Business Insurance For Chiropractors

Business insurance helps you keep your business running by covering legal expenses, professional mistakes, and client disputes.

Why Do Chiropractors Need Insurance?

Chiropractors face a lot of risks relating to lawsuits, patient injuries, and property damage. It is important to have proper coverage for physical assets within an office space, against injuries like slip and fall accidents, and, of course, malpractice insurance.

Chiropractor businesses should consider malpractice insurance, broadly known as professional liability insurance, to protect against mistakes, negligence, or omissions, as well as general liability insurance.

Handling sensitive client details necessitates increased investments in cyber liability insurance, especially when handling sensitive patient information and complying with HIPAA requirements.

It also adds credibility—many customers and clients require proof of insurance before going to a chiropractor. If you have a business with several professionals under your employ, having the right insurance helps you operate confidently, knowing you’re covered if something goes wrong.

What Insurance Do Chiropractors Need?

Running a chiropractic practice involves hands-on work that comes with specific risks. You have to worry about patient safety during adjustments, the physical well-being of your staff, and the security of private health records.

To safeguard your livelihood and your practice, you should review the following breakdown of essential types of business insurance policies.

Professional Liability Insurance (Malpractice)

For chiropractors, professional liability insurance is perhaps the most critical coverage. Often called medical malpractice insurance, it protects you if a patient claims your treatment caused them harm. Even if you did nothing wrong, a patient might sue for negligence or errors in their care.

Example: A patient claims that a neck adjustment caused them severe nerve pain and demands compensation. This policy pays for your legal defense and any resulting settlements.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Chiropractic work is physically demanding, and your staff faces risks, too. If an employee gets hurt or sick because of their job duties, workers’ compensation insurance steps in. It covers their medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and lost wages. Most states require this coverage as soon as you hire your first employee.

Example: Your receptionist strains their back while lifting a box of files. Workers’ compensation pays for their doctor visits and covers their wages while they recover.

General Liability Insurance

This is the baseline protection for most businesses. It covers accidents that happen on your property that are not related to medical treatments. It protects you against third-party claims of bodily injury or property damage.

Example: A patient slips on a wet floor in your waiting room and breaks their wrist. General liability covers their medical bills and legal fees if they decide to sue.

Business Owner’s Policy (BOP)

A BOP is a cost-effective way to get broad coverage. It usually bundles General Liability and Commercial Property insurance into one package. Insurance companies often offer this at a lower rate than purchasing the policies individually.

Example: A pipe bursts overnight and damages your office flooring and furniture. A BOP helps pay for the repairs and covers the liability risks if the office must close temporarily.

Cyber Liability Insurance

Chiropractors store sensitive patient data and health records. This makes your clinic a target for digital crimes. Cyber liability insurance helps you recover from data breaches and cyberattacks. It covers the costs of notifying patients, credit monitoring services, and regulatory fines related to HIPAA compliance.

Example: A hacker gains access to your practice management software and steals patient social security numbers. This policy pays for the investigation and client notification costs.

Commercial Property Insurance

This covers the physical assets of your business. If you own or rent your office space, this insurance protects the building and its contents against perils like fire, theft, or windstorms.

Example: A severe storm breaks a window and damages the walls of your exam room. Commercial property insurance pays to repair the physical structure.

Business Personal Property (BPP) Insurance

While commercial property covers the building, BPP covers the movable items inside it. This includes your adjustment tables, X-ray machines, computers, and office furniture. It pays to repair or replace these items if they are stolen or damaged by a covered event.

Example: Burglars break into your clinic and steal several laptops and expensive diagnostic tools. BPP covers the replacement cost of the stolen equipment.

Umbrella Insurance

Sometimes a lawsuit is so expensive that it exceeds the limits of your primary policies. Umbrella insurance provides an extra layer of protection. It sits on top of your General Liability or Commercial Auto policies to cover costs that go beyond your standard caps.

Example: You face a lawsuit for $1.5 million after a major accident on your premises, but your liability policy only covers $1 million. Umbrella insurance pays the remaining $500,000.

Hired and Non-Owned Auto (HNOA) Insurance

Your business could be liable if an employee causes an accident while driving their own car for work tasks. Personal auto policies usually deny claims related to business use. HNOA closes this gap.

Example: You send an office assistant to the bank to make a deposit in their personal car, and they hit another vehicle. HNOA covers the liability costs for the other driver’s damages.

Commercial Auto Insurance

If your practice owns vehicles, you need a commercial auto policy. Personal car insurance will not cover vehicles owned by a business. This policy covers liability and physical damage if you or an employee gets into an accident in a company vehicle.

Example: You are driving the company van to a health fair and rear-end another car. Commercial auto insurance covers the repair costs for both vehicles and medical expenses for the other driver.

Cheapest Chiropractor General Liability Insurance

The cheapest option for general liability insurance is biBERK, with an estimated annual cost of $410.

Note: These estimates are based on policies for a small practice, covering common risks like third-party bodily injury (e.g., a client slipping in the waiting room) or property damage. Actual premiums will vary based on your clinic’s location, size, and specific coverage limits.

Cheapest Chiropractor Business Owner’s Policy

The cheapest option for a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) is biBERK, with average annual premiums around $650.

Note: These estimates are based on a policy that bundles general liability and commercial property insurance for a small chiropractic office. The final cost depends heavily on the value of your business property (building, equipment), location, and desired liability limits.

Cheapest Chiropractor Professional Liability Insurance

The cheapest option for professional liability (malpractice) insurance is Next Insurance, with an estimated annual cost of $1,320.

Note: These estimates are based on policies for a small chiropractic practice with standard coverage limits (e.g., $1 million per occurrence / $3 million aggregate) and do not include additional endorsements. Actual premiums will vary based on your location, years of experience, and claims history.

How Much Does Insurance Cost For Chiropractors?

Chiropractor business insurance typically costs around an average of $800 per year, depending on many factors, including where your business is located and your claims history.

The biggest factor is your location, the number of employees you have, the services you offer, and the size of your business.

Insurers also consider the amount of coverage you choose and whether you package policies together. While it may be tempting to go with the cheapest option, it’s important to choose a plan that truly protects your business from its most likely risks.

Note: These figures are estimates for small chiropractic practices in the U.S. The estimates are based on policies with standard coverage limits and deductibles. Your actual premium will vary based on factors like your practice’s specific location, number of employees, payroll, claims history, and the specific coverage limits you select.

How Is Your Chiropractor Insurance Cost Calculated?

Insurance providers analyze several specific details about your practice to calculate your premium. The primary factor is the scope of services you provide. For example, specializing in sports medicine or pediatric care carries different risks than standard adjustments. Including telehealth options in your practice can also lead to higher rates.

Your location is another major influence. Offices in busy urban centers often see more patients, which raises the statistical risk of an incident. The size of your team matters as well. Having a larger staff increases the likelihood of workers’ compensation or general liability claims.

Underwriters also review your track record. If you have filed claims in the past, insurers may view your business as a higher risk. Finally, the price is affected by the coverage limits you select, whether you use company vehicles, and your legal structure, such as an LLC versus a sole proprietorship.