CSP PLI scheme

Cover at a glance

The scheme covers you for all your individual physiotherapy work:

• For all physiotherapy activities within the scope of the profession. Physiotherapy is a profession, not a set of interventions or a technical activity, and many techniques used by physiotherapists may also be used by other professionals in different contexts. To determine whether your work falls within the scope of the profession, visit our scope of practice pages. Some activities, even if within scope, are excluded from cover – see our exclusions for details.
• Wherever you work: If you work in any type of place or organisation. This could include healthcare settings , education, social care, voluntary, community or social enterprise (VSCE) organisations, clubs, gyms, community places, patients' homes, indoor or outdoor settings.
• Whenever you work: Full- or part-time, including if you have more than one place or type of work at the same time.
• However you work: Paid, unpaid, voluntary work and Good Samaritan acts. Some business structures are also covered up to the turnover cap and eligibility rules.
• At all career stages: From student practice placements, return to practice, all stages of your registered career.
• In all physiotherapy roles: Registered physiotherapy practice. If you are a support worker undertaking delegated activity. If you are an associate student combining work and study.

• UK and worldwide: Unlimited work in the UK. Limited work, up to 180 days, elsewhere in the world. Specific restrictions apply to work in the USA, Canada or Australia.

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Employer and business responsibilities

• Employers are responsible for insuring their employees (i.e. those with an employment contract). It is the employer's responsibility to ensure it has the correct covers in place for the liabilities of its employees.
• If you carry out any work outside of your employment contract (i.e self-employed work and/or under a contract for services), you must ensure you have your own appropriate insurance.
• Some corporate entities or businesses formed by members may require separate business insurance for risks not covered by the CSP scheme. Please also refer to our additional insurance pages if you require other kinds of insurance.
• Work outside the scope of physiotherapy practice requires separate insurance. This includes activities such as overseas development work, humanitarian aid, or general voluntary work.
• If you're unsure whether a particular activity counts as physiotherapy, refer to our scope of practice pages for guidance

Working in pelvic health roles

Pelvic health for both women and men is a well-established part of physiotherapy practice. The Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological Physiotherapy (POGP) network supports this area of practice, providing guidance and resources for professionals. You can find more information about POGP and the scope of activities recognised as pelvic health physiotherapy on the POGP website.

Please note: The CSP PLI scheme excludes claims related to sexual misconduct or criminal allegations, such as inappropriate touching or performing an internal examination without consent. The CSP offers links to an additional separate criminal defence insurance policy to cover these risks.

Working in advanced clinical practitioner roles

The CSP PLI scheme only covers work within the scope of physiotherapy practice (subject to terms and conditions). Work within AP/ACP roles may involve undertaking some activities beyond the scope of physiotherapy practice and these will not covered by the CSP PLI scheme. Many AP activities are within the scope of the profession. See our clinical services and scope of practice pages. How might this affect you?

Where you are directly employed by an NHS organisation, your work, including the aspects outside the scope of physiotherapy practice, will come under the indemnity arrangements of the NHS (CNST/CNSGP).

Where you provide your services directly to an NHS organisation through your own company or via a locum agency, the indemnity provision for your work may still fall within the remit of NHS schemes. You must make sure you understand the contract that you have with the NHS organisation and whether indemnity is provided by the NHS or not. Keep a copy of your contract and indemnity terms.

In independent practice where the NHS contracts with other non-NHS providers to provide NHS services, and the private provider then sub-contracts the work down to you, either via your own company or via a locum agency, the indemnity position may not be clear. Where the indemnity liability falls to you, the CSP PLI scheme only covers work within the scope of physiotherapy practice, and you will require separate insurance for all activities outside the scope of physiotherapy practice. Keep a copy of your contract and indemnity terms.

In other independent practice, such as work in sport, which may be using job titles/roles that have originated in the NHS, work as a designated 'ACP' is not covered by the CSP PLI scheme, and you will need your own insurance.

Members should seek their own contract/business advice if they are unclear on how their work might affect the indemnity provision. Members should also make sure they have a written job description for any work they undertake, so they understand if they are expected to work as a physiotherapist or not.

CSP membership types and PLI cover*

• Our insurance only covers insured activities that happen while you are a subscribing CSP member.
• You can’t backdate your join date to cover work you did before joining. Once you’ve joined, your insurance starts automatically and continues as long as you stay a CSP member.
• If you are considering cancelling your CSP membership, carefully review your insurance needs first and understand the implications of loosing your CSP insurance. You will no longer have ongoing insurance in place with us for your work effective from the date of your cancellation /lapse.
• Run-off cover is provided for former CSP members to cover their work while they were active CSP members.
• If you have episodic and/or periodic membership of the CSP you must be aware that our insurance will not provide any cover for any work undertaken whilst you are not a member of the CSP.
• Not every membership category includes insurance — please check that you’re joining the right one for your needs.
• If you change grade to a category that does not provide insurance, your insurance with us stops on the date of transfer and you will not be insured for any work in the new category.
• HCPC registered physiotherapists must have adequate insurance in place for all your work. If you are continuing to work you must ensure you have adequate insurance in place from either an employer, a professional body or other insurance provider.

*Note: In the event of any dispute, the full policy wording overrides any information contained in these web pages, and the underwriters are the final arbiters of any decision to offer members cover under the policy based on their individual circumstances, subject to policy terms and conditions.

The policy documents

1. Medmal and PL Full Policy Wording CSP PLI scheme 2025-26
   This document provides the full terms and conditions of the medical malpractice and public liability policy. As with all insurance policies, you should read and understand the policy and talk to the CSP brokers if you have any concerns.
2. Hiscox General Policy Wordings and Exclusions 2025-26  This document provides the general terms and conditions of Hiscox policies. As with all insurance policies, you should read and understand the policy and talk to the CSP brokers if you have any concerns.
3. CSP PLI Quick Reference Guide
   This document provides a quick reference guide to the CSP's Professional Liability Insurance policy. As with all insurance policies, you should read and understand the policy and talk to the CSP brokers if you have any concerns.
4. Business Insurance Guidance for Members