Liability Insurance

Mandatory for All Registrants

Liability insurance is mandatory for all CDO registrants — temporary and general — who practise dietetics as defined in College’s Definition of Practising Dietetics. 

If you are practising dietetics in any capacity, you must have insurance.  This requirement applies even if you are:

  1. Practising outside of Ontario or Canada
  2. Not working directly with patients
  3. Completing dietetics-related graduate work
  4. Doing volunteer work

You are not required to hold liability insurance if:

  1. You work outside of dietetics and are not practising dietetics (see Definition of Practising Dietetics);
  2. You are not working: unemployed or on a leave, e.g.,  maternity or sick leave.

Coverage Required

Section 15.1, Professional Liability Insurance Coverage Requirements within College Bylaw No. 1: General, stipulates the minimum insurance coverage and deductible required as follows:

A registrant engaging in the practice of dietetics must maintain professional liability insurance coverage with the following characteristics:

  • minimum coverage of no less than $2,000,000 per occurrence.
  • aggregate coverage of no less than $5,000,000.
  • any deductible must be $1,000 or less.
  • if coverage is through a “claims made” policy, an extended reporting period provision of at least two (2) years.
  • any exclusionary conditions and terms must be consistent with standard industry practice with respect to insurance of this type.

Under the Registration Regulation, CDO has authority to suspend registrants who do not carry liability insurance while practising dietetics or who do not provide proof of their liability insurance coverage when asked to do so by CDO.

Registrants do not need to submit copies of thier insurance policies to CDO, unless you are asked to do so.

It is important to double check to confirm that you are adequately covered

How to Obtain Liability Insurance

Registrants are free to explore coverage options as long as the insurance coverage meets the requirements stated in section 15.1 of CDO Bylaw No. 1: General.

You can obtain liability insurance through one of the following:

  • Your employer’s insurance.  If you have one or more employers and you rely on employer coverage for liability insurance, check that you are covered by all your employers.
  • Dietitians of Canada  (DC) offers liability insurance for its members. The DC insurance meets the CDO Bylaw requirements. Contact DC for more information. If you are outside of Canada, consult with Prolink (DC’s insurance provider) to confirm whether they cover dietetic practice in the country where you are practising.
  • A private insurance company. Dietitians have reported purchasing professional liability insurance through a number of insurance companies. To explore your options, search online for “Ontario dietitian professional liability insurance”.

Important Note:
These are Canadian insurance companies. If you are located outside of Canada, you must ensure that the insurance will cover dietetic practice where you are located. You must also ensure that you account for currency exchange. The minimum coverage in section 15.1 of CDO Bylaw No. 1: General is in Canadian dollars.

For any questions, please email: registration@collegeofdietitians.org