Virginia Massage Licensing, Education, and Insurance

All massage therapists who are going to work within the great state of Virginia must meet a number of standards before becoming such a therapist. One of these critical standards (that is not yet a state requirement), is making sure one has insurance for opening a licensed massage service.

Virginia massage liability insurance is best used to ensure one’s massage office is safe, run by an appropriate person who is responsible, and can be held liable if anything goes wrong in the process. The Virginia Board of Nursing requires massage professionals to have insurance, in addition to having 500+ hours of training at a certified massage school within Virginia.

The key reason to have massage practitioner insurance is that it will be used to protect the therapist from any legal damages that come about as a result of any lawsuits or malpractice cases. An insurance policy may have at least $1 million dollars in professional (malpractice) insurance coverage, although $2 million is the typical standard that most therapists use.

Along with malpractice/professional liability, most massage liability policies should have general liability and product liability coverage available. The terms and insurance coverage limits will vary by each individual insurance company.

One can get insurance through many different providers that provide coverage nationwide, like MMIP. This insurance is particularly important for those who want to open their own therapy offices, and those who want to make sure that they are trustworthy to all people. Insurance is often a sign that a person can be trusted, and that they will work as hard as possible to protect people when in the work space.

Massage liability insurance is needed to protect all MTs who work in Virginia. This insurance policy option will protect professional touch therapists and bodyworkers from the many risks that come with being a hands-on healthcare provider.

Virginia State Massage Therapy Resources

The following resources, including some employment statistics, are here to help you determine if being a massage therapist is the right career path for you:
Virginia massage employment statistics as of May, 2017:
Licensed Therapists: 2,860
Mean Hourly Wage: $19.70
Annual Mean Wage: $37,750
Source: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_va.htm

Education Requirements
Required Education Hours: 500 hours
Written or Practical Exam: Written Exam
Exam Administered: MBLEx
CEUs Required: 24 hours every 2 years
Renewal Fees: $70 every 2 years
Source: https://www.massagetherapylicense.org/state/virginia-massage-license.html

For additional information about massage therapy in Virginia, follow these links:
State massage information: Virginia Board of Massage
State employment stats: Bureau of Labor Statistics website

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