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Your Professional Indemnity Insurance

If you provide Remedial or Sports Massage for an elite athlete, are you covered for insurance?
SMTO members insured through Balens should be aware of recent clarification from the insurer regarding work with professional and elite sportspersons. While most therapists’ existing policies remain suitable, those who work directly with or actively target elite athletes may require an extension to their cover. If you occasionally or unknowingly treat sports professionals, no action is needed. However, if you hold a contract or actively market your services to elite sportspersons (as defined by Balens), you must inform them so they can assess and extend your policy appropriately.
This update ensures that members remain fully protected when working within high-performance sport environments. The extension includes clear professional standards such as SMTO membership, appropriate qualification levels, medical screening, referral procedures, and written contraindications. Details of what information Balens will need, and how the additional premium is calculated, are outlined below.

Who counts as an “elite professional sportsperson”?

A professional of any nationality currently, or within the last 18 months, engaged as a:

  • Cricketer:
    • Part of or contracted to any national or international team anywhere in the world; or
    • Employed by or otherwise contracted to any club or team in the Indian Premier League or equivalent franchise.
  • Cyclist:
    • Part of or contracted to any UCI WorldTeam or UCI ProTeam.
  • Footballer:
    • Part of or contracted to any national or international team anywhere in the world; or
    • Employed by or otherwise contracted to any club or team:
      • In the English Premiership or Championship;
      • In the Scottish Premier League;
      • In the top two tiers of any other professional football league worldwide;
      • On loan to a club in a lower league from any of the above.
  • Golfer:
    • Part of the PGA Tour or LIV Tour.
  • Motor racing driver:
    • Part of any Formula 1 racing team anywhere in the world.
  • Rugby union or rugby league player:
    • Part of or contracted to any national or international team anywhere in the world; or
    • Employed by or otherwise contracted to any club or team:
      • In the English Premiership or Super League;
      • In the top tier of any other professional rugby union or rugby league worldwide;
      • On loan to a lower‑league club from any of the above.
  • Tennis player:
    • Part of any international team participating in the Davis Cup, Billie Jean King Cup, or Hopman Cup; or
    • Part of the ATP Tour or the WTA Tour.

When you should notify Balens:

You need to inform Balens if either of the following applies:

  • You are contracted for work with elite sportspersons; or
  • You are actively market, promote or target elite sportspersons.

If this applies, please share the details listed below so we can assess and extend your cover.

Policy extension

If you are working with elite professional sportspersons, we can look to extend your policy with the following endorsement:

Soft tissue massage and sports therapy

It is a condition precedent to the insurer’s liability under Section I Professional Liability and Section II Public Liability that when soft tissue massage or sports therapy is knowingly provided to an Elite professional sportsperson, the insured must:

    1. Hold a current active membership of the relevant professional body (SMTO); and
    2. Hold a qualification that meets the [we need to add the level of qualification and updated insurers of the criteria]
    3. Complete a medical questionnaire meeting best practice and minimum standards of the relevant professional body; and
    4. Have a documented referral process to a medical professional for potential serious medical conditions or where there is any doubt about suitability for treatment; and
    5. Provide written contraindications for the treatment to all clients

Information Balens need (for regular work with elite sportspersons)

  • What sports professionals are you working with?
  • What activities do you practise with them?
  • What level of qualifications do you hold?
  • What percentage of your work is with sports professionals?
  • For this work, are you employed or self‑employed?
  • Do you have a contract in place? If so, does it require you to hold your own insurance?
  • Do you work under the supervision/guidance of a medical professional (e.g., team physio, doctor)?

Additional premium

Insurers apply an additional premium for work with elite professional sportspersons. The premium is based on the percentage of your turnover that comes from contracted or targeted work with elite professional sportspersons. The additional premium will be confirmed to you once Balens have referred the information.

Ready to upgrade?

Please contact Balens on:

Phone 01684 580771

Webchat: via our website, www.balens.co.uk

Email: info@balens.co.uk

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