Massage therapists insurance

Specialist insurance for massage therapists of all styles from £5 a month*

  • Fast, easy online quote in 90 seconds

  • Interest free direct debit

  • No hidden fees or cancellation charges

Our specialist massage therapist insurance offers tailored cover against a multitude of risks facing massage professionals.

With over 25 years experience offering cover to professionals, we have unrivalled knowledge of liability insurance for massage therapists.

Why do massage therapists need insurance?

No matter how experienced or reliable you are, accidents can occur. An allegation of injury caused by a massage, a client slipping during a visit to your premises or accidental damage caused to a treatment table could have a severe impact on your business.

Our specialist insurance for massage professionals can protect you against these scenarios and many more, providing you with the peace of mind that if something goes wrong, you'll be covered.

If you’re a member of a professional association such as The National Association of Massage and Manipulative Therapy (NAMMT) you may be required to hold massage therapist liability insurance, including professional indemnity insurance. You can tailor your massage liability insurance from Markel Direct online to meet the requirements of your association.

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What does massage therapist insurance cover?

Massage therapist insurance can protect you against a wide range of unexpected scenarios that could see legal action brought against you. Examples include:

  • An accusation that the massage therapy has not provided the expected benefits (professional indemnity insurance)
  • An allegation of injury caused by a massage (massage public liability insurance)
  • A client tripping over a cable at your premises (massage public liability insurance)
  • Accidental damage caused to an expensive treatment table (property damage insurance)

We cover a wide range of massage styles, including sports massage, swedish massage, thai massage and more, and cover can be tailored to your individual needs.

Unsure of what cover you need? Our easy online form asks a few simple questions and offers different types of insurance for you to consider. You can choose to buy all the covers quoted or just some of them. This means you'll only pay for the insurance you want and not unnecessary extras.

Read our guide on how massage therapists can prevent claims.

How much does massage therapist insurance cost?

Massage insurance from Markel Direct starts at £5 per month.

The cost of massage therapist insurance will depend on factors like:

  • The size of your business
  • The number of insurance covers you choose to take out
  • The type of massage(s) you provide

If you choose to insure with us, you can spread the cost of your policy over 10 interest free monthly payments. Once your insurance has been set up, you'll receive an instant proof of cover, meaning you can start work straight away.

If your circumstances change and you wish to cancel a policy with us, there are no hidden or cancellations fees.

Get a quote now

How to buy massage therapists insurance

You can get a quote and buy massage therapists insurance in minutes using our simple online quote system.

We’ll ask you a few easy questions about your business activities and offer you covers that may be of interest - allowing you to build your own policy including only the cover you want.

Once you’ve purchased insurance, you'll receive proof of cover, meaning you are instantly protected.

Get an online quote in 90 seconds now.

 *Price based on a deep tissue massage therapist requiring £25,000 of directors and officers insurance.

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Cover starting at £5 a month

Insurance covers for massage therapists

  • Public liability and professional indemnity (professional malpractice) insurance for masseuses and masseurs

    Public liability and professional indemnity insurance (also known as professional malpractice insurance) offers comprehensive protection against the cost of defending your business against allegations of professional negligence (such as providing poor treatment to a client) and if unsuccessful, the cost of damages awarded against you.

    In addition, it covers the cost of defending your business (including damages awarded against you if unsuccessful) if someone is injured, or their property damaged, which arises from you going about your business. Examples of claims include:

    • A client alleges that a full body massage has caused damage to their back and they are unable to work for several weeks as a result. They take legal action against you to recoup their loss.
    • A client suffers an allergic reaction to an oil you use during the massage and are hospitalised as a result. They take legal action against you, seeking compensation for their injury.

    As all massage therapists are in physical contact with their clients, this cover is generally considered vital protection against claims. Limits are available from £1m to £5m.

  • Employer's liability insurance

    Employer’s liability insurance covers your therapy business against claims for injury or illness suffered by employees arising from their employment.

    An example of a claim would be:

    • An employee slips on a spillage in a treatment room and injures themselves. They are unable to work as a result and take legal action against you for the injury suffered.

    If you have any employees, even on a part time basis, you are required to have a minimum of £5m worth of employer's liability insurance cover by law. Our policy provides £10m as standard.

  • Legal expenses insurance

    Legal expenses insurance covers the costs of defending you as a director or officer of your company against allegations of wrongful acts and any damages subsequently awarded against you. Cover is also provided for the legal costs and expenses of defending actions for disqualification as a director, investigations and extradition proceedings. Limits range from £100,000 to £5m.

  • Directors and officers insurance

    Directors and officers insurance covers the costs of defending you as a director or officer of your company against allegations of wrongful acts and any damages subsequently awarded against you. Limits range from £100,000 to £5m.

  • Portable equipment and office insurance

    Portable equipment insurance covers laptops, mobile phones and portable equipment you use for treatment against accidental damage (including theft) anywhere in the world. If you have your own premises, office insurance covers your office buildings, office contents and computer equipment against accidental damage (including theft) whilst on your business premises.

  • Occupational personal accident

    Occupational personal accident insurance provides a weekly payment if you are unable to work due to temporary total disablement (subject to a 14 day deferment period).

    In the event of loss of limbs, sight, speech, hearing, permanent total disablement or death, a lump sum would be paid out.

    If you work as a complementary therapist and would struggle to maintain an income if you were unable to work following an occupational accident, you should give consideration to this cover.

  • Cyber and data risks insurance

    Cyber and data risks insurance pays the costs of restoring data and equipment, informing clients, meeting ransom demands and loss of your net profit following a cyber attack. It also pays your legal defence costs and damages you are legally liable to pay to other parties. If you hold confidential information about your clients on computers and other internet connected devices (including the therapies and treatments you provide to them), you should give consideration to this cover.

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Frequently asked questions

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Cover starting at £5 a month

Frequently asked questions

  • What's the difference between professional indemnity and public liability?

    Professional indemnity insurance covers against allegations of professional negligence - which means it would cover you if you were to make an error or mistake in a piece of work (such as a project or report) for a client.

    Public liability insurance covers against allegations of injury or illness caused to third parties by your negligence. This includes many of the slips, trips and falls that are associated with personal injury claims. In addition, public liability insurance covers against damage to third party property - for example, if you were to damage a client-owned laptop or smartphone.

    As they insure against different scenarios, it's important you consider arranging both types of cover to ensure you are properly protected.

  • I teach lessons at different venues - is this covered?

    Yes. Regardless of where you teach - for example, at dance studios, village halls and gyms - you'll be covered under our policy.

  • I teach different types of dance - is this covered?

    Yes. We don't restrict the types of dance you teach so if, for example, you teach ballroom to some clients and salsa to others, you'll be covered by our policy.

  • Does the policy cover performances or shows?

    Yes - we are able to cover performances (such as end of term shows or performances for the community) provided there are less than 500 attendees. However, we are unable to provide cover for dance competitions.

  • What limit of cover should I choose?

    Many clients and industry bodies with regulatory requirements will require you to have a minimum level of cover for you to undertake a contract, so it's worth checking this before you arrange cover. If you're unsure, give some thought to a worst-case scenario and the likely costs involved in putting your mistake right. We offer a range of limits on insurance, so you're sure to find the right cover for your business.

  • Why should I choose Markel’s insurance?

    Markel has over 25 years of experience insuring contractors, consultants and self-employed professionals. We insure over 200,000 micro businesses and are highly rated by our customers at Feefo.com.

    We are a division of Markel International, a Lloyd’s and London market insurer that wrote gross premium totals of £2.4bn in 2023

    To talk about your insurance requirements and better understand our cover, call us on 0800 640 6600 or get a quick quote online.

  • How are Markel Direct regulated?

    Markel International Insurance Company Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Find out more on the Financial Services Register.

Access to unique services for your massage business - at no additional cost

Insuring with Markel means you enjoy access to unique services for your massage business - included as standard with certain covers.

24 hour legal helpline  24 hour legal advice helpline

When you insure with Markel, you'll benefit from 24/7 telephone access to a qualified solicitor at no additional cost. Expert legal advice can be costly when you're working for yourself and it's difficult to know who to turn to for a trustworthy answer. Whether it's a question on health and safety, employment law, legal structures for your business or how to handle a difficult client, an experienced team of solicitors are on hand day and night to help you with any business-related legal queries. Included as standard with all policies.

Legal hub access Markel Business Hub access

In addition to our 24 hour legal helpline, you'll have access to the Markel Business Hub - an award winning online resource of legal and business guides, templates and content written and created by our team of expert solicitors. Instantly download ready-made contracts, policies, procedures and guidance you can use for your business - without paying any expensive legal fees. Included as standard with all policies.

  Fee dispute service

As every self-employed therapist knows, customers don't always pay on time and chasing unpaid fees/invoices costs time and money. Mindful of the impact this has on your business, we offer our policyholders access to a unique fee dispute helpline operated by one of the UK's leading law firms, who will provide specialist legal guidance and support on fee dispute issues. Included as standard with public liability and professional indemnity insurance.

  Public relations crisis management service

In today's 24 hour news culture, public relations disasters can occur at any time. Having to deal with the press whilst managing a difficult situation can be hugely stressful as well as being a potential minefield. When there is a risk to your business as a result of negative press attention, our specialist public relations crisis management firm, The Counsel House, will work with you to help manage allegations of fraud, injury caused to employees or the public, and official investigations into your company's affairs. Included as standard with public liability and professional indemnity insurance, directors and officers insurance, cyber and data risks insurance and legal representation and employment disputes insurance.

Cover starting at £5 a month

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