Why do reflexology businesses need insurance?
Treatment injury
Clients come to you for help with many issues, from stress and hormonal imbalances to sciatica. Due to this, you tailor your treatment depending on the presenting problem and can work on points along the feet, on the hands and even the ears. Versatility is your strength, but it also means there are several ways treatment can go wrong. After a series of sessions with a client, you receive a legal letterfiling a claim against you for a therapy injury. With our combined professional, treatment and public liability insurance, you could get financial support with the legal process and with compensation payments.
Unable to work
Your job is hands-on, so it’s important you’re in full physical health to relieve client stress and stimulate their energy pathways. However, during a midweek badminton session, you accidentally hit your dominant wrist on the net pole. After an X-Ray, it’s confirmed you’ve broken a bone, meaning your arm needs to go in plaster for several weeks. When your business is reflexology, insurance for personal accidents can help to alleviatefinancial pressure if you’re unable to work.
Cyber breach
The nature of your work means you need to maintain client records – and that applies if you’re a self-employed mobile therapist or if you have a permanent clinic. That comes with the huge responsibility of keeping sensitive information safe. When you’re targeted in a ransomware attack, your client data is put under threat.Hiscox cyber insurancecan help your reflexology business with the cost of recovery services so you can quickly bounce back and maintain your reputation.
What insurance is available for reflexologists?
Professional treatment liability insurance and public liability insurance can be helpful for reflexology practitioners. So, we have combined them into one product – professional, treatment and public liability insurance. Though we talk about them separately below, professional, treatment and public liability insurance is a combined cover with one combined limit. You can get public liability cover as a reflexologist by purchasing this combined cover. Contact us for more information.
Professional treatment liability insurance
The hands-on nature of reflexology means that, although you’re always careful to work the area corresponding to an ailment – whether it’s IBS or migraines – someone may say your reflexology caused them harm. Building professional, treatment and public liability insurance into a reflexology policy can help support you financially with claims of injury or illness as a result of your therapy.
Public liability insurance
Accidents can spring up out of the blue when you work with people. A loose waiting room carpet could cause a client to slip and sustain an injury, or the promotional a-board outside your building could blow over and harm someone’s property. With treatment and public liability cover, you could get help with legal costs and compensation if someone says they were injured or their property was damaged due to your business.
Employers’ liability insurance
Any reflexology practitioner that takes on staff, from a part-time receptionist to a full-time reflexologist, may require employers’ liability insurance – often legally required (external link) for businesses with employees. Someone might say they were forced to work in a damp environment and it caused respiratory ill-health, or a therapist could develop shoulder problems from providing reflexology. If a claim is filed against your business for damages – employers’ liability cover could step in to support with the cost of legal defence and settlement.
Other insurance products are available for reflexologists, too – personal accident cover may help the self-employed, as could portable equipment cover. A policy for your business premises and contents could prove helpful, as might cyber insurance and legal protection.
Insurance for reflexology: FAQs
What insurance do I need as a reflexologist?
A reflexologist may find the need to build several types of business cover into a policy – however, if you have staff, employers’ liability insurance is the only one that might be required by law.
Hiscox professional, treatment and public liability insurance combines elements of both professional treatment liability insurance and public and product liability insurance to specifically cater for your industry. This cover can step in to help with legal fees and compensation if someone says your treatment caused them harm or they experienced an accidental injury or property damage due to your business.
Useful policies for a self-employed reflexology professional also include personal accident insurance and portable equipment cover. Discover more about different types of business insurance with Hiscox.
Does reflexology insurance cover student reflexologists?
Our reflexology insurance covers student reflexologists as long as your therapy is performed under the supervision of a teacher.
A student reflexologist will also be covered unsupervised providing their competency has been assessed and confirmed by a teacher.
As soon as you become fully certified, Hiscox can work closely with you to amend your cover to meet with the specific needs and risks of your work as a newly qualified reflexologist.
Do I need qualification certificates to practice reflexology in the UK?
Reflexology is not currently a regulated therapy in the UK. However, in order to carry out therapies to the highest standard, you may have a need to undergo certain levels of training to obtain certificates.
It may be advised to have qualifications from the International Institute of Reflexology (IIR) and be a member of the Association of Reflexologists (MAR) to operate in this space. This will likely mean you’ve met extensive membership criteria and undertake regular training and shows potential clients you take their health seriously.
Related articles and guides
Building your client base as a complementary therapist
Is your reflexology business ready to take on new clients? Discover more about how to build your client base and help your business thrive.
How to become a wellness therapist
If you’re thinking of starting out as a reflexologist, but are not quite sure where to start, check out this Hiscox guide to becoming a wellness therapist.
Small business guide to cyber attacks
Protect your client data and your reputation by reading this small business guide to cyber attacks and learn how cybercrime could affect what you do.