What kind of professional liability insurance do you need?
Soooo many health coaches and holistic practitioners often reach out to me with questions around professional liability insurance. (Literally every week, without fail.)
In fact, a health coach just asked me these questions today.
I thought that you might like to know what I told the health coach in case you are wondering about insurance coverage too.
1. “What is professional liability insurance?”
Professional liability insurance is insurance that protects you for anything you say or do during the course of engaging in your profession.
Generally speaking, it’s insurance which covers you for the information and advice you give to your clients.
It covers you for activities directly related to you practicing your profession… so long as you’re in your scope of practice and not violating any other laws.
Professional liability insurance operates much like your car insurance or health insurance. If something happens and it’s covered under your policy, the insurance company pays the amount owed – not you.
If it’s not covered under your insurance policy, you’re responsible.
You pay an insurance premium for the policy every year and there’s often a deductible which you would pay (just like for your house and car).
2. “Do I really need to have insurance?”
Unlike licensed professionals – like doctors and nurses – who are legally required to have medical malpractice insurance for working with patients, there’s NO legal requirement for health coaches or holistic practitioners to have professional liability insurance.
However, I DO strongly recommend having professional liability insurance.
Especially if you’re just starting out and haven’t taken very many legal steps yet to protect yourself or limit your liability with clients.
Having professional liability insurance gives you peace of mind – and can help to cover your buns.
But it’s always up to YOU to decide what makes you feel most protected.
3. “What insurance company do you recommend?”
I can’t say enough good things about a well-respected company that I often recommend for many health coaches, fitness professionals, spiritual entrepreneurs and more.
I recommend Alternative Balance Insurance.
Alternative Balance offers liability insurance & business tools to health coaches/nutrition consultants, life coaches, yoga teachers, fitness instructors, Ayurvedic practitioners, beauty consultants, bodyworkers and sooooo many other holistic practitioners.
Find out more about Alternative Balance here.
4. “Okay, Lisa, but what KIND of policy do I need?”
As you’re looking at the Alternative Balance offerings on their website, be sure you’re getting a professional liability insurance policy that covers YOUR specific area of expertise.
If you’re a health coach, you’ll click on “Health Coach Insurance”.
If you’re a nutritionist, you’ll click on “Nutritionist Insurance”.
If you’re a personal trainer, you’ll click on “Personal Trainer Insurance”.
If you’re a Reiki practitioner, you’ll want “Reiki Insurance”
And so on.
If you have questions about exactly what type of policy is best for you, just reach out to their team here (tell them we sent you – they’re really helpful.)
On a personal note, I love Alternative Balance because I’ve met the owner myself. They’re an amazing company helping holistic practitioners with simple, solid policies which other companies just don’t provide.
I’m an affiliate now, but I recommended them frequently even before they had an official affiliate program.
(They’re so good to the peeps who love them, that they even send out gifts. Here’s me toting the tote bag they gave me before we headed out for our weekend getaway to Villa Hygge in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It’s a perfect overnight bag!)
If you need professional liability insurance, find out more about Alternative Balance here.
Have other questions about professional liability insurance or what legal documents you might need to protect yourself? We’re here to help.
Just comment below and send us your questions and we’ll get back to you.
Here’s to better understanding professional liability insurance so you can protect yourself and your biz!
If you purchase an Alternative Balance policy through the link above, please know that I’m an affiliate and will receive an affiliate fee. But please know that I wouldn’t recommend Alternative Balance if I didn’t fully believe in their services. I’ve been recommending them to soo many practitioners for the past several years!!
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