Insurance For Massage Therapists

If you want to open your own massage therapy business, one of the things you will need to do before you start practicing is purchase massage therapist insurance.

In this post, we will explain the different types of massage therapy insurance and help you figure out which policies you need.

We also will talk about the factors that impact massage therapy insurance pricing, and point you toward some insurance companies to consider.

All told, you should not be intimidated by the prospect of shopping for massage therapy insurance.

You will discover that most policies are extremely affordable, and that signing up and receiving your certificate is rapid and easy.

Why Do Massage Therapists Need Insurance?

Before we dive in, let’s go over some of the reasons why insurance is important for massage therapists.

• For one thing, you might require insurance to legally operate your massage therapy business (see the next section).

• If a patient claims you caused injury in the course of doing your job, insurance can help to offset the costs of a lawsuit or medical expenses. For example, maybe a client says that you burned them with a hot stone, or claims that you pushed too hard on a neck muscle and ignited a migraine cycle.

• A patient could also claim that you harmed them in some other way. For example, they could sue you for assault. In a situation like this, insurance could again help to pay your legal fees.

• During the course of your job, your equipment could be stolen or damaged.

Those are just a few examples. There are plenty of other situations in which having insurance can help protect you as a massage therapist.

What Insurance is Required for Massage Therapists?

Whether or not you are legally required to have insurance to get your license as a massage therapist depends on where you live. It is a requirement in some states, but not in others.

Even if you do live in a state where it is not yet mandated, we recommend that you get it anyway. If your state eventually follows suit, you will be all set up with the insurance you need to renew your license. Plus, you will have the protection from the insurance itself, which you really do need from a practical standpoint.

Types of Massage Therapy Insurance

Now that you understand the reasons why you need massage therapist insurance, let’s talk about the different types of policies.

• General liability: This is the type of insurance that protects you in case of workplace accidents. For example, if your client stumbles while getting up on the massage table and twists their ankle, this coverage would kick in to cover their costs.

• Professional liability: Another name for this type of coverage is “errors and omissions” insurance. It covers costs associated with your negligence (or what the client believes was negligence).

• Business owners’ policy (BOP): A policy that rolls together general liability insurance with property damage insurance is called a “BOP.”

• Workers’ compensation: If you have any employees, your state requires you to cover them with workers’ compensation. In the event they get sick or injured on the job, workers’ comp will help offset medical costs and lost wages.

• Commercial auto: Take out this type of policy to cover your business vehicle. If you get into an accident driving to or from work in that vehicle, the coverage will help you pay for the damages.

Depending on the specifics of how you operate your business, there could be some other types of coverages that are also appropriate for your needs.

Factors Affecting Massage Therapy Insurance Costs

How much is massage insurance coverage? Massage therapy insurance is quite affordable; you can get a solid policy for $25 a month or less.

Here are some of the factors that impact your costs:

• Types of policies: The more types of policies you need to purchase for your massage business, the more expensive your costs will be.

• Coverage amounts: If you buy a higher amount of coverage for your business, your policy will be more expensive than if you purchased a lower amount of coverage. Considering that massage therapy insurance is pretty cost-effective all-around, however, paying a little more each month may end up being worth it should something go wrong one day.

• Deductible amounts: Policies with lower deductibles are more expensive on average than those with higher deductibles. While you might be tempted to save a little in the short term with higher deductibles, it may again be worth it to consider paying a little more now so you have lower out-of-pocket costs if you ever need to make a claim in the future.

• Membership fees: It is common for massage therapy policies to be combined with memberships in professional organizations. When they are, they sometimes cost more, because you are also paying for all the other member benefits. But if you would want to purchase those benefits anyway, the insurance can be a good deal.

• Modalities covered: There are hundreds of different modalities that massage therapists can perform. Not every policy covers every modality. So, you will need to make sure that you are picking a company and a policy that will cover everything you need. Sometimes there may be a higher cost for certain higher-risk modalities.

• The size of your business. The number of employees and how much you pay them can impact the cost of workers’ compensation insurance. Having multiple locations could also increase costs.

• The company you choose: Different companies price policies differently as well, so it pays to shop around. Going with the first carrier you find could mean missing out on an excellent deal elsewhere.

• Past claims: If you have a clean record with no claims in the past, you are going to look less risky as a customer than another massage therapist with multiple claims. You might qualify for a better deal as a result, especially after several years with the same insurance carrier.

• Bundles and discounts: Some carriers that offer other types of policies might give you discounts if you bundle policies. They may offer other types of discounts as well. Ask what is available before you apply.

Where to Get Massage Therapy Insurance

Below are our top recommended massage therapy insurance carriers. These companies have put together policies that are tailored to the specific needs of your profession, and also have a strong reputation for customer service and satisfaction.

1. Progressive

Progressive is the third largest insurance company in the US, best known for home and auto policies. But this company also has some policies that are aimed at business owners, including massage therapists.

With Progressive, you apply through the Progressive Advantage® Business Program. Basic forms of coverage the company offers massage therapists include General Liability, Professional Liability and Business’ Owners Policies. Progressive also recommends applying for commercial auto and workers’ compensation policies.

Progressive is known for its bundling and discounts, so if you already have other policies with this company, they may be a particularly good choice.

Best For: Consider Progressive for your massage therapy insurance if you want to go with a big-name company that you might already use for other insurance needs.

2. AMTA

https://www.amtamassage.org/massage-insurance/professionals-graduates/

Another option worth considering for massage therapy insurance is the coverage provided by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA).

If you join AMTA, massage liability insurance is part of your membership. AMTA insurance covers:

Professional Liability Coverage

• Good Samaritan Liability
• Personal Injury Liability
• Malplacement Liability
• License Protection
• Defendant Expense Benefit
• Deposition Representation
• Assault Coverage (excluding Texas)
• Medical Payments
• First Aid
• Communicable Diseases
• Damage to Property of Others
• Health Information Privacy and Notification Costs

General Liability Coverage

• Fire and Water Legal Liability
• Products Liability

AMTA highlights these special advantages:

• You receive hot stone massage coverage at no added price.
• You do not have to worry about paying for Additional Insured entities for your landlord.
• You can quickly and easily receive a copy of your Certificate of Insurance at no cost.
• Dual liability coverage is offered if you also are an esthetician or yoga instructor.

When you join AMTA, you also get the other benefits that come with being a member, such as online CE, member discounts, resources for your career, and more.

One more thing we like about AMTA is that the organization provides a ton of detailed information about their insurance policies and their membership benefits right on their website. So, you can easily figure out if their policies are right for you.

Best For: If you want to join a professional organization that provides you with massage therapy insurance and a wide range of other benefits, AMTA may be an ideal option.

3. Beauty & Bodywork Insurance (BBI)

https://www.insurebodywork.com/massage-therapy-insurance

Another specialized provider of massage therapist liability insurance is Beauty & Bodywork Insurance.

If you get a standard massage insurance policy from BBI, you get:

• General Liability Insurance
• Professional Liability Insurance
• Personal and Advertising Injury
• Damage to Premises Rented to You

The following types of coverage are available for an additional cost:

• Cupping Endorsement
• Fitness Trainer Endorsement
• Acupuncture Endorsement
• Supplies & Tool Coverage
• Additional Insureds
• Cyber Liability Insurance

Here are some reasons to consider BBI:

• You can easily adjust your policy any time you want.
• You can add additional insureds.
• Your online account makes managing your policy easy and convenient.
• BBI puts an emphasis on simplicity and affordability. You can apply in minutes, and you only have to pay your premium to maintain coverage (not a membership fee).

Best For: If fast, easy, and affordable coverage is what you are looking for, you cannot go wrong with a policy from Beauty & Bodywork Insurance.

4. Massage Magazine

One more carrier worth considering for massage liability insurance is Massage Magazine. You can purchase a Part-Time Policy, 1 Year Policy or 2 Year Policy through this family-owned company. Included in all policies are:

• Professional Liability
• General Liability
• Product Coverage
• Identity Protection Coverage
• Damage to Rental Premises
• Stolen Equipment Coverage

Your membership also comes with these benefits:

• Industry discounts
• An identity protection plan
• Free online therapy via BetterHelp
• Free online NCBTMB CEs
• Coverage within minutes

Massage Magazine covers an astonishing 450 different types of massage.

Best For: If you perform numerous modalities or you perform types of massage that are not covered by other companies, you stand a good chance of finding the coverage you need from Massage Magazine.

Get the Coverage You Need to Protect Your Massage Therapy Business Now

You’ve now had a chance to check out some of the top carriers for massage therapist insurance. If you are ready to insure your business and start practicing massage therapy now with the protection your business needs, let us help you with our free quote.