Choose from the nation's best insurance providers
Top personal care businesses we insure
Recommended insurance policies for beauty and personal care professionals
From barbershops and nail salons to microblading and massage body work, your business can survive costly accidents with the right coverage. Gain financial protection against property damage, injuries, and lawsuits with policies designed for personal care professionals.
General Liability Insurance
Covers bodily injuries, customer property damage, and advertising injuries. Often required for commercial leases.
Best for:
Slip-and-fall accidents
Customer property damage
Libel lawsuits
Professional Liability Insurance
Also called E&O insurance, this covers legal costs for professional errors or missed deadlines.
Best for:
Negligence lawsuits
Project disputes
Work mistakes
Workers' Compensation Insurance
Covers medical expenses for employee injuries and is required in most states.
Best for:
Employee medical costs
Disability benefits
Injury-related lawsuits
Business Owner’s Policy (BOP)
Combines general liability and commercial property insurance for small businesses in one affordable package.
Best for:
Customer injuries
Damaged property
Business interruptions
Cyber Insurance
Helps businesses recover from cyberattacks and data breaches by covering recovery costs and customer notifications.
Best for:
Data breach lawsuits
Customer notifications
Fraud monitoring
Commercial Auto Insurance
Covers vehicle-related accidents and damages. Required for business-owned vehicles in most states.
Best for:
Auto accident lawsuits
Vehicle damage or theft
Vandalism
How much does personal care, beauty, and cosmetology insurance cost?
Several factors contribute to the cost of insurance coverage for barbers, med spas, and massage therapists, including:
- The type of services offered, such as permanent makeup or spa treatments
- Business equipment and property
- Your annual business revenue
- Where your business operates
- Number of employees on staff
- Deductibles and other insurance options
How do I get personal care business insurance?
It’s easy to get business insurance for estheticians, barbers, makeup artists, and masseuses if you have your company information on hand. Our application will ask for basic facts about your small business, such as revenue and number of employees. You can buy a policy online and get a certificate of insurance with Swift Insurance in three easy steps:
- Complete a free online application
- Compare insurance quotes and choose a policy
- Pay for your policy and download a certificate for proof of insurance
Swift’s licensed insurance agents work with top-rated U.S. companies to find the right insurance plan for your personal care business, whether you’re an independent contractor, salon owner, or run a day spa.
Common questions about personal care and cosmetology insurance policies
Do I need cosmetologist insurance if I'm self-employed?
If you’re a self-employed hairdresser or makeup artist, you might not be required by law to carry insurance. However, having coverage can help you fulfill the terms of a contract, such as renting a booth in a salon or barbershop. It also boosts your credibility and protects your business from financial risks in the event someone sues you.
Depending on your line of work, your state might require you to carry a professional liability insurance policy to provide specific beauty services or work at certain facilities. A type of cosmetology liability insurance, this policy covers lawsuits from clients who claim your services caused harm.
Your personal auto and health insurance policies likely won’t cover work-related incidents, such as a car collision involving a business-owned vehicle or an on-site work injury. That means you might have to pay hefty medical bills or state penalties for not having the proper insurance.
If you drive your own vehicle for work, you may want to consider hired and non-owned insurance (HNOA). And if you operate a mobile salon business with a company-owned van, you’ll likely be required to carry commercial auto insurance.
Carrying a workers’ compensation plan, even if you have no employees, can financially protect you if you’re unable to work due to an on-the-job injury or illness, as well as cover your medical expenses.
Do I need a license for my personal care business?
Every state has licensing requirements for personal care providers, beauticians, and cosmetologists.
Most professional cosmetologists and beauty providers are required to complete schooling, such as cosmetology school, nail technician school, or esthetician school, before applying for a license. Some professions require additional licenses depending on the services you intend to offer.
In fact, a few states require a specific license if hairstylists offer braiding services. And to work as a nail technician, either as your own boss, at your own salon, or as a manicurist for someone else, you must obtain the proper license.
Failing to meet your state’s requirements and working without a license or certification could result in hefty fines from your state board of cosmetology or your local department of health.
Do I need social media insurance for my personal care services business?
Sharing customer photos on social media can be a great way to promote your business. People love to see the final outcome of your services, from shampooing to hair styling, waxing to skin care, and health care treatments.
However, sharing photos of your customers also comes with unique risks. You must get permission to use the photos on your website or social accounts.
Selfies are popular, and can give your business some organic social media attention. However, unless an image has a Creative Commons copyright, which is rare, you could face legal action if you share something that was taken by another person without their permission.
It’s essential to protect your business with social media insurance. Even a frivolous claim of invasion of privacy or copyright infringement can be financially devastating to defend.
Commercial general liability coverage typically protects against copyright and privacy issues, as well as advertising injuries if your business is forced to defend legal actions or pay a settlement.
If I sell beauty care products, do I need cosmetic product liability insurance?
If a product you sell or apply to your customer causes an adverse reaction, cosmetics product liability insurance can help pay your legal defense fees and the cost of a settlement.
For example, a hair salon might sell another company’s bottled hair dye. If a customer has a serious allergic reaction to the dye, this policy would cover the salon’s legal fees.
Specifically, product liability insurance can provide coverage for:
- Injury caused by a product. If a beauty or personal care product you made or sold causes a bodily injury, product liability insurance can cover the cost of hiring an attorney. It would also cover the resulting settlement or court-ordered judgment.
- Illness caused by a product. This insurance coverage protects against illnesses caused by products sold or manufactured by your business. That includes a beauty product that causes an allergic reaction.