Even the most experienced professionals make mistakes. However, as a massage therapist, the consequences can be significant. Luckily, massage insurance can protect you financially. It can include professional indemnity insurance in case you injure someone and public liability insurance should someone get hurt while at your parlour — if you own your own parlour, you probably need both.
Insurance for massage therapists is similar to the insurance you need for any other business, particularly one that involves frequently dealing with the public. There are a few types of insurance you want to consider if you own a massage therapy outlet or work in one. These include:
Here are the types of insurance you're required to get if you're a massage therapist:
Public liability insurance protects you when you have your own massage parlour and someone injures themselves or damages something and it's not related to the service you provide, like if they trip and fall. It will also protect you if you accidentally damage something in a client's home.
The job of professional indemnity insurance is to protect you if something goes wrong with the service you provide. For example, if you accidentally injure someone while massaging them or if they react badly to some lotion you've applied.
An injury would probably make it difficult to continue giving massages. Personal accident insurance provides a source of income if an accident means you're temporarily unable to work.
Average cost based on historical costs using our engine. Last checked December 2023.
How much you can expect to pay depends on the size of your massage business, your turnover and the level of cover you require (e.g. policies typically have limits of $5 million, $10 million or $20 million so you have sufficient cover for legal costs).
However, based on average costs using our quote tool, you can expect to pay around $23 a month for public liability cover and $23 for professional indemnity cover. In fact, it's unlikely you'll have to pay much more than this. According to research done by BizCover, around 62% of small businesses pay less than $50 per month for public liability insurance so cover is pretty affordable.
Public liability insurance is designed to protect you against claims resulting from injuries or accidents that occur as a result of your business activities.
More specifically, it covers you for damages resulting from the physical property and surroundings as opposed to damages from services you provide. For example, it can cover you if someone slips and falls in your massage parlour but not if you injure someone while you're giving them a massage.
Public liability insurance then is helpful if you own your own massage business. It can provide cover for:
Even with professional indemnity and public liability insurance, there are still some common exclusions for massage therapists that are worth being aware of. These include damages related to:
You still need professional indemnity and public liability insurance if you work as a mobile massage therapist. For example, with professional indemnity, even though you might be in someone else's home, you're still providing a professional service. If you were to injure them during the massage, they could sue you.
Similarly, if you were at a client's home and you accidentally damaged their property, a public liability insurance policy would cover you.
As a mobile massage therapist, you're still just as accountable to third parties that come into contact with your business, even if you don't have a property or a specific place where you actually do your job. If damage or an accident occurs while you're carrying out your massage, the impacted third party has every right to make a claim against your business.
It's also worth considering income protection. If you get sick or injured, it's unlikely you'll be able to do your job. Income protection is a safety net that ensures you're still able to pay the bills and keep food on the table.
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I need the most competitive quote possible for a student practitioner working from home. What can you offer?
Hi Helen
Quotes will depend on various factors – To get a quote simply click on the green ‘Get quotes online’ button. This will take you to an engine where you can compare prices from a few insurers.
I hope this helps,
Maurice
Can I purchase professional indemnity and public liability in a package.
I am doing seated massage at markets.
Hi Lorraine,
Thank you for your comment. You can buy both types of cover in a package. Simply hit the ‘Get quotes online’ button at the top of the page to choose cover options.
I hope this helps,
Maurice