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Good to know: We’re based in Manitoba, so in this post, we sometimes speak directly to Manitoba RMTs. But this information applies to massage therapists all across Canada!
As much rest and relaxation massage therapists offer to others, being a massage therapist itself can be stressful! Especially when you’re trying to figure out all aspects of your business—including insurance—by yourself. This can lead you to feel lost and wonder, what insurance do massage therapists even need in Manitoba?
Don’t worry–we’re here to help!
Professional Liability Insurance for Massage Therapists (also known as Massage Malpractice insurance) as well as Commercial General Liability Insurance (business insurance) are required for all practicing RMTs in Manitoba and across Canada. But unless you’re employed by a spa or clinic, you’ll have to acquire that coverage yourself. And if you haven’t done that before, it can feel overwhelming.
So in this post, we’ll walk you through it from start to finish. First, we’ll dive into the most common insurance claims made against RMTs, then explain the types of insurance you need to protect yourself against them. Then, we’ll answer the most commonly asked questions massage therapists ask us about insurance. And show you what your next steps should be.
Prefer to skip the reading and speak to an Insurance Consultant one-on-one? Reach out to us.
As a registered massage therapist and a business owner, you shoulder all the professional responsibility and pressure that comes with serving clients and running a business. And part of that responsibility and pressure comes from making sure that you understand the ins and outs of professional insurance—and have the coverage you need to keep you and your clients safe.
Even in Canada, where suing is less common, patients do file insurance-related claims against healthcare providers. The most common insurance-related allegations against massage therapists are:
If a patient of yours were to file a claim like this against you, your personal and professional finances could take a serious hit. Legal fees, license suspensions, the inability to work for a period of time could all impact your ability to pay your bills and earn an income.
The proper insurance is crucial because even though you may have the best of intentions, things happen and can go wrong quickly. Below we’ve outlined three types of insurance massage therapists in Manitoba and across Canada should never find themselves without.
Just like other health professionals in Canada, as a registered massage therapist, you are legally required to obtain and maintain professional and general liability insurance coverage. This requirement protects both you (the professional) and your patients (the public) by covering any and all treatments provided by you, to your clients.
A Professional liability insurance Policy is a recommendation and often a requirement for most businesses. It exists to protect your practice and employees in the relatively common event that a slip-up, an error, or an omission that needs to be settled in court is covered—whether you’re at fault or not. Professional liability insurance will help cover you if a non-proper consent, false claim, or misuse of registration number claim is ever filed.
In health care, proper billing is crucial. And although most errors are genuine mistakes that can be remedied, sadly, there are those who intentionally abuse the system. According to the Canadian Massage Therapy Alliance (CMTA), this type of medical fraud is an unfortunate occurrence that can and does negatively affect the massage therapy profession.
The CMTA explains that medical fraud can include things like:
even though your practice is good and clean, having the proper policies, procedures, and insurance and place can help to protect you and your reputation in case anything is ever called into question.
The Massage Therapy Association of Manitoba (MTAM) explains on their website that massage therapists are considered trustees under the Personal Health Information Act (PHIA), a piece of legislation that applies to all Manitobans who collect, maintain, and have access to personal health information.
Among other things, PHIA dictates that:
As a trusted health care professional, it’s your responsibility to safely and responsibly collect, secure, and protect the personal and health information of your clients and patients. If you’re found guilty of an offense under PHIA as a massage therapist, you could be fined up to $50,000. If your breach is prosecuted, it could result in disciplinary action for you, too.
Liability insurance can help you cover the costs of things like legal fees and payouts in the event that a breach of information exposes you to prosecution or fines like these.
We recommend that, at a minimum, massage therapist insurance in Manitoba and across Canada should include these 3 types of coverage:
In addition to what you must have (the bare minimum), we recommend you consider getting additional coverage from Business Interruption Insurance (also known as business income insurance)Â as well. This will help you cover costs related to having to temporarily close your business due to unforeseen situations like natural disasters, pandemics, and more.
RMTs in Manitoba and Canada can typically obtain some insurance coverage through their provincial governing bodies, but don’t assume that coverage is enough. It’s often not the right coverage or it’s not enough coverage. We recommend that you speak to a licensed Insurance Consultant to make sure the coverage you have is the coverage you need—and get help filling any gaps that get identified.
Insurance coverage for massage therapists varies quite a lot. So depending on how much coverage you need and the scope and size of your business, your costs can vary, too.
That said, as a ballpark, you should expect your massage therapy insurance coverage to cost you between $700 and $3,000 CAD per year—or $60 to $250 per month. (Again, depending on your business model and the services you provide.)
Rapid-fire answers to your FAQs about clients, clinics, and small business for RMTs!
Yes! Waivers are not always enforceable in a court of law, so you will still need insurance.
If you’re hired as an employee then yes, the company insurance policy will insure you. However, if you rent a room or space or work as an independent contractor, then you’ll be required to carry your own coverage.
It depends on whether or not your staff are considered employees or contractors. If they’re employees, your insurance covers them. If they’re contractors, they need their own insurance.
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Related: Insurance For Your Small Business
Yes! Professional Liability Insurance, also known as Massage Malpractice Insurance is required for all practicing RMTs. It helps cover you and your business in the case where a slip-up or mistake is made.
Yes, all the same circumstances apply whether you’re working for a business or independently, from home or outside the house.
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Want our help securing the professional liability insurance your massage therapy practice needs? Click the link below and request a custom quote!
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We are committed to the communities where we live and work, and we demonstrate our commitment by taking part in sponsorship and volunteer programs.
Winnipeg Insurance Brokers Ltd. Unit 106-2565 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3J 0P4
Winnipeg Insurance Brokers Ltd. serves our clients and operates on Treaty One land; homeland of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Oji-Cree, Ojibway, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of the Red River Metis. Our drinking water comes from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, in Treaty Three territory. We respect the treaties, the land, and the water that sustain us.