Your guide to public liability insurance for hairdressers

As a hairdresser, you always want your clients to look and feel their best, ensuring every day is a good hair day for your business. However, even with the utmost care, accidents happen. From wet floor slips, to spilling hair dye on a clients' carpet, a claim against you could leave your business at risk.

That's where public liability insurance comes in - providing essential protection against claims from third parties for injuries or property damage caused by your business activities.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about public liability insurance for hairdressers, including what it covers, why it’s essential, and how to find the right insurance policy for your business. Let’s get started!

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Do hairdressers need public liability insurance?

Absolutely. While not a legal requirement in the UK, public liability cover is highly recommended for any hairdressing business, regardless of its structure or size. Given your direct interaction with clients, whether on their premises or elsewhere, this protection is paramount to safeguard your business.

This includes:

• Self-employed, freelance or mobile hairdressers

• High street salons

• Specialist hairdressing services e.g. wedding hair or wig styling

Let's take a look at a few examples where having public liability cover is vital for hairdressers:

• Accidental damage to a clients' property: You have an appointment at a client's home, and you accidentally burn their furniture with hot hair straighteners.

• Accidental injury to a third party: A client trips over an electrical cord from your equipment that was not fully tucked away, spraining their ankle

What does public liability insurance cover?

Public liability insurance protects your hairdressing business by covering legal fees and compensation costs if a claim is made against your business involving injury or death caused by your business activities, as well as damage to third-party property. This includes:

• Accidental bodily injury 
• Accidental death 
• Accidental damage to property 
• Total loss of property

What does public liability insurance not cover?

Public liability insurance won't cover every type of claim. Below are six common exclusions:

1. Your professional services

If a client suffers an injury, illness, or damage directly due to a hair treatment you provided – such as a chemical burn from dye, hair damage from over-processing, cutting a clients' ear during a trim, or an allergic reaction due to your application – you would need professional treatment risk insurance cover.

2. Faulty products

If a client experiences injury or damage because a hair product you used on them or sold to them was inherently defective, contaminated, or faulty from the manufacturer, you would need product liability insurance cover.

3. Employee injuries

If an employee becomes ill or sustains an injury while working for your beauty business, public liability insurance does not cover compensation claims or legal fees.

You'll need employers liability insurance for this, which is a legal requirement in the UK if you employ staff, whether you're self-employed or own a salon.

4. Your own property and equipment

Public liability insurance won't cover damage to your own building, equipment, or contents, even if the damage is caused by your business activities.

5. Personal injury

If you become injured from your own business activities, you won't be covered under your public liability policy. Instead, you'll need a separate health insurance policy to cover this risk.

6. Criminal acts

Public liability insurance won't cover any damage or injuries that occur while you're breaking UK laws or committing a crime.

What insurance do you need for a hairdressing business?

Whether you're a mobile hairdresser who operates from home, or you own a hair salon, the first type of insurance you should secure is public liability insurance, to protect your business from the various claims that can arise. Hairdressers might also want to consider several other key types of insurance to protect their business in the worst-case scenario.

Many insurance providers offer tailored hairdressing insurance policies. These typically combine a range of individual cover types (almost always including public liability), into one policy specifically designed for hairdressers – whether you're a mobile stylist or a salon owner.

Hairdressing insurance policies may include some or all of these cover options - if they aren't included, you can add them on as extras. Always check with your insurer first to see what's included.

Mobile hairdresser insurance

Beyond public liability insurance, self-employed, freelance or mobile hairdressers should consider the following cover options to protect their business:

Employers' liability insurance

Employers’ liability insurance is another essential for hairdressing businesses that employ staff - protecting you financially should an employee make a claim against you for an incident that causes personal injury or property damage.

This type of insurance is legally required in the UK if you employ staff.

Product liability insurance

Product liability for hairdressers covers claims for injury or damage to clients caused by a defective product (such as damage to a client's hair or skin) used during a service or sold by a salon.

Professional treatment insurance

Professional treatment insurance covers claims for injury or damage to a client suffered directly from the hairdressing service or treatment provided, due to factors like poor application (e.g., of hair dye), negligence, or an adverse reaction to the treatment performed (such as an allergic reaction).

Equipment and Stock cover

This is a type of business contents cover that protects a hairdresser's business equipment and assets, including tools, salon furniture, fixtures, and retail products, against loss or damage due to perils like theft, fire, or accidental damage. It ensures you can replace essential items needed to run your salon or mobile service.

Portable equipment cover

This covers your hairdressing equipment while you're out and about. This is especially important for mobile hairdressers who travel to clients' homes for work.

Legal expenses cover

Legal expenses insurance covers legal costs like solicitor fees and court expenses for business-related legal action taken against you.

Personal accident insurance

Personal accident insurance is a must-have for gardeners, given the high chance of accidents. It protects you financially until you recover from any injury or illness that leaves you unable to work.

Hairdressing salon insurance

If you own a salon (e.g. a hair salon, beauty salon, or nail bar), you might want to consider a tailored salon insurance policy, designed to cover the wide range of risks faced by salon owners.

A comprehensive salon insurance policy typically includes cover for some, or all of the business insurance types mentioned in the section above. Always check your policy documentation to see what's included. The following cover options might also be included, or can be added on as extras:

Commercial property insurance

Also known as business buildings insurance, it covers the cost of repairing or rebuilding your salon business premises if they are damaged or destroyed. It typically covers the physical structure of the building and its permanent fixtures.

Money cover

Protects cash on your premises, in transit to the bank, or in a safe against loss or theft (e.g., from a break in), subject to specific limits.

Glass cover

Protects your salon against the cost of repairing or replacing damaged or broken fixed glass, such as shop windows, display cases, or mirrors, typically due to accidental breakage, malicious damage, or attempted theft. It often includes associated costs like boarding-up or temporary repairs.

Business interruption insurance

Business interruption insurance covers lost income and additional expenses (like temporary relocation costs) if your salon has to temporarily close due to an insured event (e.g., fire, flood or a burst pipe).

Cyber and data insurance

Cyber and data insurance protects you against the consequences of a cyber attack or data breach, offering technical, legal, and PR assistance.

How much does public liability insurance cost?

There's no 'one size fits all' cost for hairdressers' public liability insurance, and it depends on the insurance provider. However, generally, insurance premiums are calculated based on the following factors:

• The size of your hairdressing business
• The levels and types of cover you opt for
• Whether the you pay an upfront lump sum or in monthly instalments
• The amount of policy excess that you're willing to pay
• Your claims history

Public liability insurance for hairdressers: 9 key takeaways

1. Public liability cover is an essential type of business insurance for hairdressers, protecting against third party claims for injuries or property damage that your business is held responsible for. It covers legal and compensation costs.
2. Public liability insurance includes cover against third party claims for accidental injury or death, and accidental damage or loss of property.
3. Common third party claim examples include injuries sustained from slipping on a wet floor and staining a client's carpet at their home (property damage).
4. Any hairdressing business (including self-employed, mobile hairdressing and salon owners) needs public liability insurance.
5. Other types of business insurance hairdressers should consider include employers liability insurance, business stock & equipment, legal expenses, personal accident cover, business interruption cover, and professional treatment cover.
6. Employers liability insurance is legally required by all businesses that employ staff in the UK.
7. A comprehensive hairdressing insurance or salon insurance policy covers a range of different business insurance types under one policy. Always check your policy documentation to see what's included.
8. Public liability insurance (as well as hairdressing insurance) costs are calculated based on several factors such as size of business, level and types of cover chosen, and amount of policy excess.
9. Many insurers provide cover for hairdressers, and some providers give the option get a quote online.