Some companies can see the benefit of having a massage therapist come to their place of business and work on employees. This should be a simple thing to arrange so stress among workers can be decreased.
However, if a company’s HR managers or wellness director ends spending too much time thinking about the massage therapist’s insurance coverage, they’ll be the ones needing some stress relief!
Discussion
Discussing insurance coverage with a massage therapist should take place before the first massage occurs. This conversation should happen well ahead of time. A company must know what they would do if an employee gets injured during a session. Someone could accidentally trip over the massage chair.
A massage could make a person’s existing injury worse due to the therapist being careless. It’s also possible the employee didn’t tell the therapist about their previous injury and more.
Insurance Coverage
These types of accidents are the reason massage therapists must have insurance. Should a worst-case scenario occur, there needs to be a plan in place on how it will be handled? It is essential to make certain a massage therapist has all the legally required professional insurance coverage prior to working on employees. It’s important for an HR manager or wellness director to know about a massage therapist’s professional insurance requirements.
Tracking A Massage Therapist’s Insurance Coverage
The activities associated with professional massage therapy is regulated by the state where the massage therapist is licensed. Each state has its individual insurance policy requirements concerning what a massage therapist must carry to practice massage therapy. It is common for the licensing as well as insurance requirements for this profession to change. Being aware of all the latest changes can be challenging.
Requirements
There are two different kinds of insurance a massage therapist should have to be completely protected. It is a good idea to compare massage insurance.
General Liability Insurance
This will cover a massage therapist if one of their clients experiences an injury in or around where they conduct business. If one of their clients accidentally falls and is injured, it is covered by general liability insurance. It covers accidents that do not involve the massage therapist’s work.
Professional Liability Insurance
This insurance coverage is designed to specifically cover the work of a massage therapist. Professional liability insurance must be carried by any medical or health professional if they provide any type of hands-on treatment on a client. It is often referred to as malpractice insurance. This is designed to protect a massage therapist from any accusations of low competence, negligence, and more.
Coverage
This insurance would cover any type of slip and fall injuries from faulty products like lotions, oils, blanket heaters and more. Massage therapy insurance will cover many costs such as:
- Legal Fees
- Medical Costs
- Property damage including decor, furnishings and more
- Punitive Damages
- Lost Income
Massage Company
It is recommended when a company is considering letting a massage therapist come to their office, they work with one that will put in writing they handle all their own liability issues. A larger massage company will be responsible for their worker’s certification, licensing as well as worker’s compensation and insurance coverage.
Depending on the regulations of the state where they operate, they also will take care of any health permit requirements. It is also possible a massage company could leave the insurance verification up to the company that hires them. This is when knowing what insurance requirements are necessary is important.
Once a Wellness Director or HR Manager is aware of the licensing as well as insurance requirements to practice massage therapy, they will know what to ask any potential massage therapist. It is important to be willing to verify this information. Doing this makes it possible to confirm important requirements are met. It is a good way to make certain employees are being handled by professionals and the company is protected from any potential liability.
Also Read- Yoga Insurance is Rising in Popularity as Instructors Seek Protection