Counselling Insurance
Specialist cover for qualified counsellors & psychotherapists from £3.14* per month.
- 200 therapy activities covered
- Liability cover up to £5 million
- Join over 150,000 customers**
From only £3.14* per month
What does counselling insurance cover?
Our insurance for counselling is specially designed for qualified professionals, whether you’re working independently or running a small business. We prioritise the essential protection needed to operate a credible business, offering you the flexibility to add options that suit your specific services.
Whether you work from a clinic, your home, or visit clients at their homes, counselling insurance protects the work environment suited to your practice. Knowing that you have the correct insurance in place allows you to focus on your clients’ well-being without the worry of potential claims.
Make sure you have the correct insurance for your therapy and be sure to check if any exclusions are relevant to what you have planned in policy documentation.
Public Liability
Professional Indemnity
Third Party Property Damage
Equipment
Personal Accident
Professional Indemnity and Professional Treatment
- From £1 million to £5 million of cover.
- Protection from claims by a third-party (client or member of the public) who sustains injuries or has their property damaged as a result of your actions or advice that you provide.
Third Party Property Damage
- Cover for any non-negligent loss or damage to others’ property that you may cause while providing your therapies.
Employers’ Liability
- Up to £10 million of cover.
- Protection from claims against employee incidents if someone suffers a work-related injury and brings a claim against you.
Equipment
- From £500 to £3000 worth of cover
- Cover is provided on a new for old basis for items under three years old, meaning that regardless of whether you have had the item for three months or three years, we will replace it with a brand-new equivalent if the damage is irreparable.
Equipment Hire
- From £750 worth of cover
Personal Accident
- Protection from workplace accidents.
- A selection of incidents can be claimed for under this benefit including accidental death, permanent total disablement and temporary total disablement.
Legal Expenses
- Access to a legal helpline and a counselling service in addition to legal defence costs.
- The cover can be upgraded further to include employment disputes, property disputes, health and safety disputes and more.
- Treatments you are not qualified to do.
- Treatments that are not listed on your proposal form and subsequent schedule of insurance.
- Any services provided overseas.
- Prescription or supply of medicines and other pharmaceutical.
- The use of non-proprietary products to aid your therapy.
For further information on exclusions in your cover please refer to policy documentation.
Why do you need counselling cover?
Clients come to you for help with a variety of issues, seeking your professional expertise. No doubt you aim to provide the best treatment possible, drawing on your extensive experience. But sometimes, even with the best intentions, things can go wrong and are out of your control.
That’s why specialist counselling insurance is essential for your business. It allows you to offer your services securely, knowing you’re covered if a claim is made against you. No matter how experienced and qualified you are, unexpected incidents can happen, so it’s best to be prepared.
Counselling insurance covers these potential situations, giving you the confidence to focus on your clients. Here’s some example scenarios that highlight why it’s so important:
Accidental public injury.
Whilst holding a counselling session a client may trip over a chair, fall and hurt themselves, this could be considered your responsibility and might result in a claim against you.
Having public liability cover can protect you against these incidents avoiding the expense of a claim yourself.
Protection against allegations of negligence.
You may offer therapy plans as part of your counselling service whereby a client follows your advice. If they consider this advice to have caused them harm, it may result in a claim against you. You could be expected to pay damages in compensation.
Having professional indemnity in your policy is the cover you need to ensure you are protected from these situations.
Protection if an accident prevents you working.
If an accident results in an injury to yourself and you need to take some time off work. Avoid loss of earnings; personal accident cover can provide you with financial support if you suffer an injury or accident whilst working.
Our experts explain why...
“As a therapist, you have a passion to provide a very specialist service to customers who lean on your expertise to aid them with whatever reason they have contacted you. Equally, as insurers of this industry we pride ourselves on providing specialist cover to meet your requirements and we have spent the time to ensure our breadth of cover, meets the situations you may face as a result of experiencing financial losses. We recognise over 200 niche therapies ranging from talking therapies to spiritual therapies. Our products primary coverage is for liability cover, not just for allegations from other people who suggest your actions have given rise to them becoming injured but our cover also covers negligent advice around treatment you give, so you can feel confident when providing your therapy.”
Chris Trotman, Protectivity Underwriting Manager
How much does counselling insurance cost?
Investing in counselling insurance is a safeguard to maintain your own healthy state of mind and uphold professional standards.
There are varying factors that will influence the exact amount you pay for counselling insurance. It could be you have high-value specialist equipment that you need to cover, which will influence your overall price.
At Protectivity policies start at just £3.14 per month.*
Prices from
£3.14* a month
Explainer quote
Policy cost
£3.14* a month
Policy type
Counselling
Public Liability
£1,000,000
Professional Indemnity
£1,000,000
Third Party Property Damage
£750
This example is based on a real quote from our website on 1/10/2024. If your circumstances and cover needs differ, your quote may be more or less expensive than the above example. The quote you receive will reflect the information you share about your event. The quoted price may vary from those displayed here.
Have a question?
For further information on your policy, renewals, making a claim and contacting us, you’ll find an extensive list of FAQs on our Help & Support page.
Why choose Protectivity for your counselling insurance policy?
Let the reviews of over 3,500 customers explain why you should choose us.¹
Trusted by over 150,000 customers.
Experienced insurance providers for over 30 years.
Over 3,500 highly rated reviews.
Proof of our excellent customer service.
Experienced Claims Handling
A smooth and efficient claims process.
UK Based Customer Support
Our UK sales team are here to help.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Are there any exclusions from counselling insurance?
Our policy documents provide a complete list of what’s not covered. Typical exclusions include: Treating children without their parents/guardians consent, Prescribing or supplying medicines, Treatments that fall outside your qualifications and International clients.
We also don’t cover cases involving abuse, asbestos, communicable diseases, or work-related injuries to employees, though these exclusions apply to certain sections of the policy.
Do I need separate policies for different types of therapies?
No, our insurance policies are designed to accommodate a diverse range of therapeutic practices under one policy; however, we require that you hold appropriate qualifications for each therapy that you practice.
Am I covered for online or telephone counselling sessions?
Yes, our counselling insurance policy covers online and telephone counselling sessions, as long as these services are within the scope of your qualifications and business practices.
Does the insurance cover me if I work from home or visit clients at their homes?
Yes, the policy covers you whether you work from home, visit clients, or operate in multiple locations, as long as you’re in the UK.
Am I covered to provide counselling for patients who have been referred via the NHS?
Yes, our insurance covers you for all patients, as long as you have qualifications in the specialism that you’re providing treatment for.
Does counselling insurance cover equipment used in my practice?
Yes, equipment cover can be added as an optional extra, to protect your business equipment up to £3,000 against damage, theft or loss.
Do you need to see my counselling qualification certificates?
No. You will only need to produce your qualification certificate(s) in the event of a claim. When you purchase your insurance we will ask you to declare that you have a suitable qualification for the activity that you require cover for.
Does Counselling Insurance cover students?
No, our Therapist Insurance policy will only protect those who qualified in their chosen treatments. The qualification must be obtained by an accredited awarding body.
Do I legally need counselling insurance to practice in the UK?
Insurance is not a legal requirement for counselling; however, it is recommended that you protect you and your business against any potential claims.
Discover more from Protectivity
This page content has been created for general information and should not be taken as advice.
*Prices quoted refer to a quote raised from our website 01/10/2024. Prices will differ depending on requirements. Make sure you have the correct level of cover for what you need. For the most accurate pricing, please get a quote and for full details on what is covered refer to our policy documentation with your quote.
** Based on Protectivity sales data from 2007 to Sep 2024
¹Based on live Feefo data