Successful Business Handbook

Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals

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the importance of insurance coverage at these places," she says. "I never thought I would have to use it." Now, having gone through this experience, Lundy advises other therapists to never work without insurance. "The fee is nothing for the peace of mind," she says. "It's essential, given today, with the way people sue over nothing." And even more so during desperate economic times. Though Lundy's client hadn't missed a day of work since the session in question and had previously been seeing a chiropractor for carpal tunnel syndrome, the case was settled for less than it would have taken to defend the suit in court. While disturbed by the claim, Lundy used the incident to reevaluate her business and how she approaches each new client. "The complaint came as a wakeup call for me," Lundy says. It prompted her to take another look at her intake process and spurred her to be more conscious of how often she checks in with clients while they're on the table. She reestablished some boundary issues that had been weakened with time and reinvested herself in her own business. Now her code of ethics hangs prominently in her office and she's saying no to the business relationships that don't complement her own business and ethics standards. It Can Happen to You Despite the best business ethics and hands-on practices, massage therapists and bodyworkers leave themselves open to financial disaster if they are not protected Questions to Ask About Your Policy • s this occurrence-form or I claims-made coverage? • s this a shared member I aggregate or are the aggregates per member, per year? •  hat does the policy provide? W Professional liability, general liability, product liability, or all of the above? • s there a charge for I adding additional insured endorsements (AIEs)? • oes it cover all the treatments D and therapies I provide? • What is not covered? • re defense costs included A in the policy aggregates or provided in addition to the aggregates? • hat other benefits W does the association or insurance provider offer? by professional liability insurance. "Even the most cautious and caring therapist has to understand that accidents can happen to anyone," says Katie Armitage, executive director at Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP). Kendra Henderson, owner of LA Body Points in Los Angeles, California, illustrates the point. She took her mobile massage business to a senior health fair last year to market her chair massage services to a new clientele. It was the end of a long day and only one client remained. The 88-year-old "Edelyne" waited on the massage chair while one of Henderson's therapists was sanitizing her hands. Suddenly, through the corner of her eye, Henderson saw the petite woman falling backward off the chair. While initially appearing unscathed, Edelyne eventually asked for an ambulance, which arrived in short order and whisked her away. Henderson remembers the sense of dread coupled with concern. Her nightmares repeated the image of the little, elderly woman toppling backward. The only relief Henderson felt was in remembering she was protected by her professional liability insurance. "Insurance is necessary," Henderson says adamantly. "Accidents happen in our field, or we can easily get blamed for something that may not have been our fault." She has a laundry list of examples from friends and colleagues who remind her every day of the potential risks out there, including the massage client who slipped in the

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