insurance and sports massage

[viet mixed girl]

hello,
I was just wondering if anyone could offer me any advice regarding insurance and sports massage?

I am currently 'affiliated' and insured with the SMA but it is coming up for renewal and I was just wondering if I could obtain insurance through another provider and continue practicing with the same title or would a 'refresher' course be needed to ensure I was up to scratch?

As I attended a course that was affiliated to the SMA (2yrs ago)andwas only told that I could get insurance through them-thats what I did. A little naive I know but was just keen to get started!Would I need to change my working title if I am no longer covered by the SMA insurance? Is it possible to be affiliated with the SMA and still have insurance with another provider?

Also, will I suffer if I continue to work under this title as from a quick look at the previous threads lead me to think this, does anyone know of any alternatives as all I am going on is what I was told on my course, and as it was affiliated to the SMA all correspodence seemed to go in that direction.

Any advice about or experience similar to this would be much appreciated,

Thanks in advance

 

[Ahmed Abbas]

Watching with interest as I have a similar insurance 'grey areas'

 

[Michael Parr]

hi there, there is no need to change your working title, and yes you can still be affiliated (although this is being changed to level 3 membership) to SMA and obtain insurance from another provider.

I would recommend IPTI for insurance.

 

[MadMax]

Hmmm I might be bursting a bubble here. Firstly, SMA states they cannot give insurance to level 3, as their insurance covers pratitioners who have trained at level 4. The reason being, at level three in order for your insurance to be valid you must work under supervision with a doctor or physiotherapist etc. as per the national occupational standards, otherwise your insurance could very well not cover you in the case of a claim. At the moment insurance companies are turning a blind eye until the NOS are changed, but that does not change the fact that if a claim does come against you, can you be confident that you are covered, I would check this very carefully.

 

[uncleclover]

the whole level 3-4 thing again and the confusion it is causing, yet try to contact SMA and they cant even give you advice on what and who is eligible for membership or insurance.
gaz

 

[KayatoCop]

I dont think its a case of insurance companies turning a blind eye, as at the moment theres nothing to turn a blind eye over. Yes you are correct in saying that hopefully the National Occupational Standards in sports massage are changing, which cant come sooner in my opinion. But if you are trained in sports massage, be it level 3 or level 4, and you are insured, you are covered for whatever is in your scope of practice.

It is incorrect to state that at level 3 you need to be supervised by either a physiotherapist of doctor, you will not find this stated anywhere other than the SMA website. If you look on the QCA website, it states clearly there that level 3 qualifications entitle you to work 'independently' and even in supervisory roles. As I mentioned, as long as you dont do anything outside your scope of practice, your insurance is valid, whatever level you are trained at.