Picking your liability insurance for massage therapists
Every massage therapist faces some level of risk of being accused by their clients of causing an injury, property damage or professional misconduct (giving the wrong advice, incorrect treatment or similar).
Therefore in this article we focus on professional liability, the riskiest aspect of massage therapy. There are plenty of situations that can give rise to a claim from an unhappy client. Sometimes it is a fine line whether such a claim should fall under professional indemnity or public liability cover, the two key elements of insurance for massage therapists.
We look at the reasons why have both of these covers in your legal arsenal.
Professional indemnity insurance for massage therapists
Professional indemnity insurance is a legal cover which defends your professional conduct. We've already mentioned some risk examples above and there are many more scenarios during which you could face a claim from a client.
Many clients seek treatment when they have a problem. That in itself represents a risk for you. If you deliver treatment that exacerbates the issue further, you're very likely to face a comeback from the client.
At best they'll ask for their money back and leave you with a bad review. On the other end of the scale they might engage a lawyer and try to sue you for compensation.
A massage is a very personal and close contact situation. Despite your best endeavours you might make a client feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. It is quite rare that a professional masseuse is accused of inappropriate conduct but some clients can be extremely sensitive and may claim you've touched them inappropriately or caused emotional stress.
Reasons to add public liability insurance for massage therapists
Public liability insurance is also a legal cover but designed for slightly different circumstances. Public liability protects you if you've accidentally caused an injury or property damage.
That is why adding public liability insurance to your professional indemnity offers a very robust legal protection.
You will have someone to fight your corner (legally speaking) at no costs to you if faced with a claim from an enraged client. In other words any legal costs, and a possible compensation if you're found liable, will be paid for by the insurers.
Remember that if you sell products (e.g. massage oils) with your services, your public liability should also include products liability. Suited PL cover offers both elements as standard.
How does liability insurance protect massage therapists?
When thinking about buying insurance for massage therapists, while a competitive price is always welcome, don't choose a product just because it's cheap. When the price is too low, you'll need to take extra care to read the small print, especially what is excluded and what would happen if you had a claim.
Suited professional indemnity professional indemnity insurance for massage professionals (as well as public liability) cover is built on three pillars. They cover all your legal costs incurred in your defence, they pay compensation if you're found liable and they provide you with a qualified legal team right from the beginning so that the issue you're facing is dealt with quickly and to everyone's satisfaction.
The insurer behind both covers holds an A+ rating which means very good financial stability and they pride themselves on their positive attitude to claims. Customer experience is one of their priorities as is providing the right expertise. This is why both covers extend to the services of an international law firm experienced in dealing with PL and PI claims. They'll represent your interest during a possible claim situation.
In addition Suited professional indemnity insurance for massage therapists comes with an extra section for business legal expenses - Business Legal Protect - which is designed to help you deal with tax issues (e.g. HMRC disputes), negative PR, and other commercial legal matters not typically covered by PI or PL insurance.
How else can massage therapists protect themselves?
With public liability and professional indemnity insurance massage therapists can feel safer in difficult client circumstances but you can minimise the risk further and protect yourself with the following steps:
- Before treating a client for the first time, quiz them thoroughly about their current state of health, allergies, and why they're seeking your services.
- Make notes of your findings and then explain to the client what you'll be doing and why. Ensure the client is comfortable with your approach.
- Keep checking in with client during the treatment to ensure you're not causing any pain or discomfort.
- Don't be afraid to say no. If your professional instinct tells you, the client may not be the best candidate for your services or the client is in need of expertise exceeding your own qualifications, refund them their money and let them go.
