Aesthetics insurance

Who needs aesthetics insurance?

There’s always scope for things to go wrong during cosmetic procedures. An accidental slip here or an allergic reaction there can put you firmly in the frame. And an expensive frame, at that.

If someone thinks they’re owed compensation, it’s the name above the door they’ll go after. That means, if they were treated at your clinic, it’s you they’ll claim against – no matter if it was one of your aesthetic nurses who did the actual work.

Aesthetics practitioners who work either solo visiting people at home or freelance within a bigger practice are equally at risk. They bear individual responsibility for their work, so will need their own cover to stay protected.

Why do you need insurance for aestheticians?

Your training and experience are no guarantee of success. You’re confident and conscientious, of course. But sometimes even the best laid plans, executed by the steadiest of hands, can go awry.

If that happens, you’re in the kind of business that can’t hide its mistakes. And unhappy clients will be quick to point the finger.

Claims against you take time, know-how and money to deal with. Aesthetics insurance gives you all three.

Apart from providing details of what’s happened, you don’t have to get involved. You can get on with running your business, safe in the knowledge it’ll still be in one piece when it’s all over.

What aesthetics insurance do you need?

As a bare minimum, we’d say you shouldn’t practise without:

• Treatment and Professional liability insurance, which covers bodily injury, illness or death caused by your business’s negligence when carrying out treatments. Also, breach of care, confidentiality, or dishonesty.
• Public liability insurance, which covers ‘slip and trip’ claims for physical and property damage both at your clinic and if you visit clients elsewhere.

Adding some clinic cover is a good idea, to protect the equipment you use and the place you use it. You might want to bolt on business interruption insurance, to help you carry on trading following a surprise event like a fire or flood.

Meanwhile cyber insurance is an advisable option for any business that runs its own website, uses email or stores customer details electronically.

What does aesthetics and cosmetics insurance cover?

As far as treatment and professional liability insurance goes, if a client you’ve treated isn’t happy with what you’ve done, they can claim against you for malpractice and negligence. Two things (among others) covered by your aesthetics insurance.

Malpractice claims usually involve allegations of bodily injury, illness or death caused by your treatments. If that happens, you’ll need a solicitor to defend you and deep pockets to pay any compensation if you’re at fault. Aesthetics insurance covers it, meaning you don’t have to spend time or money away from running your business.

Negligence claims are based around someone saying you haven’t done your job properly, and go hand-in-hand with malpractice claims. Again, you’ll need lots of time, money and legal know-how to deal with one. And again, your aesthetics insurance covers it.

Also covered are claims for things such as breaching someone’s confidential information and being party to spreading a computer virus.

How much does aesthetic insurance cost?

Cover for the things that could go wrong is a must in your line of work. That’s because, however unintended, bodily damage to a client can cost you £thousands.

You can buy enough treatment and professional liability cover to put your business in safe hands. But before you settle on how much that should be, think carefully about the risk factor for the particular treatments you offer. Also, the worst mistake you could make and just how much you would have to pay in legal fees and compensation.

If you're buying equipment cover, then you need to tot up the value of all your kit so you don't risk being underinsured if it gets damaged or stolen. This includes your machinery, treatment tables, instruments, stock...

Adding business interruption cover to your policy can increase the amount you pay. But it saves you £thousands in damage and relocation costs if your clinic's affected by a fire, flood, or burst pipe.

Does aesthetics insurance cover non medics?

Yes it does - those with relevant qualifications and practical experience, at least.

We recognise that aesthetics is a serious business, with potentially serious consequences for clients if a treatment goes wrong. That makes training and hands-on experience prerequisites for the job.

So, if you’re a non-medically trained practitioner, you’ll need one of the following as a minimum:

• An NVQ level 3 in beauty therapy or a close equivalent
• 12 months’ experience in advanced beauty treatments that pierce the skin
• An appropriate pathway or fast-track course in the treatment you’re providing.

Our insurance package for non-medics has been specially tailored to be a good fit and includes medical malpractice insurance, plus public liability. You can get a quote for a policy online in just a few clicks.

Why choose us?

Business insurance is our bread and butter. It’s what we do, day in, day out.

We’ve ‘advised sales’ status from the FCA. Which means we’re approved to give insurance advice that’s tailored to your needs.

No sales pitch, no script, no flimflam. Just pick up the phone and speak to one of our friendly, insurance-savvy experts.

And if you’d like to sort out your cover online, that’s no problem too. You can get a quote on our website and add whatever you need.

You’ll get jargon-busting policy documents sent straight to your inbox. Plus bonus stuff like an “I’m insured” badge for your website and a reward for recommending us.

Still not convinced? Check out our customers’ reviews on Feefo. They’ll tell you everything you need to know about us.