As your business grows, you may find you take on employees, sub-contractors or associates to do work on your behalf or that of your business, alternatively you may choose to work collectively with others under the same business name. In either case, it is possible that clients may make a claim against the corporate name or business entity itself, rather than a specific therapist or individual. 

Balens have devised a bespoke Corporate Insurance Policy for our clients that provides cover for the Professional, Public and Products Liability associated with the treatment, therapies or practices that are provided by the business. This is commonly known as Clinic Insurance.

Where each therapist has their own individual Professional Liability Insurance, the level of cover required for the corporate name may be less, requiring a Contingent Clinic Policy only. However, where services are provided by the organisation – including for example advertising of therapies, taking money or bookings on behalf of therapists, then the organisation may be deemed to hold greater liability and a a full Clinic Policy may be a consideration.    

PLEASE NOTE – our Clinic and Contingent Clinic policies do not include Employers Liability Insurance. Please see our Contents and Equipment Policy for this cover.

Benefits of the Balens Clinics Policy:

The Balens Professional Liability and Malpractice Insurance Policy has been designed for Health, Well-Being, Fitness and Beauty Professionals / Therapists and Practitioners that provide advice, treatment, activities and / or therapies to members of the public. The policy has the following areas of cover:

  • £4m / £6m* Professional Liability Cover

    This covers your legal liability for any breach of your professional duty due to a negligent act, error or omission committed or alleged to have been committed. The limit of liability selected will apply to any one claim and will cover an unlimited number of claims per policy year.

  • £4m / £6m* Public Liability Cover

    This covers your legal liability for accidental injury to any third party and or their property through acts of negligence. The limit of liability selected will apply to any one claim and will cover an unlimited number of claims per policy year.

  • £4m / £6m* Products Liability Cover

    This cover your legal liability for accidental injury to any third party and / or their property through the use, sale and/or distribution of defective products. The limit of liability is for all claims during the year (aggregate) and covers an unlimited number of claims up to the limit of liability. This cover includes sale or distribution of products to your own clients connected with the therapies / activities that we insure. A turnover restriction of £30,000 for any one period of insurance applies for sales of products to clients where no treatment or advice has taken place. We have a separate Health Products Policy should your additional sales exceed £30,000.

    * Higher limits of indemnity are available upon request, please contact us for details

  • Retrospective Extension

    The Balens Policy has an extension for any claim that arises not only during the time that you are insured with us, but also for previous work performed. Provided there was an insurance policy in place at the time when the work was carried out, it does not have to be ours, in addition there is a requirement that such an event is first notified to you during the period of insurance and the previous insurance policy in force at the time of the event will not respond. Full details of any previous policy must be provided in the event of a claim.

  • Peace of Mind after you cease trading

    The Balens policy is on a claims occurring basis. A major benefit of this type of wording is that any work performed when the policy was in force will be covered now and at any point in the future. This is subject to the terms and conditions of the policy. There is no need to purchase additional run-off cover which would be required on a claims made wording, which can be quite costly.

  • Cover for Temporary work abroad (USA and Canada by referral)
  • Can include over 3,500 different therapies / activities within the one policy

    Many at no additional premium!  We are regularly reviewing and including new modalities or techniques.

  • Teaching covered as standard

    Including training and running workshops – Cover for you undertaking the above activities is provided under the standard individual therapists’ policies provided you are not issuing a certificate of competency. In cases where a certificate of competency is issued, we can offer a training extension that covers a turnover of up to £20,000 per annum and / or 40 students, including issuing of certification. A separate Training Schools policy is also available should your needs extend beyond these limits.

  • Cover for online work available

    Cover can be provided worldwide for online work upon referral

  • Pre-disciplinary hearings legal advice up to £1500

    Any one occurrence, to cover costs and expenses when preparing a response to allegations of unprofessional conduct or behaviour.

  • Significant Conditions and Exclusions

    It is important that you comply with the Conditions and note the Exclusions of cover. The below is only a summary of the principal terms and conditions of cover. Please refer to the policy document for full details.

  • Conditions
    • Record keeping – It is extremely important to note that the policy does require you to have undertaken and keep a record of all consultations and treatments provided. Full details of your obligations are shown in the policy wording.             
    • Claims notification – Condition that all incidents that may give rise to a claim must be notified to Balens Ltd.
    • Instruments – Requirement to ensure sterilisation of instruments used for touching or piercing of skin, dealing with fluid spillage and disposal of clinical waste.
    • Qualification – You should be suitably qualified for the treatments / advice / therapies that you provide and evidence of such should be provided, when cover is arranged or when a claim occurs.
    • Treatment by beauty therapists, cosmetologists and hairdressers – There are a number of conditions, including regarding patch tests, use of impermeable membranes where spillages may cause staining for the client, after care treatment advice and training / qualification requirements for certain treatments. Please see the policy wording for full details.
  • Exclusions
    • Employers Liability Insurance.
    • Criminal acts.
    • Treatment / advice on any person under the age of 16 unless parental consent is obtained. Certain treatments do have an exclusion for under 18’s and details will be clear on any quotation / policy document provided to you.
    • Any fines, penalties or liquidated / punitive damages as a result of a contract, agreement or legal requirement.

Optional Additional Cover

  • £250,000 Commercial Legal Expenses

    Covers legal costs, awards and expenses in the event of claims being brought by employees and others related to legal issues. Any Business can incur expenses and be vulnerable under the bewildering amount of laws governing the operation of a Business. Our Legal Expenses Policy offers a wide range of support, information and cover for a range of legally related issues that can arise in the day to day running of your business. 

    • £250,000 legal costs and expenses including solicitors’ and barristers’ fees, court costs, expenses for expert witnesses, and accountants’ fees. It will also pay the costs of appealing or defending an appeal.
    • £1m Employment compensation and employment disputes cover – maximum payable in any one period of insurance.
    • Pre-Disciplinary and Disciplinary Hearings Cover.
    • Contracts Disputes Cover.
    • Property Protection and Personal Injury.
    • Taxation Protection.
    • Help lines for – Legal advice, taxation advice, counselling services, employment manual and disputes law.

    We have access to a range of other stand-alone Commercial Legal packages if the above additional policy option is not suitable for your requirements.

All policies are subject to Terms and Conditions.

Please contact us to get a personalised quote for your practice:

Commercial Department commercial@balens.co.uk 01684 580 776

Other policies services which may be useful:

Balens have a range of additional policies that you may wish to consider as part of your insurance portfolio.

  • Contents, Equipment & Employers Liability Insurance – Balens have devised a range of contents package options to cover contents stock and equipment which you own and / or are responsible for.  Employers Liability is included as standard, plus you have the option to add additional sections of cover such as Business Interruption, Buildings Insurance, Products Liability and Terrorism. Please also see our Article – Risk Management for Salon Owners.  
  • Charities and Not-for-Profit Organisations - Are you a community Band or similar? Do you have volunteers or Trustees? Balens have a range of options to meet the insurance requirements for this business sector.   
  • Cyber / Crime Insurance – Your business may be at risk if you use any form of internet-based technology within your business or for the storage of data. Cyber / Crime insurance is designed to protect businesses and individual users from these risks, including such elements as theft of funds, loss of data, online fraud, transmission of a virus.
  • Directors and Officers Insurance – Offers financial protection for Directors, Officers or Partners of a company who require cover for personal liability, for errors or omissions they may make in the performance of their professional duties.
  • Health Products Insurance Package – Balens have devised a package policy for Health, Well-Being, Fitness and Beauty Professionals that may be involved in the manufacture, sale and / or distribution of related products.  
  • Personal Accident and/or Sickness policies – This cover may be of particular importance for those that are self-employed and have no alternative income. Balens have devised and arranged a policy designed to pay out either a lump sum or a weekly benefit (if selected) in the event of an accident, bodily injury to you and / or illness depending upon the type of policy chosen. Please also see our Article – Personal Accident and Sickness Cover. 
  • Training School Insurance – If you hold a Professional teaching qualification and are a qualified Health, Well-Being, Fitness or Beauty Practitioner who wants to train and certify others, Balens offer a Teaching School Insurance for an unlimited number of students.

    If you are looking to offer training which issues certificates of attendance only, this is automatically included in our Balens Professional Indemnity policy with no limits and for no additional premium.  If you are issuing certificates of competence, a Training School extension can be added to your Professional Liability policy for an additional premium (limits apply). Please also see our Article – Do You Treat & Teach or Do You Need A Training School Policy?
  • Household Insurance – Please contact us to find out more about how we can assist you with protecting your buildings, contents and / or personal possessions. Also see our Article – Home Insurance for more information.