What Insurance is Needed to Be A Mobile Massage Therapist?

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Massage therapy is designed to bring about a sense of peace and relaxation, by soothing areas of tension, especially within the back, neck and shoulders. While that all sounds idyllic for those on the receiving end of a massage, any business which performs such treatments needs to ensure it is covered in the eventuality that things don’t go to plan.

Even the most experienced and attentive massage therapists are not immune from injuring their clients through using the wrong technique, defective products or giving inappropriate advice. Therefore, when becoming a mobile massage therapist, it’s critical to protect against loss or damage that may occur due to injury to a client or other third party and equipment, which could prevent a therapist from being able to carry out their work.

In the case of a mobile massage therapist, primarily self-employed, insurance usually arranged by their employer does not exist. As a result, individuals are required to take out their own insurance. Otherwise, mobile massage therapists leave themselves vulnerable to financial ruin should a claim be made against them or if any other scenario threatens their ability to be able to work.

How Much Is Massage Insurance?

According to the insurance website NimbleFins, the average small massage therapy business will pay around £45 a year for public liability insurance.

An insurance comparison website that offers quotes specifically for massage therapists should be the first port of all for any massage therapy business seeking a quote. That’s because no two businesses offer the same treatments or even have the same level of risk in the eyes of an insurer.

However, regardless of the quote given, the monthly payments often pale compared to the total payout available should a claim be made. For example, public liability insurance normally offers millions of pounds worth of cover.

Therefore, even if a business takes out all available insurance policies, the amount of coverage given will far exceed the money spent. Given the peace of mind it will also bring for the business owner, insurance is certainly a worthy investment, especially since the nature of insurance claims is that they are unpredictable.

What Insurance Do I Need As A Massage Therapist?

As with any insurance policy, it’s essential to consider the potential ways in which the business would need to make a claim, either through damages brought against the business or due to the loss or damage of any component that is essential to the operation of the business.

Treatments Provided

A great place to start is by looking at the treatments provided, which would be covered under professional indemnity insurance or treatment insurance, as it is also known. This type of insurance protects massage therapists against negligence, including if the treatment causes injury to a client. In addition, any advice given to the client which results in damages or injury would also be covered.

Professional liability insurance will also offer cover in the event a client suffers an injury due to the services directly provided by the massage therapist.

Insurance known as public liability insurance is also needed and will provide cover for the environment a massage therapist works in, whether this is an official premise or the client’s own home. Known as public liability insurance, if a client or member of the public is injured on the business premises, or if a client’s property is damaged due to the services provided, then any associated compensation or legal costs would be covered.

The difference between public liability insurance and professional liability insurance is that public liability insurance covers accidental injury on the premises (i.e. trips or falls) rather than injuries that result directly from the treatments provided, as is the case with professional liability insurance.

Tools & Equipment

While much of the work a massage therapist does is with their hands, they still require the likes of specialist massage tables, towels, oils, sound systems, etc., to be able to provide their treatments.

Tools and equipment insurance can protect against theft or damage to all accessories required to perform a massage treatment. Conveniently for mobile massage therapists, tools and equipment insurance is not limited to a particular physical location.

Personal Insurance

Any self-employed individual must consider how they would continue to support themselves in the event they could no longer work due to illness or injury.

In the case of a mobile massage therapist, any condition that meant they were unable to stand for long periods of time, use their hands properly or left them unable to drive could severely impact their business.

Therefore, personal injury insurance provides cover for bills and similar expenditures should such a career-threatening illness or injury occur.

Vehicle Insurance

To be a mobile massage therapist, the individual requires a vehicle that will allow them to transport themselves and their equipment between their clients’ homes. Vehicle insurance is a legal requirement for any vehicle on the road, and typical mobile massage therapist driving requires ‘business use’ is added onto a social, domestic and pleasure policy. This will ensure the vehicle is being driven legally when using a private car for work.

To Sum Up

Massage therapy is often thought of only in a holistic sense when the reality is it’s a business like any other. For example, sorting insurance may seem like a chore but will only take a short amount of time and costs far less than it may seem, especially in comparison to the level of the potential payout.

Most of all, getting insurance means massage therapists can concentrate on the treatments they give out, rather than possible lawsuits that can arise that can threaten their business. Insurance is something that all responsible business owners should arrange before commencing any treatments on their clients.

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