Membership FAQs - Canadian Physiotherapy Association

In February 2021, the CPA was informed by its ecommerce provider that it was pivoting directions as a company and will therefore discontinue its ecommerce function. This ecommerce function relates to CPA’s financial transactions, such as membership, insurance and Division purchases.

As a result, the CPA has upgraded to the WooCommerce platform, which is the most widely used ecommerce platform in the world. At the same time, the CPA has implemented a technically revitalized website that presents our compelling content on a new platform.

For any questions related to the new website or renewal application, please contact one of the CPA’s Member Service representatives at information@physiotherapy.ca or at 1-800-387-8679.

B – Membership Renewal

1. How do I renew my membership?

You can renew your membership online through the Account Centre.

Log in to your Account Centre.
Click on Renew your Membership.

2. How are member fees calculated?

CPA membership fees are calculated based on your membership type. All CPA members also become members of a Branch, which is automatically assigned based on your province or territory of residence. The Branch fee is collected by CPA, who distributes it to the Branches on your behalf.

Student membership is free, and New Graduates receive a 50% discount.

Professional Liability Insurance and Divisions are additional fees and can be added when you renew your membership or at a later date

The membership/insurance term starts October 1 and expires September 30. Membership and insurance fees are pro-rated daily, but Division fees are not pro-rated.

To get an exact quote, please get in touch with one of CPA’s Member Services representatives at information@physiotherapy.ca or at 1-800-387-8679.

3. I am not able to pay the full amount at this time. Is there a payment plan available?

The CPA provides an option for monthly pre-authorized payments (PAP) to spread the cost of membership fees over the year. If you select this option, you will be charged a small administration fee of $25 plus tax. Simply select the monthly payments option at the end of your renewal application to choose this option.

C – Membership Categories

1. Which membership type do I qualify for?

Please see here for a complete list of membership types and descriptions.

2. What is considered a ‘Non-Practising’ member?

This membership category is for physiotherapists who are working in a research, administration, management, or teaching position.

3. What are the eligibility requirements to become a ‘Retired’ Member?

The CPA provides ‘Retired’ membership status to individuals 55+ who have retired as a physiotherapist and have been a member of the CPA or with a World Physiotherapy member organization for a minimum of 20 years, within the past 30 years.

4. I will be on leave. How should I renew my membership?

Members on leave will qualify for a 40% discount on membership for the leave period under the following circumstance:

Full member who will be, or who plans to be, on maternity/paternity/caregiving leave for at least three (3) consecutive months of the current/upcoming membership year (October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023).
Full member on sick/disability leave for at least three (3) months.

Please note that no refunds will be afforded if the actual leave dates differ from those provided.

Please contact one of the CPA’s Member Service representatives to assist with your membership sign-up/renewal at information@physiotherapy.ca or at 1-800-387-8679.

5. Who qualifies for ‘New Graduate’ membership?

You qualify for this membership category if you have just completed an entry-level degree at a recognized Canadian university program (eligible in the first year of practice or portion thereof).

You also qualify for this membership category if you are registered for the PCE or have fully completed the credentialing process and this will be your first-time practicing in Canada (eligible in the first year of practice or portion thereof).

6. Who qualifies for ‘Outside Canada’ membership?

You qualify for the ‘Outside Canada’ membership if you are licensed to practice physiotherapy in Canada but reside outside of Canada.

7. Who qualifies for ‘Affiliate’ membership?

The ‘Affiliate’ membership is for those not eligible for one of the approved physiotherapist or assistant categories, but who support the goals and objectives of the Association. Please contact one of the CPA’s Member Services representatives to join at infomation@physiotherapy.ca or at 1-800-387-8679.

D – Division Membership

1. How do I join a CPA special interest/clinical practice Division?

You may join a Dvision when you renew your membership online or add one on after you renew by logging into your Account Centre and clicking on ‘Join a Divison’. You may also contactone of the CPA’s Member Services representatives for assistance at information@physiotherapy.ca or at 1-800-387-8679.

Learn more about the CPA’s Divisions.[MG6]

E – Insurance: General

1. Do I need to be a CPA member to purchase Professional Liability (malpractice) Insurance with CPA?

Yes, the CPA’s Professional Liability Insurance program is available to members only.

2. How do I renew my Professional Liability Insurance?

If you are a physiotherapist renewing your Professional Liability Insurance, you can renew your policy online at the same time you renew your membership.

If you are renewing your Individual Cyber Security & Privacy Liability and/or business insurance (e.g., Clinic Professional Liability Insurance, Commercial General Liability Insurance, Clinic/Business Package, Employment Practices Liability Insurance, and/or Business Cyber Security and Privacy Liability), you may do so once you have renewed your membership and individual Professional Liability Insurance with the CPA. These policies are administered by our broker, BMS, and a unique renewal link will be emailed to you. Visit www.cpa.bmsgroup.com to apply online or contact BMS at 1-855-318-6136 or at cpa.insurance@bmsgroup.com.

3. Which Professional Liability Insurance option should I purchase?

The option you buy is a personal decision based on your risk tolerance and practice circumstances. All options provide limits of $7 million/claim, $10 million/policy year. They differ in the amounts of coverage for Regulatory Legal Expense (for legal costs associated with defence of a complaint made to your provincial/territorial regulatory college) and Criminal Defence Coverage (reimbursement of defence costs associated with a case filed under the criminal code when found ‘not guilty’ of the criminal charge). Please contact BMS at 1-855-318-6136 or cpa.insurance@bmsgroup.com for further advice and guidance.

Learn more about the CPA’s insurance options.[MG7]

How do I renew my Individual Cyber Security & Privacy Liability Insurance?

If you are renewing the standalone $1M Cyber Security & Privacy Liability policy, purchased as part of the October 2021 – October 2022 membership term, BMS will email you directly to facilitate your renewal. You will be able to renew your coverage online with BMS at www.cpa.bmsgroup.com for the October 2022 – October 2023 policy period.

Please contact BMS at 1-855-318-6136 or cpa.insurance@bmsgroup.com for further advice and guidance.

4. I am a student member who will be graduating (or has recently graduated). How do I purchase insurance?

Congratulations! As a New Grad you will receive a 50% discount on membership and Professional Liability Insurance for your first year of practice.

For insurance effective October 1, click on Renew your Membership. Then, select the New Grad membership category to receive your discount and purchase insurance for the entire membership year (October 1 – September 30).
For insurance effective before October 1, click Upgrade your Membership from the Account Centre to upgrade to the New Grad category and purchase insurance. You will pay a pro-rated fee for membership and insurance until September 30, 2022. Once you have completed your purchase for that membership period, you may renew for the new membership year immediately (at the New Grad rate) from your Account Centre by clicking on Renew your Membership.

5. Do I receive a discount on my Professional Liability Insurance if I work in the public sector?

If 90% or more of your work is done in the public sector, you are eligible for a 15% discount on your Professional Liability Insurance.

Public sector: Services are provided in a publicly funded in-patient or out-patient environment. Public sector practice examples include physiotherapists employed by:

hospitals
long-term care facilities
rehabilitation centers
schools
home care settings
services provided are funded by provincial health insurance or are federally funded

6. I recently moved and need an updated copy of my Professional Liability Insurance certificate. What do I do?

Please update your new address in your Account Centre under My Profile and save the update. Then, under the Insurance section of the Account Centre, next to the insurance option listed, click on Get your Insurance Certificate for an updated copy.

Otherwise, you may contact one of the CPA’s Member Services representatives at information@physiotherapy.ca or at 1-800-387-8679 to make the changes and resend you an updated copy of your insurance certificate.

7. I would like to request a refund on my insurance.

The CPA’s Professional Liability Insurance is non-refundable; we apologize for any inconvenience.

8. Who can I contact for more information about insurance?

Please direct all insurance-related questions to our broker, BMS, at 1-855-318-6136 or cpa.insurance@bmsgroup.com.

9. What is the Legal Services Package?

New in 2022, this provides CPA members access to unlimited telephone legal advice for any personal or business-related legal question throughout the year. Additionally, members gain access to a document library of more than 150 legally drafted templates. Members can also obtain free contract reviews for documents up to 6 pages.

You can purchase the Legal Services Package (annual cost is $30) when you renew your membership online or add the Package after you renew by logging into your Account Centre and clicking on ‘???’. [MG9] You can also contact CPA’s Member Services representatives for assistance at information@physiotherapy.ca or at 1-800-387-8679.

F – Insurance: Special Circumstances

1. I am planning to retire or permanently discontinue practice. Can I stop carrying Professional Liability Insurance?

If you have been actively insured with CPA Professional Liability Insurance for a minimum of two years prior to retiring or discontinuing practice, you are automatically afforded unlimited Extended Reporting Period (ERP) protection at no additional cost.

If you’ve been insured under the program for less than two years, you are automatically afforded 10 years of ERP protection at no additional cost.

Retired members or those who have discontinued practice are protected against insured claims that come forward within 10 years (or unlimited) of the expiry of your last CPA Professional Liability Insurance policy. Claims must arise from the professional services rendered while you were a practicing member and prior to the expiry of your last active policy.

Please make sure to keep a copy of your most recent insurance certificate as evidence of coverage. You may access your certificate in your Account Centre online or by contacting one of the CPA’s Member Services representatives at infomation@physiotherapy.ca or at 1-800-387-8679.

2. I am on a temporary leave of absence from the profession (e.g., maternity/parental leave, illness, other). Do I need to carry Professional Liability Insurance?

The professional liability policy is issued on a “claims-made and reported” basis, meaning that the policy in place at the time that the claim is reported is the policy that will respond. If you are taking a leave of absence from the profession and you have been actively insured with a CPA Professional Liability Insurance policy for a minimum of two years, you qualify for an automatic, unlimited extension of your coverage (Extended Reporting Period coverage, ERP) at no additional cost. If you’ve been on the program for less than two years, you automatically receive 10 years of ERP coverage at no additional cost.

This means that members who are on a temporary leave of absence from the profession are protected against insured claims arising from prior incidents and exposures that occurred during their past physiotherapy practice.

Most regulatory colleges will require registered members to demonstrate that they are covered with a certain amount of Professional Liability Insurance, even after they have ceased patient care. ERP coverage may be suitable to demonstrate to the college that appropriate on-going coverage is in place for registrants on a temporary leave of absence from the profession. Please check with your provincial/territorial regulatory body for specific information about insurance requirements in your jurisdiction.

Note that your regulatory body requires you to have an active Professional Liability Insurance policy in place to provide patient care. This means that you must have an active Professional Liability Insurance policy in place when you choose to return to professional practice.

3. I will need Professional Liability Insurance later in the year. Is it pro-rated, and how do I purchase it?

Yes! The Professional Liability Insurance is pro-rated daily with a common expiry date of October 1 each year. You may add insurance at a later date by logging into your Account Centre and clicking on Add Professional Liability Insurance or by contacting one of the CPA’s Member Services representatives at information@physiotherapy.ca or at 1-800-387-8679.

4. What if I work at two different locations?

The CPA’s Professional Liability Insurance will cover you anywhere you practice in Canada, even if you practice in more than one location.

5. I am a PTA. How do I purchase insurance?

PTA members may purchase an insurance policy directly through our broker, BMS, online at www.cpa.bmsgroup.com or by contacting them at cpa.insurance@bmsgroup.com or 1-855-318-6136.

6. I am a business owner with other professionals working for, or on behalf of, my business and/or billing under my business name. Do I need Professional Liability Insurance to protect my business name?

Yes, you may require an additional policy beyond your individual Professional Liability Insurance policy. Please contact BMS at 1-855-318-6136 or cpa.insurance@bmsgroup.com for further information, to purchase business insurance, or to discuss your specific business coverage needs. You can also apply online at www.cpa.bmsgroup.com.

G – Insurance: Scope of Practice/Coverage

1. I already have Professional Liability Insurance through my employer – why should I get my own?

First, we recommend that you check with your provincial regulator as you may be required to hold your own Professional Liability Insurance policy as a condition of registration.

Even if this is not the case in your jurisdiction, you may want to consider purchasing your own insurance coverage. An employer’s Professional Liability Insurance policy may have a number of restrictions that limit your insurance protection. For instance, many employer insurance policies don’t include the coverage required to defend yourself against a complaint made to your regulatory college. This is the most common claim on the CPA Program.

If you work in public practice and are relying on your employer’s Professional Liability Insurance policy, you may be left to manage your defense independently and/or pay for legal defense services and any other expenses out of pocket.

2. Does the CPA’s Professional Liability Insurance cover acupuncture?

The CPA Professional Liability policy covers all activities within the scope of practice of a physiotherapist, including acupuncture. Please note that the CPA’s Professional Liability Insurance policy does not provide coverage for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and TCM acupuncture as this is not within a physiotherapist’s scope of practice. If you require insurance coverage for your TCM acupuncture practice, please contact BMS at 1-855-318-6136 or cpa.insurance@bmsgroup.com.

3. I am also a yoga/pilates teacher – will my Professional Liability Insurance cover teaching yoga/pilates classes?

If you have purchased individual Professional Liability Insurance through the CPA Program, you are eligible to purchase additional professional liability and general liability insurance to cover any yoga/pilates activities delivered outside your scope of practice as a physiotherapist, such as when teaching group classes.

You may purchase this coverage directly from our broker, BMS, by contacting cpa.insurance@bmsgroup.com or 1-855-318-6136.

4. I am an independent contractor or business owner, should I consider any additional Insurance?

Yes, you may require additional coverage beyond your individual Professional Liability Insurance policy. Please contact BMS at 1-855-318-6136 or cpa.insurance@bmsgroup.com for further information, to purchase business insurance, or to discuss your specific business coverage needs. You can also apply online at www.cpa.bmsgroup.com.