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.
What is massage insurance?
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:
Professional indemnity. This insurance is important not just because it is a requirement of health funds, it's also important because there's always the risk of you making some sort of error in your line of work. If something does happen, you can leave yourself open to an expensive lawsuit, even if you're not at fault. Professional indemnity insurance can help cover you if that happens.
Public liability. You're dealing with the public as a massage therapist, which means you're making contact with lots of people who come in and out of your business on a regular basis. Public liability covers you for claims of personal injury or property damage.
Business insurance. If you own a massage parlour, this can cover the business assets that keep you afloat. This can include the bricks-and-mortar building you use to house your massage therapy business.
What are the insurance requirements for massage therapists?
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.
Required for businesses or if you're self-employed
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.
Recommended
$74
Average cost based on historical costs using our engine. Last checked December 2024.
How much should I expect to pay?
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.
How does public liability insurance work?
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:
Legal liability
Damage to someone else's property
Personal injury to someone else
Advertising liability
Property in your care
Products liability
Common exclusions for massage therapists
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:
Asbestos
Injured workers (workers compensation)
Criminal conduct
Intentional acts
Fines and penalties
Fraud and dishonesty
Breach of professional duty by you
Bankruptcy
Acts of war and terrorism
How does insurance work for a mobile massage therapist?
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.
Finder survey: How many Australians have business insurance?
Response
I don't own a business
69.6%
Yes
15.92%
No
14.48%
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1112 Australians, December 2023
Talk to a broker about massage therapist insurance
Frequently asked questions
Applying is simple. You can fill out a quote online or speak to a broker by filling in your details below. When you apply for a free online quote, you'll need to fill in questions about your:
Employees (business owner included)
Estimated annual revenue
Postcode
Email address
First name
Last name
Phone number
You'll then be asked to select what kind of business insurance you want (e.g. public liability, professional indemnity or both) and any optional add-ons, including personal accident insurance and management liability.
Massage therapists typically need public liability insurance, professional indemnity insurance, and possibly product liability insurance to cover risks such as client injury, negligence claims, and issues with products used during treatments.
While not legally required, many professional associations and employers require massage therapists to have insurance. Additionally, having insurance protects you from financial risks associated with claims or lawsuits.
Professional indemnity insurance covers legal costs and compensation if a client claims your advice, treatment, or services caused them harm or financial loss. It protects you against claims of negligence or malpractice.
Yes, many insurers offer policies specifically for student massage therapists, providing coverage during your studies and practical training. These policies are typically more affordable but still offer essential protection.
Gary Ross Hunter was an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian and news.com.au. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 2 General Advice General Insurance certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). See full bio
Gary Ross's expertise
Gary Ross has written 645 Finder guides across topics including:
Liability insurance is a broad term that describes a few types of business insurance cover. The type you need will depend on the nature of your business.
I need the most competitive quote possible for a student practitioner working from home. What can you offer?
Finder
MauriceJanuary 7, 2019Finder
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
LorraineOctober 26, 2018
Can I purchase professional indemnity and public liability in a package.
I am doing seated massage at markets.
Finder
MauriceOctober 29, 2018Finder
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
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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