Necessary Insurance Coverage for Massage Therapists

For massage therapists, October is a good time to review the kinds of insurance coverage needed to operate your practice. To become licensed, many states require that you carry massage therapist insurance. However, even if your state does not require it, it is a good idea to have this insurance because it can protect you from unforeseen incidents that may expose you to potential damages.

Clearly, most patients that come in for a massage will have a good experience. However, there may be an occasional case where someone will complain about the massage causing some kind of physical injury. In these cases, it is good to have liability coverage to protect you from losing your entire business. A typical policy will cover you for up to $2 million per incident and $3 million aggregate.

Other coverage available for massage therapists include:

• General Liability Insurance: This liability insurance is for injuries that may occur at your place of business but not necessarily because of your services, such as a slip and fall accident.

• Property Damage Insurance: This covers damage to property inside your place of business, such as massage tables and computers. You may also need coverage for damage to the interior of the property you are renting.

• Product Liability: If a product such as a certain massage lotion has an adverse effect on a patient, you may be liable along with the company that produces the product. Product liability coverage protects against this scenario.

• Lost or Stolen Equipment: This covers you in the case of missing or stolen equipment inside your place of business.

This summer, be sure to review your policy with your insurance agent to ensure that you have the proper coverage to protect your massage therapy business.