Clarity is a good thing. Especially when it comes to arrangements. If both sides are clear about what’s been agreed, and what’s expected, there’s a greater chance of the arrangement working. And of it lasting.
It’s pretty much the same when it comes to getting your beauty insurance right. That’s because when you sign up for a policy, you’re effectively entering into an arrangement with your insurer.
So, their side of the arrangement is to cover you for your business activities and anything else you’ve specified, like your equipment. And your side of it is to pay your premium and stick to the policy’s Ts & Cs.
But there’s a hugely important stage before you get as far as buying your policy. Because as part of the process, you’ll be asked a series of questions. Including about the kind of treatments you offer and the qualifications you have to do them.
The answers you give to those questions are crucial. Because if your insurer has the wrong info about what procedures you’re performing and the training you’ve had, it can raise a serious question mark if you need to claim on your policy.
Let’s look at why…
Treatments transparency
Giving a client a facial is fairly straightforward. Injecting them with Botox or fulfilling a request for semi-permanent makeup, not so much. So it stands to reason that more complex procedures are always going to carry more risk of something going wrong.
That element of risk and the potential for a less-than-perfect outcome is why, when you buy your business insurance, the insurer will want to know about all the treatments you offer. That applies even if the bulk of your business is everyday procedures, and you only perform more complicated ones occasionally.
And the reason they need that information is because aesthetics and beauty insurance isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s actually multi-layered, to take account of the fact that different treatments carry different degrees of risk.
So, what you might call more ‘basic’ procedures like hair and nails require one type and level of cover. More advanced treatments need another. And injectables and the like, at the top end of the scale, require another still. That’s what we mean by ‘multi-layered’.
The insurance does the same job and provides the same protection. All policies pay your legal defence and any compensation you owe if a client makes a claim against you. Say, a treatment doesn’t go to plan and a client’s unhappy with the result. Or they’re accidentally injured or develop an infection.
Importantly, your insurance pays to fight your corner whether a claim is justified or not. And whatever the outcome.
But if your insurer isn’t aware you’re offering a particular type of treatment…and then you ask them to help with a resulting claim against you…you may find it’s declined. Because you weren’t clear with your insurer about the full extent of your activities and your true level of risk.
Getting your beauty insurance right
That makes it essential to keep your broker or insurer in the know about all your treatments from the get-go. While it’s equally important to tell them if you add any others to your repertoire along the way. Because they all count, and your existing cover may not be enough.
If you’ve already told your insurer you offer more advanced beauty or aesthetics treatments, then you’ll already have the right type and level of cover. Adding other procedures to your policy usually won’t cost anything more. Your insurer just needs to know about them.
But if you’re moving from everyday treatments to more complex ones, then it’s vital you tell your broker or insurer straight away. They’ll probably need to adjust your policy, so you’re still covered. You may have to pay a bit more too. Because as the amount of risk your insurer shoulders increases, so does your premium – naturally.
No one wants to shell out more for their insurance of course. But it makes more sense to pay a little bit more for a policy that pays out when you need it, than pay less for one that may not. Especially when you consider that claims for bodily injury and mental suffering can run into the £tens of thousands in legal fees and compensation.
A question of qualifications
You wouldn’t bet on a positive outcome and a perfect set of pearly whites if an unqualified dentist drilled your teeth. And it’s the same for beauticians and aestheticians. Insurers expect practitioners to be properly trained in the treatments and procedures they perform.
A medical qualification is seen as a green light to perform the whole range of aesthetics and advanced beauty treatments. So, for insurers, that means if you’re a doctor, surgeon, registered nurse, pharmacist, paramedic, dentist, dental therapist, or hygienist.
Otherwise, you’re expected to have a recognised qualification in advanced beauty treatments to carry out procedures like microblading and dermaplaning. And you’ll need to have successfully completed recognised face-to-face physical training if you want to offer any sort of injectables.
Again, if you’re performing treatments without the right sort of qualifications or experience, it can jeopardise any claim on your policy. So, if you’re not sure your training’s completely up to the mark, check with your trainer. They’ll be able to tell you what their accreditation status is.
It’s also important to keep an eye out for any changes in legislation. The UK government is planning to introduce a licensing regime for non-surgical cosmetic procedures like Botox and fillers. It promises to establish minimum standards for qualifications and practice but is currently still at the consulting stage.
More than face value
So, in summary…playing by the rules and being clear with your insurer is important when it comes to getting your beauty insurance right. The same goes for having the correct training and experience to carry out treatments – both in terms of making sure your cover holds up when you need it and for the sake and safety of your clients.
Click on the link for more information about beauty therapist insurance. Or call 0345 216 0027 to speak to a specialist adviser.
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aestheticsbeauty therapistsinsurance explainedmanaging riskmedical malpractice