Illinois Massage Liability Insurance Guidelines

As a professional massage practitioner, it is important that you have adequate insurance to protect you and your practice. A quality insurance policy will include comprehensive coverage that provides full financial protection against common liability scenarios.

Before you can apply for massage therapy insurance, you will need to be a licensed massage therapist. In Illinois, to qualify for licensing you must have completed 500 hours of training at an approved school, be at least 18 years old, and have passed the national certificate exam. You will also need to submit a fingerprint check through the state police.

Once you have met these criteria and are fully registered, you can then apply for insurance. Here are the three types of insurance that your policy needs to have in order to provide real protection for your practice:

#1 Malpractice or Professional Liability Insurance

Your policy should include malpractice or professional insurance coverage. This will cover you in the case that your client is hurt or damaged in some way as a result of fault of your skill or incompetence. Unfortunately, malpractice suits are a common hazard in the medical profession. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, each year, 1 in every 14 medical professionals finds themselves in a malpractice suit. As a consequence, it is crucial that you are adequately covered against this scenario.

#2 Product Insurance

Product insurance coverage is aimed at dealing with claims about damage caused as the result of a product used in the massage. For example, if a client had an adverse reaction to a massage oil you used, then this would be covered by the product liability portion of your insurance.

#3 General Liability Protection

General liability coverage is important for covering you in the case of your clients damaging themselves while on your premises. That might include them slipping in the corridor of your offices or falling off the table. Essentially any injury that is unrelated to the work that you actually perform is covered by your general liability protection.

Once you have found a policy which provides these three types of insurance, you will need to evaluate its other elements. Check how much you are covered for in these areas and compare it against the cost of the policy. Don’t forget to also check for any additional benefits, such as insurance against theft of your equipment. By evaluating these criteria, you can be certain you select the best insurance coverage for you and your massage practice.

Illinois Massage Liability Insurance Guidelines

The following are state resources, including some Illinois employment statistics, to help you determine if being a massage therapist is right for you:
Illinois massage employment statistics as of May, 2017:
Licensed Therapists: 9,063
Mean Hourly Wage: $21.86
Annual Mean Wage: $45,460
Source: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_il.htm

Education Requirements
Required Education Hours: 600 hours
Written or Practical Exam: Written Exam
Exam Administered: MBLEx
CEUs Required: 24 hours every 2 years
Source: https://www.massagetherapylicense.org/state/illinois-massage-license.html

For additional information about massage therapy in Illinois, follow these links:
State massage information: https://www.idfpr.com/profs/massagetherapy.asp
State employment stats: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_il.htm

Compare Illinois massage therapist employment statistics to other states:
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes319011.htm