Insurance Criteria

The SHTC does not offer insurance in a block policy. This is because such policies reduce the choice of our members. Block policies are often used to tie members into remaining with professional bodies. Simply if you have your insurance arranged through a block policy, and you then leave that organisation, you have to renegotiate your insurance as well. We also recognise that our members may be quite happily insured with a block policy elsewhere, and there is therefore no need for duplication.

We do not believe in trying to tie our members into remaining with the SHTC in this way, and we also recognise that different insurance arrangements are better value for different therapists and practitioners.

For example some other organisations, with whom our members might also be registered, may have special arrangements for multiple therapies. The IPTI for example have an excellent value policy for those members who use a wide range of therapies in their practice. it is sometimes cheaper to join IPTI as an additional registration and purchase their insurance, than to insure for multiple therapies with other insurance providers. Conversely a straight forward SMG policy might be cheaper for a therapist using only one therapy.

The SHTC therefore will recognise any suitable professional indemnity and practice insurance as long as it is underwritten by a recognised insurance body, covers the therapies being practiced, and is for at least £1million. These include the IPTI policy underwritten by Sun Alliance, policies arranged through the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, and the SMG Towergate policy.

On successful application for membership, new members are issued with a letter of successful membership, which can then be used to confirm to an insurance company that you are a registered member. Once we then receive a copy of your insurance policy, we will issue a formal certificate and ID Card. These are not issued until that time, since both make reference to you being an insured practitioner.

Links to SMG Towergate and IPTI are on our links page.

We recommend that our members shop around for the best value quote for the therapies that they practice, comparing prices and ensuring good value.