INSURANCE FOR YOUR PROFESSIONAL NEEDS
Choosing the right insurance coverage for your career is crucial to safeguard yourself and your career you’ve worked so hard to attain. However, navigating the intricate world of insurance can be challenging, and we’re here to help. We’ve outlined the essential information you need to make an informed decision about your insurance choices below.
What kind of insurance should professionals have?
The type of insurance you should have as a professional depends on the nature of your business or profession. However, liability insurance is an essential type of insurance that all professionals should have, especially in health and wellness industries, because of the unique physical contact involved in treatments. For complete information, go to the official Massage Magazine Insurance Plus website.
What does liability insurance cover?
Liability insurance protects against financial losses in the event of an accident, incident, and lawsuit. It provides coverage for legal fees, settlements, and damages, giving professionals peace of mind and help maintaining a professional image. For example, if someone is injured on your business premises or during a treatment, liability insurance can cover the costs of medical expenses, lost wages, and any other damages the claimant may be awarded. If you damage someone else’s property while conducting your business, liability insurance can cover the cost of repairing or replacing the property. If you are accused of malpractice or negligence, liability insurance can cover the costs of legal defense and any damages awarded.
However, it’s important to choose a policy that is comprehensive and covers you fully in these areas. We have recommendations for insurance providers below.
My employer provides me with coverage, why would I need my own policy?
Although an employer may provide coverage, it is highly recommended that professionals obtain their own liability insurance policy. Employer coverage is typically designed to protect the employer first, and may not always extend to employees in all circumstances. By obtaining your own liability insurance policy, you can guarantee complete protection from claims or lawsuits arising from your services. This way, you can ensure that you’re sufficiently covered and can conduct your business with confidence.
What are the types of liability insurance options?
- Professional Liability Insurance—Commonly referred to as “malpractice insurance” or “errors and omissions insurance”, professional liability insurance provides coverage for claims related to negligence or malpractice that result in harm to a client during a treatment. (Example—a client suffers a back injury due to excessive pressure during a massage).
- General Liability Insurance—Commonly referral to as “trip and fall insurance,” this coverage protects you in the event that a client trips, falls, and suffers an injury while on their property. This coverage applies to claims resulting from personal injury, bodily injury, or damage to others’ property. (Example—a client slips and falls while entering or leaving your business premises).
- Product Coverage—Product insurance coverage provides protection against claims related to injuries or damages caused by a product. (Example—a client has an allergic reaction from a lotion or oil used during treatment).
- Stolen Equipment Coverage—Stolen equipment coverage provides financial compensation for items that are stolen or damaged due to theft.
- Damage to Rental Premises—This coverage is helpful to those who rent or lease a workspace and is designed to protect against damage caused by you to the premises.
- Occurrence Form vs Claims-Made Coverage—”Occurrence form” is a type of coverage that protects against claims regardless of when they are filed, as long as the incident took place while the policy was active. In other words, if you are sued for an incident that occurred while your liability insurance was in effect, but the policy had since expired, you would still be covered. “Claims-made coverage” only covers policyholders for claims filed while the policy is active. If an incident occurs during the policy term but is not reported until after the policy expires, you will not be covered.
- Aggregate—This refers to the maximum amount of coverage available under a policy during a specified period.
- Individual aggregate vs shared aggregate—’Individual aggregate’ and ‘shared aggregate’ are terms that describe how the policy amount is allocated to policyholders. Individual aggregate means the policy amount is reserved solely for the policyholder, while shared aggregate means the policy amount is shared among all policyholders insured by the same insurance provider.
For complete information, go to the official Massage Magazine Insurance Plus website.
INSURANCE OPTIONS BY PROFESSION
Massage Therapists, Dietitians and Nutritionists: Massage Magazine Insurance Plus
Massage Magazine Insurance Plus is now backed by the fourth-largest insurance brokerage in the world, Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance, allowing them to provide A+ rated liability insurance coverage and exclusive policy benefits like coverage for 450+ modalities across all 50 states and over $1,800 in membership discounts.
This policy is unique because it protects multi-discipline beauty & bodywork professionals but does not require you to pay additional costs to cover the various disciplines in your career. This insurance also automatically provides protection anywhere you practice within the United States, even online.
This policy covers:
- Massage Therapists
- Bodywork Therapists
- Dieticians & Nutritionists
- Health Coaches
- Assisted Stretching & Flexibility
- Group Fitness
- Yoga Instruction
- Reiki & Energy Healing
- And many more
Learn more about coverage here.
Occupational Therapists: MyOT Insurance
Designed to specifically cover occupational therapists, check out MyOT Insurance for rates starting as low as $79 per year. Learn more about coverage here.
Physical Therapists: MyPT Insurance
MyPT Insurance is an all-inclusive policy option for physical therapists. Their fast & secure checkout process makes purchasing coverage a breeze. Learn more about coverage here.