Insurance options: I’ve got Professional Indemnity, what else do I need to consider?

Using your home for your practice

Many self‑employed therapists choose to work from a room in their own home. If you do this, it is important to:

• Tell your home insurer that you are running a business from the property; and
• Check whether business use and visiting clients are covered.

Some household policies exclude business activities or only provide very limited cover, so your insurer needs to be aware of how you are using the property.

Buildings insurance

Buildings insurance covers the structure of your premises, for example walls, roofs, built‑in fixtures and fittings, against insured events such as fire, storm or flood. If you own the property you work from, you are usually responsible for arranging this cover. If you rent, the landlord will often insure the building, but it is still important to check exactly what is included and whether you have any responsibilities under your lease for damage to the premises.

Contents and equipment

Over time, it is easy for the value of your contents, stock and equipment to creep up without being reflected in your policy.

To help avoid underinsurance:

• Review your sums insured at least once a year.
• Include all items you rely on for work, such as couches, computers, specialist equipment and stock.
  Think in terms of the full replacement cost; what it would cost to buy the items new today, not what you originally paid.
• If your property is underinsured, any claim payment may be reduced, even for partial losses.

Tenant’s improvements and decorations

If you rent a room or premises, you may still be responsible for certain fixtures, fittings or improvements like:

• Flooring or treatment room sinks
• Built‑in cupboards, counters or partitions
• Redecoration you have paid for

These are often called tenant’s improvements and are usually not covered by your landlord’s policy, so you may need to insure them under your own business or contents insurance. 

Also check that your contents sum insured includes any items you are responsible for under your tenancy or licence agreement.

Portable equipment and stock - All Risks cover

If you visit clients at their homes or other venues, your Professional Indemnity Insurance will not typically cover any equipment or stock you take with you. So, to protect these items away from your base, you might want to consider an All-Risks policy or extension.

Protecting your income - personal accident and illness

As a self‑employed therapist, a period of accident or illness can quickly affect your income and your ability to meet regular outgoings.

There are a range of policies in the market that may help, including:

• Business expenses cover
• Long‑term disability insurance
• Critical illness cover
• Shorter‑term personal accident and/or illness cover

Each type of policy works differently and may have important exclusions, waiting periods and benefit limits. The right option depends on your circumstances, financial commitments and budget, so it is important to seek advice if you are unsure.

Employing people: Employers’ liability and pensions

As your practice grows, you might decide to employ someone to help, for example a receptionist or another therapist.

If you employ staff in the UK, you will usually need:

• Employers’ Liability Insurance is a legal requirement for most employers and commonly also applies to volunteers and work‑experience students. (It doesn’t normally apply to genuine subcontractors or self‑employed individuals working in their own right.)
• To comply with workplace pension auto‑enrolment rules. Since 2012, UK employers, including anyone with only one employee, have been required to automatically enrol eligible staff into a qualifying pension scheme and to pay minimum contributions.

If you already employ, or plan to employ, staff, it is important to understand your obligations and ensure any required cover is in place.

Working in a multi‑therapy clinic

It’s common for therapists from the same or different disciplines to share premises in a multi‑therapy clinic. Often, each therapist:

• Is self‑employed; and
• Arranges their own Professional Indemnity Insurance.

In these situations, the clinic or business entity itself may still face potential liability exposures. For example, questions can arise around:

• How appointments are made and who is presented as providing the service
• Whether staff such as receptionists are working for the clinic, individual therapists, or both
• How clients are informed about therapists’ self‑employed status

In some cases, Contingent or Clinic Indemnity Insurance could be appropriate to help protect your business as a whole. The detail can be complex, so if you aren’t sure, it’s useful to seek guidance from a specialist insurance broker.

Balens can provide further information on options for multi‑therapy environments and the practical steps that may help manage risk.

N.B. This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice or a recommendation. Cover is always subject to the specific terms, conditions, limits and exclusions of the policy. If you are unsure what protection you need, please speak to the Balens team.

FP26177 June 2026