Are your salon treatments covered under your insurance policy?

When you approach an insurance provider for a quote, you will need to provide a business description. To ensure that you will be covered to perform basic treatments, you should ensure that this description is as accurate as possible. Having an accurate business description will allow your insurer to offer the correct insurance cover for the treatments you undertake in your salon.

Hair cuts

Let’s start off with something really simple. If you are a hairdressing salon  or a barbershop, purchasing a hair and beauty insurance policy will give you the cover to cut hair.

The cover may vary depending on your insurer, but whether you are a salon based hairdresser or barber or a mobile hairdresser or mobile barber, it is almost certain that you will be covered for cutting hair under your policy.

There will likely be an insurance product to cover you for the following treatments; however, you should get in touch with your broker or insurance provider to ensure you meet the criteria to carry out the following procedures.

Hair colouring

Whilst a hair colouring treatment is likely to be covered under a public liability policy for damage to customers’ clothing or possessions, it may not cover personal injury caused by the chemicals used in this kind of treatment.

Revisit your insurance policy to find out what you are covered for or contact your insurer or broker if you need to find out if you are protected. You may even need to explore an insurance policy that covers additional treatments.

A typical insurance policy will usually insist upon you performing patch tests, and recording that you have done so.

Brow lamination and Lash Lifts

These procedures use similar products and a prior skin test will be essential for a brow lamination to test if a client has any reactions to the dyes used for the treatments.

The process of brow lamination starts with brushing the hair in the same direction, coating them in a solution and covering in cling film then waiting until the solution sets. When the solution has set, the residue is wiped away and the eyebrows are shaped and a final coating of the solution is applied to keep the hairs in place. The treatment is semi-permanent and can last up to a month. The Lash Lift is also carried out by combing eyelashes into the desired position and coating in an adhesive solution which holds the lashes in place. More layers of the adhesive may be applied throughout the procedure which will further hold them in place.

As both of these procedures are relatively new, you may need to get in touch with your insurance broker or provider to discuss the treatments to ensure you will be covered under your insurance policy as you may need to provide evidence of the training and any qualifications you and your staff have.

Dermaplaning

Dermaplaning is a beauty treatment which has also become popular in recent years. Also known as face peeling, the treatment made its way onto Instagram, where there are over half a million posts on the subject.

Dermaplaning is the act of using a sharp blade to scrape away dead skin cells and face fuzz. The treatment has benefits such as allowing products to penetrate the skin better, gives smoother skin, reduces acne scarring, and removes hair that may trap dirt and oils.

The British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology provides training on Dermaplaning and recommends that students must be Level 3 Beauty Therapy trained. This isn’t an essential qualification to carry out the treatment, however, to be covered by your insurance, most insurance companies will ask that you have the Level 3 qualification and the ABT accredited manufacturer’s training certificate in place.

Microblading

Whilst skin pigment inking has been practised around the world for thousands of years, microblading as a treatment for eyebrows is a relatively new treatment being offered in beauty salons. Microblading is a semi-permanent procedure that is performed on eyebrows to give them a fuller appearance, and as such, is unlikely to be covered under a regular public liability policy.

This type of procedure is similar to a tattooing procedure, and may need specialist cover to ensure that you are protected against a claim should anything go wrong. Insurers will typically require the insured to have completed an accredited Microblading course, as well as being able to meet local authority regulations.

Tattooing

Most insurance companies will not offer tattooing insurance as standard within a hair and beauty policy, and instead will likely offer their own specialist tattoo artist insurance product if available.

Tattoo removal treatment is also likely to be excluded from your policy as standard.

Teeth whitening

Teeth whitening treatments can be performed at beauty salons. However, you must have a qualified professional perform the treatment who is registered with the General Dental Council. If you are found to be offering teeth whitening treatment illegally you could be prosecuted.

Because this treatment requires specialist training and registration, it is unlikely that any hair and beauty insurance policy will cover you for this kind of treatment without prior agreement with your insurer.