Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/68009
UsE A Tool In yoUR PRAcTIcE oR offER hoT sTonE mAssAgE? somE COMPANIES EXCLUDE THE USE OF ANY IMPLEMENT OTHER THAN THE THERAPIST'S HANDS. CHECK WITH YOUR PROVIDER TO SEE WHAT EXCLUSIONS APPLY TO YOU. run out (two years after the incident in most states). So, for example, if your insurance was effective in July 2007, but you let it lapse a year later, went out of business, or changed insurance providers, you would still be covered for any incidents occurring in July 2007 with an occurrence policy. If, however, you had a claims-made policy, you would not be covered in this example. Claims-made policies require that claims be made while the policy is still in effect. If your claims-made policy expired, and someone filed a claim against you, you would have no coverage, even though you were insured at the time of the When shopping for insurance, know what aggregate means. This is typically defined as the total coverage limits allowed under your policy. Some insureds share their policy limits with other members, effectively reducing the policy's total limits. Armitage says ABMP has the highest aggregate coverages available—$3 million for professional liability, $3 million for general liability, and $3 million for product liability. This coverage is per member, per year, not a shared total like other associations offer. Massage therapists would also be wise to consider business personal property insurance, which protects Do the Math Oftentimes insurance providers will offer a bare- bones policy for massage therapists. Make sure you've researched all the additional fees that may apply to the policy and make an apples-to-apples decision. Factor in the costs of adding an additional insured, a general liability provision, or coverage for an excluded modality. incident. Claims-made policies are less expensive, but under the adage of you get what you pay for, they also provide considerably less coverage. General liability is another important piece of your insurance portfolio and is often included as part of your professional liability coverage. Make sure it is. Whereas professional liability covers the work you do, general liability covers the "slip and fall" scenarios. Armitage says ABMP, for example, offers the profession's best value in liability coverage, including professional liability, general liability, and product liability (in the event clients have an adverse reaction to any of the products you use on them). Many policies offered for massage therapists may have one, but not all of these important pieces. for loss of business equipment as the result of fire, theft, flooding, etc. While these are all crucial things to watch for when researching insurance options, Armitage says don't forget the smaller details. Does the company charge for additional insured endorsements (AIEs), which are often required by your landlord or employer? Many do. Is there legal defense coverage for covered losses? Does the provider cover all the kinds of modalities you utilize? For example, because of the risk of burning clients with over-warmed stones, hot stone massage is excluded from many professional liability policies. Are all your therapies covered? A SAFETY NET Massage therapy students are some of the first to inquire about the necessity of having professional liability insurance. Armitage says liability insurance protects students from incidents or claims that may occur as a result of their massage program. Do you work in your school's student clinic as part of your massage education or participate in school- sponsored massage events? Then you are likely liable if someone is harmed during the course of those events and names you as a responsible party. The school's insurance would most likely cover only the school and its assets from such claims, not individual students. Armitage says ABMP has seen claims in this category reach upward of $500,000. Check with your school to see if you're protected. Therapists who work for an employer make up another category often unsure of their liability protection. "Many employers mistakenly think that their employees and contractors are covered by their business policy, when, in fact, the policy does not provide for employees' individual coverage. And if you are covered under an employer's policy, you may not have access to their legal defense provision." Employer's policies will only apply to services performed on their premises and won't provide coverage anywhere else. Armitage says it's a good idea for therapists to maintain their own professional liability insurance to be assured they are fully covered. Nobody plans on having disaster strike, but things happen. Building a safety net for those unforeseeable times is a sound business practice. Take a look at your business insurance protection and see if the net you've built will keep you safe for if, and when, you fall. Massage & Bodywork magazine. Contact her at karrie@abmp.com Karrie Osborn is contributing editor for visit massageandbodywork.com to access your digital magazine 55