Table of Contents
You might be asking, ‘do massage therapists need insurance?’ What could possibly go wrong? The answer is plenty, unfortunately.
Your treatment could worsen a client’s existing injury or condition, or they could have an allergic reaction to a massage oil. And that same oil could stain their clothing or spill on the floor and cause your client to slip and injure themselves. What if you have a broken finger or thumb and are unable to work? Or burglars break into your home or studio and your stock and equipment is stolen?
For these reasons, and others besides, you may want to consider taking out a comprehensive massage therapist insurance policy that covers you while you work.
This page will explain what types of cover you need to be comprehensively protected, whether you’re a mobile massage therapist or working in a parlour, as well as what affects your premium, and how to find a policy for your needs.
» MORE: Compare Business Insurance
What is massage therapist insurance?
Massage therapist insurance is not one policy, but an insurance package that includes a range of individual insurance policies that provide financial protection for your business – for example, against accidents or injuries to clients caused by your business activities or on your premises. You might even need cover to compensate you for loss, damage or theft of your stock and equipment.
While public liability insurance is not a legal requirement, it could be important whether you work from a salon or in clients’ homes. It provides financial cover for claims made against your business where your activities cause injury, illness or death to a third party, or when a person’s property is lost or damaged because of your work.
Professional indemnity insurance for massage therapists – sometimes called professional or treatment liability insurance – can provide protection against claims of negligence or malpractice during close-contact treatments, covering legal costs and expenses, as well as compensation that may be awarded to your client. For example, if a client suffers an injury as a direct result of your massage services or aftercare advice, professional indemnity may offer your business financial protection.
You might also consider product liability insurance if you recommend, use or sell products, including giving away free samples. It can cover the cost of compensation owed to clients if a product turns out to be faulty and causes illness or injury. Be aware that issues caused by your products may not be covered if you made them yourself.
Finally, both mobile and salon-based massage therapists may want to consider personal accident insurance, which can ensure you and your dependents are covered financially if an accident puts you out of action for any length of time, or even in the event of your death.
Mobile massage therapist insurance
If you are a mobile massage therapist, you may need to cover the vehicle you use to drive between treatments. For this, you’ll need business class 1 car insurance, which covers you for social, domestic and pleasure use as well as for business journeys between sites. This may need to be taken out as a separate policy through a motor insurance provider in addition to your business insurance package.
Massage parlour insurance
If you own a massage parlour, you might consider protecting your premises with buildings insurance, which can provide compensation in the event that disaster strikes. If your building is damaged by a flood or by fire, for example, buildings insurance can cover the cost of rebuilding.
Likewise, you may want to consider contents insurance, which can help cover personal items belonging to employees or visitors to your premises, or stock and equipment insurance, which can provide compensation if products you intend to sell are damaged, for example.
By law, you’ll also need to add employers’ liability insurance to your policy if you employ anyone, including other therapists, in your salon. This covers you if an employee is injured or is involved in an accident while working for you. You may not need employers’ liability insurance if your staff are immediate family members or are based abroad.
What is usually included in massage therapist insurance?
Massage therapist insurance usually includes:
- public liability insurance
- personal accident insurance
- employers’ liability insurance
- legal expenses insurance
Exactly what is included in your policy will depend on what you choose – many providers will allow you to select the products that are most applicable to your business.
» MORE: What is Business Liability Insurance
What treatments are covered by massage therapist insurance?
Insurance policies for massage therapists can be tailored to cover the range of treatments you offer, from Swedish to sports massages. Speak to your provider about the sort of work you do to ensure you are correctly covered.
If you provide any other, non-massage related, beauty treatments – such as tanning or hair removal – you will likely need separate insurance, or to add additional types of cover to your policy.
» MORE: Beauty therapist insurance
How much does massage therapist insurance cost?
The main factors that will affect the cost of your massage therapist insurance policy are the size of your business, the types of coverage you add to your policy, the coverage limits you set, and the types of treatments you provide.
For example, if you own a salon that offers dozens of treatments, and contains stock and equipment, your policy will be more expensive than a mobile masseuse who specialises in one type of massage and works alone.
How to choose the best massage therapist insurance policy for you
Once you’ve established the types of coverage you require as well as the coverage limits, it’s time to find a policy.
Consider the specifics of your business and the level of risk you are exposed to when deciding on the type and level of small business insurance you need.
Massage therapist insurance FAQs
As a massage therapist, whether mobile or working in a salon, it’s worth considering public liability insurance, professional indemnity insurance and personal accident insurance.
If you employ anyone, you are also legally required to have employer’s liability insurance of at least £5 million. The only exception is if your staff are immediate family members or based abroad.
It’s important to have insurance as a massage therapist because the costs of someone making a personal injury claim against your business or of replacing lost, damaged or stolen stock and equipment could be high and you may not be in a position to pay for these yourself.
If you’re a mobile therapist who drives between treatments, you’ll need to have class 1 business car insurance for your vehicle to be properly insured. This will likely need to be arranged separately to your business insurance package through a motor insurance provider.
Image Source: Getty Images
Dive even deeper
Construction Insurance
by Kristina Fox
Craft Insurance
