $5000 grant cannot be shared; it is awarded to a single recipient only.

Recipients do not receive a direct payment of $5,000. Instead, we cover all costs associated with attending the conference. This can be arranged in two ways:

  • We book on your behalf: All expenses are managed and paid directly by us.
  • You pay upfront and are reimbursed: If you prefer to make your own arrangements, we will reimburse you for eligible costs after the event.

This part of the application requires you to provide an estimated breakdown of costs associated with attending your conference of choice. This shows initiative and that appropriate research has been undertaken.

Please note: The total does not have to equal $5,000.

Yes, part-time pharmacy students are welcome and encouraged to apply.

No, it is free to apply for the PDL Student Grant Program, as long as you’re a PDL member. Membership is free for students and interns.

There are two options:

  • We book on your behalf: All expenses are managed and paid directly by us.
  • You pay upfront and are reimbursed: If you prefer to make your own arrangements, we will reimburse you for eligible costs after the event.

Yes, it is important that you retain all receipts and send us photos of these upon conclusion of the conference, so we can reimburse you appropriately.

A written statement from a faculty staff member or manager who can vouch for your skills, qualifications and character. It highlights your strengths and suitability for the PDL Student Grant Program.

At PDL, we are committed to delivering the highest quality service to our members. We do this by developing strong individual relationships, having great communication and being accessible to our members. We have an organisational culture focused on exceeding member expectations. However, disputes may still arise. We have therefore developed the following complaints and dispute resolution process, which is fair, efficient and accessible to all our members.

The PDL complaints and dispute resolution process applies to all complaints and disputes arising from the services that we provide to our members and any action or omission by us or our service providers. It includes complaints and disputes about:

  • Any aspect of our service
  • Denial of an application for cover or claim by our underwriter, Guild Insurance Limited*
  • Our service partners e.g. Guild Insurance Limited and their lawyers*, Attvest, our monthly payment option loan provider etc
  • Gaining access to information we hold about you to provide you with your membership benefits
  • Financial hardship claims
  • Debt collection by Us from third parties

* If the complaint relates to services provided by Guild Insurance Limited, the complaint will need to be referred to them and be subject to their dispute resolution process.

For privacy-related complaints, please refer to our Privacy Policy

A dispute is defined as ‘an unresolved complaint’ conveyed to PDL, together with a request that we remedy the situation.  A dispute has arisen when:

  • you advise that a dispute has arisen and request that the matter be dealt with by the CEO;
  • you are asked by us whether or not you wish the matter to be dealt with by the CEO as a dispute and you request us to do so; or
  • we of our own instigation refer the matter to the CEO as a dispute.

The Dispute Resolution Process is available at no cost to you. We will keep you fully informed throughout the process and will reply to you within 15 business days provided we have sufficient information to deal with the dispute. Where we need further information, we will agree on an alternative timeframe with you.

If you would like to make a complaint, please phone us on 1300 854 838 and speak to one of our member service officers, who will do their best to assist you. Alternatively, you can email us at info@pdl.org.au and we will acknowledge your complaint with 24 business hours. If our member service officers are not able to resolve your complaint, they will refer the complaint to PDL’s Operations Manager.

The PDL Operations Manager will respond to your complaint within 15 business days provided that they have all the information necessary to deal with your complaint. If they require further information or need to refer the matter to one of PDL’s service providers, they may need to agree on an alternative timeframe with you.

Where a complaint cannot be resolved by the PDL Operations Manager, you can request that the matter be referred to PDL’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who will treat your complaint as a dispute and endeavour to resolve it.

If we are unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction within 30 days, we will inform you of the reasons for the delay and provide you with information about external dispute resolution options that are available to you that you may wish to pursue. These include:

  • the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (we will provide details of this service, which applies in the instance of disputes regarding the collection, use and disclosure of personal information)
  • the formal legal process, including:
    –  the courts
    –  mediation
    –  arbitration
    –  small claims tribunals

Still have questions?

If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, our team is here to help. Get in touch for personalised support and guidance.

Contact Us
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