General liability insurance for therapists and counselors

Whether you run a dance therapy studio or a psychology clinic, your work involves daily risks that could lead to a lawsuit. A client could slip at your dance studio and land on his smartphone, or a patient could trip and break an arm because of a loose rug at your clinic.

General liability insurance protects your business by helping cover:

• Client injuries
• Client property damage
• Advertising injuries

If you run a small therapy or counseling business, you may be able to bundle general liability insurance with commercial property insurance in a business owner’s policy. A BOP costs less than purchasing each policy separately. Businesses that are eligible for a BOP usually:

• Have fewer than 100 employees
• Have a small office or workplace
• Make less than $1 million in annual revenue
• Operate in a low-risk industry
• Need less than 12 months of business interruption insurance

Talk to a licensed Insureon agent to find out if your practice qualifies for a BOP.

 If a client or delivery person slips and falls at your clinic, or a school counselor's office, there’s a chance you could be blamed for the injury. If the person sues, you could end up paying for medical expenses – plus the cost of hiring a lawyer. General liability insurance covers:

• Medical bills
• Attorney’s fees
• Court-ordered judgments
• Funeral expenses in fatal incidents

Note that this policy does not cover employee injuries. For that, you’ll need workers’ compensation insurance. It also does not cover injuries resulting from alleged malpractice. For that, you’ll want to take a look at professional liability insurance for counselors.

While interacting with clients, an art therapist, wellness counselor, or other therapy and counseling professional might have to handle their property. If an item is lost or damaged, your practice could be held responsible. General liability insurance can pay for:

• Repair of a damaged item
• Replacement of a destroyed or lost item
• Legal fees from a property damage lawsuit

While advertising your therapy or counseling business and its services, it’s possible to inadvertently copy a competitor’s slogan or logo. General liability insurance covers advertising injuries, including:

• Defamation, both libel (written) and slander (spoken)
• Copyright infringement

If you use promotional materials or social media to attract clients to your clinic, it’s important to secure this type of coverage.

While general liability insurance covers common business risks, it does not provide complete protection. Employee injuries or damage to your business property can occur at any clinic. Other important insurance policies for therapists and counselors to consider include:

Business owner’s policy (BOP): This policy bundles general liability insurance with commercial property insurance, typically at a lower rate than if the policies were purchased separately.

Professional liability insurance: Also called malpractice insurance for medical professionals, this policy can help cover legal expenses related to accusations of work errors or negligence.

Workers’ compensation insurance: Workers’ comp can cover medical costs for work-related injuries. State laws usually require this coverage for small businesses with employees.

Cyber liability insurance: This policy covers financial losses from data breaches and cyberattacks. It's recommended for any small business that stores personal information.

Commercial auto insurance: This policy covers the cost of accidents involving a vehicle owned by your therapy practice. Most states require this coverage for vehicles owned by a business.

Are you ready to safeguard your therapy clinic or counseling business with general liability insurance? Complete Insureon’s easy online application today. Once you find the right policy, you can begin coverage in less than 24 hours.