Insurance: What your policy needs to cover
Before you can start taking bookings, you’ll need public liability insurance that matches the treatments you offer. This helps protect you, your clients and their property.
Key things your insurance must include:
- Your full name and in-date policy
- Minimum cover of £1 million
- Accidental damage and injury (public liability)
- Malpractice (also called Treatment Risk or Professional Indemnity) – required for most services except beauty
You can see a full list of requirements per treatment type in the table below:
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For a screen-readable version, click here
What to check on your policy:
- Massage and beauty: General cover for massage or beauty is fine for most treatments
- Specialist treatments (e.g. pregnancy massage, lymphatic drainage, osteopathy, physio etc): The specific treatment must be listed
- Beauty: You don’t need treatments listed individually — general beauty cover is fine
Keeping yourself protected
To stay covered and avoid rejected claims, follow these best practices:
1. Complete consultation forms
Always take clear notes — record health conditions, medications, patch tests and any feedback from the session. Every note helps in case of a future claim.
2. Protect your client’s space and furniture
- For beauty and massage treatments, use drip trays, covers or protective sheets under oils and beauty products
- Avoid placing anything directly on rugs, fabrics or wooden surfaces
3. Provide a follow-up recommendation
After their treatment, you can send your client a follow-up recommendation. This includes any advice you have for them, and when they should book their next treatment.
It’s a nice personal touch and increases the chance of your client re-booking with you.
What to do if there’s an issue
Damage to a client’s property:
- Take photos
- Let us know if the client mentions a claim
If a client makes a claim:
- Contact your insurer straight away
- Reach out to us – we’ll support you through the process
Don’t have insurance yet?
No stress — you don’t need it to start your application. We’ll only need your policy once you're accepted. If you need help choosing one, we can recommend trusted providers.