What Insurance for Virtual Assistants in Australia is the Best?

Insurance: a word sure to glaze your eyes over. It gets a bad rap, but the old saying is right – when you need it most, you’ll be damn glad you’ve got it.

Here at the VA Lead Network, we’re big advocates for being insured appropriately to the right value, and in a policy that caters to your specific needs.

You’ll notice that most of our job posters on the job board ask for it as standard, too.

Here’s everything you need to know on the best insurance for virtual assistants in Australia, with expert advice from VA local brokers, IME.

What is professional indemnity VA insurance, and why do I need it?

Professional indemnity is a unique type of liability insurance, designed to cover freelancers and advisors from third-party claims based on alleged or actual negligence, malpractice, or misjudgment.

It ensures that if legal action is brought against you that alleges financial loss or damages as a result of the claim, your insurer will compensate you. And while professional indemnity VA insurance is not a legal requirement to have in the running of your business, it is highly encouraged to have an active policy, and most clients will expect it.

This means it may be a deal-breaker if you don’t hold a current proof of policy, even if you tick all of the other boxes for a great hire. As a virtual assistant, a good policy can protect you against:

• Providing incorrect advice or information, particularly around medical copy or large data sets and customer insights
• Failing to meet deadlines or contractual obligations
• Breaching confidentiality agreements
• Making errors in the services you deliver, particularly around data management

Case Studies: How Professional Indemnity Insurance Saved These VA’s Reputations, Finances and Sanity

Let’s take a look at these real-life scenarios.

Case Study 1: The Marketing Misstep

Sophie, a virtual assistant based in Sydney, manages social media accounts and email marketing lists for fashion clients in the e-Commerce space. For a time-sensitive Black Friday campaign, Sophie mistakenly posted the wrong discount code in one of their email campaigns. This caused confusion among their followers and negatively impacted sales. Given it was a timed offer, they couldn’t re-offer it with the same impact, and the client was unhappy. They indicated they wanted to sue for damages, claiming the mistake caused significant financial loss on their biggest selling day of the year.

Fortunately, Sophie had professional indemnity VA insurance, which covered the legal costs associated with defending the claim. Her insurance also covered the compensation that was ultimately paid to the client, saving Sophie from having to cover the costs out of pocket.

Without insurance, Sophie would have been responsible for the financial burden and potentially lost her business.

Case Study 2: The Data Breach Nightmare

James, a virtual assistant in Melbourne, was entrusted with handling a client’s confidential financial records. While migrating customers to their new CRM, James accidentally sent the data list to someone not intended. This instantly violated the client’s privacy agreement and left them open to litigation. While no customers actually sued the client, they did suffer loss of income through the cancellation of key customer accounts, with the customers citing lack of trust in their data safety.

Thankfully, James had taken out professional indemnity insurance for virtual assistants in Australia, which covered the costs of mitigating the damage to the client’s business by engaging a specialised PR firm to roll out a campaign aimed at rebuilding the client’s reputation. Had James not had the right coverage, the financial and emotional toll on his career could have been disastrous.

Case Study 3: The Late Project Delivery

Linda, a VA specialising in government tender writing, was hired to deliver a large-scale Request For Tender on behalf of a first aid training company. Due to personal health issues, she failed to meet the agreed deadline for the tender, and this last-minute departure cost their business a lucrative contract.

Linda’s professional indemnity insurance VA policy covered both Linda’s legal expenses to settle the claim, as well as the tender contract value they were applying for. The policy offered Linda a safety net during a time when she was already vulnerable and trying to recover – so she could focus on recovery rather than bills and legal stress.

She was able to remain calm and professional during legal proceedings, and when the time came to return to normal business operations, she could do so easily with an intact reputation. 

What insurance do I need for my business in Australia?

In today’s digital age, mistakes can happen instantly… and be costly. Professional indemnity VA insurance ensures you won’t be left high and dry when things go wrong. We’re thrilled to introduce Insurance Made Easy (IME), specialists in insurance brokerage for VAs, and here to answer your burning questions in our video guide, Insurance for Virtual Assistants. 

Career Members can access this training right now, or use the link above to purchase access for 6 months. If you’d like access to all of our member resources, guides, templates and training events, it only takes seconds to sign up and you’ll also have access to the best VA jobs in the market, as they come in via the VA Lead Network jobs board. In this training, you’ll understand:

• The breakdown of standard policy inclusions and exclusions so you know exactly what you’re getting and how much it should cost (and make sure you’re not ripped off in the process).
• The difference between run-off cover, and a breakdown of some additional policies you might need, like cyber and public liability insurance.
• A step-by-step explanation of how to complete an insurance proposal form if you would prefer to do it yourself.

FAQs

I saw a role I liked on the VA Lead Network. Can I apply for it before I have an active professional indemnity insurance policy in place?

Yes! Many of the leads clients post require an active insurance policy in place, but you can still apply as long as you are happy to commit to obtaining a policy if you secure the role.

It’s always recommended to start the process as soon as you apply for a role, though, as obtaining quotes and checking coverage can take some time. A client may be ready to hit the ground running if they like you, so you want to be able to meet them where they are.

To get a start on understanding how to price yourself, give this a read.

Why do clients expect me to have this insurance policy in place?

For many clients in 2025, liability concerns are becoming more prevalent. If something happens due to your own misconduct or negligence, companies want to ensure they won’t be left footing the bill and reputational damage.

When potential clients see that you have a good professional indemnity policy in place, it demonstrates that you take your work seriously and are prepared for the unexpected. This can help you stand out from the competition, especially when competing for large contracts or working with high-profile brands.

Do I need a minimum revenue or turnover to qualify for a policy?

No. Mistakes can happen whether you’re early on in your business journey or well-established. Clients expect you to be protected at all stages of your career evolution.

What won’t a professional indemnity policy cover me for?

While a solid professional indemnity insurance policy will cover you in case of litigation for negligence and related liability, there may be some policy exclusions – so read the wording of your policy carefully.

In most cases, you won’t be covered for intentional misconduct or fraud, bodily injury and property damage, and in some cases, other policies will be required to fill these gaps – think public liability if you work in public places or at a client’s place of business, or workers’ compensation if you employ staff.

Do you have a go-to expert for reviewing insurance and getting me the best deal?

Absolutely. Insurance Made Easy (IME) has extensive knowledge about the Australian virtual assistant industry, with decades of experience providing insurance for small and medium-sized businesses. Because of this, they offer dedicated packages with varying levels of cover for Australian virtual assistants, highlighting exactly which insurances you do and don’t need at each stage of your VA business journey. This keeps more in your pocket.

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