What is Massage Therapy Insurance and Why Do You Need One?

Massage therapy insurance will protect you and your business from different kinds of liability claims that could bring a negative impact on your career. Such suits can result in severe and costly lawsuits, and if you don’t have appropriate coverage, you can end up paying a significant amount of money out of your pocket.

To prevent inconveniences caused by high costs, we suggest you purchase massage insurance that covers a variety of situations that can be fatal for your business.

When Is Massage Therapist Liability Insurance Mandatory?

Not all the situations will require you to carry massage therapy liability insurance, but sometimes you won’t be able to accomplish your goals without an appropriate policy.

Have a look at the following cases that require you to have massage therapist insurance coverage:

A State Where You Live

Some states require a therapist to carry liability insurance in order to get a massage therapy license. Those states include:

• South Dakota – at least $250.000 limit.
• Wisconsin – at least $1M limit.
• Alabama – at least $1M limit.
• Massachusetts – at least $1M limit.
• Indiana – no specified limit.

Although other states won’t ask you for insurance before getting a license, make sure you check whether the local permitting agencies will require it. Namely, each city and municipality have their own rules, which is why you should be completely sure about this issue.

Freelance Jobs

If you want to start working right after you’ve got a license, you may be obliged to get insurance. This is mainly aimed at freelancers and healthcare workers who won’t be able to get a job in most facilities unless they’re insured with malpractice coverage.

Contract Requirements

If you are a full-time employee, your employer may ask you to get individual insurance since lawsuits may demand more than one policy. If you’re partnering with another therapist, you may need to be named as an additional insured.

Although it might not be legally required, carrying massage insurance will bring a lot of benefits to your career. Namely, it will demonstrate that you’re serious about your work and that you complete your tasks and duties professionally.

What Does Massage Therapist Insurance Cover?

Most massage therapist insurance policies cover costs caused by some of the five most common massage insurance claims, which are:

• Nerve damage: It usually happens when a therapist accidentally pinches a nerve in a client’s neck, requiring immediate medical attention and rehabilitation.
• Burns obtained by hot stone: If you perform therapies that include the use of hot stones, you may be at risk of burning your client’s skin with them. A client may receive even third-degree burns, which often require long-term medical assistance and adequate medications.
• Client falls at your premises: It commonly happens that a client falls while in your salon. Such a fall may bring severe consequences, including a broken hip, which can cost your salon a lot of money.
• Business property damage: Theft, burglary and other types of vandalism happen all the time, and insurance can help you get through them much easier. In case someone breaks in and steals your supplies, your policy will provide you with proper reimbursement.
• Allergic reactions: If the massage oil you applied to your client’s skin causes an allergic reaction that requires medical attention, you’ll be held liable and required to pay a particular amount of money. If you’re insured, all the costs will be covered.

Legal and financial consequences of the mentioned situations will be handled much easier with insurance policy, which will reimburse all the costs you’d normally pay out of your pocket.

What is Included in Insurance for Massage Therapists?

Like many other “hands-on” professions dedicated to public health, massage therapies involve significant risks. Massage therapists deal with clients in different states of physical well-being, which is why any wrong move can lead to a severe and expensive lawsuit – besides, bad practice affects a salon’s reputation and integrity.

Liability insurance that’s crafted especially for massage therapists can help you prevent inconveniences at work. By purchasing a policy, you can expect the following types of protection:

General liability Insurance

General liability insurance will protect you from the common third-party claims that include bodily injury and property damage.

If you accidentally spill massage oil on the floor and it makes a client slip and fall, you may be held liable for injuries that come as a result of the fall. Therefore, you’ll need to pay for a client’s physical therapy, medical treatments, or lawsuit, depending on what the injured client requires from you.

Another accident that’s typical for salons is property damage. If you or your employee spill massage oil and damage a client’s purse, phone, or anything else, you may be sued for negligence and face severe legal costs.

Professional Liability Insurance

Professional liability insurance is also known as malpractice insurance, which means that it covers the costs caused by your inappropriate services. If your massage leaves signs of injuries and makes a client feel bad, he or she may sue you for malpractice – all the defense costs will be reimbursed with the right coverage, which is why you shouldn’t go uninsured.

Product Liability Insurance

Since massage therapists use a lot of products and cosmetics to perform their job, they are at risk of putting their clients in jeopardy. Why?

Namely, products may contain substances that could cause allergic reactions, including even anaphylactic shock. Such conditions may have severe consequences, which is why a client may require you to pay for their medical treatment since you’re the one who’s responsible.

Such claims are covered with product liability insurance, which is why you shouldn’t be worried about the costs of medical treatments.

Rental Premises Liability Insurance

If you rent or lease a place where you operate, you’re advised to purchase rental premises liability insurance. It applies to the situations where you damage the facility due to negligence or some other reason, but it doesn’t include the contents of a rental location.

Advertising Injury Liability Coverage

A client may sue you for posting his/her unflattering photo on social media or a website. They may claim that such a picture has damaged their reputation, and the costs of lawsuits may be quite steep.

Advertising injury liability policy will cover the costs of such a lawsuit and prevent your salon from losing its integrity.

Stolen Equipment Coverage

The theft of your equipment may affect your business performance and cause a lot of stress. We know how frequent burglaries are, which is why we suggest you consider stolen equipment coverage, which will compensate for your lost possessions.

Massage Insurance for Students

Most insurance companies and agencies offer coverage that’s specifically made for students in massage school. Such plans provide more or less the same features as professional plans, but they are more cost-effective.

The best would be to purchase a plan when you’re near graduation – that way, you’ll stay protected during the first year of your professional practice for a reasonable price.

How Much Is Massage Insurance?

Massage insurance cost will be determined based on many factors – the state where you live, total annual revenue, the types of services you provide, extra policies you want to add, the limits you choose, and more.

Many insurance companies and agencies offer more simplified solutions, which include plans created for professionals and students. Professionals may expect to pay from $96 to $159 a year, while students can benefit from more affordable solutions, which cost from $25 to $67 annually.

It’s essential to find a carrier that will immediately issue the proof of insurance and cover all the massage modalities that you offer. Consequently, research your options and don’t stop until you find an ideal solution.

What are the Risks of Not Carrying Massage Therapist Liability Insurance?

Legal claims can be quite bad for every business owner, including massage practitioners who deal with a wide range of clients daily. Accidents in the workplace happen all the time, and it’s never a good idea to leave things to chance.

Insurance can help you save money and nerves, and the lack of it can lead to significant risks and consequences, including:

Financial Risks

No matter how high their income is, massage therapists may face substantial financial loss if they become the subject of a lawsuit. Except it may ruin their business, practitioners suffer personal financial loss, as well.

A Risk of Managing Legal Process By Themselves

When you are insured, you can enjoy the benefit of letting the insurance agency or company complete the entire court process for you. A lack of insurance, on the other hand, will require you to go through all the legal procedures by yourself.

Besides, if the court determines that you’re guilty, you will need to pay for the claim.

A Risk of Losing Professionalism and Integrity

Prospective clients and employers may not see you as a credible practitioner if you don’t purchase liability insurance.

When you’re covered with the right policy, people from your branch will see you as a professional person who’s ready to progress, and more people will want to turn into your clients.

How to Prevent Massage Liability Claims?

The truth is that dealing with lawsuits can be stressful even when you’re insured. That said, it’s critical to develop an effective plan to prevent liability claims and mitigate risks of worst-case scenarios.

Here are some of the useful tips you can implement to make sure you’re protected from common massage liability claims, bad for your business.

Create Procedures to Eliminate Massage Therapy Risks

All the businesses dedicated to providing healthcare services to clients need to make sure they respect all the procedures and legal documents prescribed by the state law. They should provide detailed information about how a building and equipment are being maintained and cleaned and how therapists should interact with clients.

All the independent therapists or spa centers that provide a broad range of massage modalities should deliver the policies that describe the following protocols:

• Accepting tips
• Body positioning
• Complying with the AMTA (American Massage Therapy Association) Code of Ethics
• Confidentiality
• Draping clients
• Dress code
• Greeting guests
• Maintaining equipment
• Off-site treatment.

Apart from these policies, you should also provide those that are about customer complaints, sexual harassment, and other problems that may arise at work.

It’s crucial to document that you and your employees have read and understood all the policies in case you ever go to court. When you show that your business follows strict procedures, you have more chances to support your defense. Besides, such processes can help your practice mitigate liability risks.

Be Careful When Hiring and Training Massage Therapists

As an employer, you’re responsible for adding people to your team and checking whether they meet the requirements and possess the skills needed for performing the job appropriately. It’s considered a huge liability when you hire someone who doesn’t provide the expected level of professionalism and expertise – that way, you put the entire practice into jeopardy.

It’s essential to establish ground rules for hiring, and make sure all the candidates provide the following documents and proofs:

• Adequate licensure
• Hours of education and experience
• Licensure
• Membership in a professional organization
• National certification
• Proof of proper liability insurance policy

In addition to the mentioned prerequisites, you should consider the following procedures as well:

• Check the candidates’ references
• Check their criminal background
• Conduct a personal interview with potential employees
• Observe them in a hands-on assessment

It’s essential to hire a therapist who fulfills the requirements completely and whose criminal background is clean. That way, you eliminate liability risks and show that you care about your practice’s reputation and professionalism.

Consider Legal Advice

By understanding the law, your chances of liability claims are significantly lowered. You’re advised to hire a lawyer who’ll guide you through the most important regulations and help you create a plan to mitigate your risks.