Professional indemnity insurance for counsellors is a condition of registered membership with the main bodies and a practical necessity for anybody practising privately. The claims are specific to talking therapies and the cover is usually bought as a combined therapist policy alongside public liability.
What the bodies require
The main counselling and psychotherapy membership bodies require registered members in practice to hold appropriate professional indemnity cover, and many require confirmation at renewal. Room hire, agencies and placement providers frequently ask to see it too.
The claims that arise
An allegation that the therapeutic relationship was mishandled, that a boundary was crossed, that a referral should have been made, or that a disclosure was handled wrongly. The cost of defending an allegation is often the larger part of the claim, including representation at a professional body hearing where the policy extends to it.
What the policy should include
Professional indemnity for the therapy itself, public liability for the room, and cover for defending a complaint to your membership body, which is not automatic and is worth asking about specifically. Practitioners offering more than one modality should declare each.
Questions people ask about professional indemnity insurance for counsellors
Do counsellors need professional indemnity?
Registered members of the main bodies are generally required to hold it, and room hire and agency work usually require evidence of it.
Does it cover a complaint to my professional body?
Some policies extend to representation at a hearing and some do not. Ask specifically, because it is a common and expensive event.
Do I need public liability too?
If clients attend a room, yes. Most therapist policies bundle both.