Do Hairdressers Renting a Chair Need Insurance?

By Dean Laming on July 31st, 2023

Navigating the insurance world as a hairdresser renting a chair can be tricky.

With numerous responsibilities and liabilities, it’s essential to have the proper protection in place.

Chair rental, also known as booth rental or chair leasing, is a popular business model for hairdressers who want to work independently while still enjoying the benefits of working within a salon environment. In this arrangement, hairdressers rent a workstation from a salon owner and operate as self-employed professionals responsible for their clientele, services, and products.

Renting a chair gives hairdressers greater control over their earnings, hours of operation, and creative freedom. However, with these benefits come specific responsibilities that are crucial in ensuring the safety and success of your business—one such responsibility is securing the appropriate insurance coverages.

Legal Responsibilities for Self-Employed Hairdressers

As self-employed professionals operating within a salon setting, chair renters must comply with various legal requirements. This includes maintaining an up-to-date license to practice as a hairdresser in your area and adhering to local health and safety regulations.

Another important aspect of being legally compliant involves having suitable insurance policies. Without proper insurance coverage, you could be held financially liable for damages that occur while providing services to clients or even face legal action if found negligent in your duties.

Types of Insurance Required for Chair Renters

Insurance policies that cater specifically to self-employed hairdressers renting chairs typically include several types of coverage:

  • Public liability insurance
  • Professional treatment risk insurance
  • Employers’ liability insurance (if applicable)
  • Equipment and stock insurance

Each type of coverage offers protection against different risks associated with running your own hairstyling business within someone else’s salon space.

Public Liability Insurance: Protecting Your Clients

Public liability insurance covers claims by third parties who may suffer injury or property damage due to your professional activities. This policy helps protect you and your clients from potential financial loss from accidents like slips or falls caused by wet floors after shampooing or chemical spills during hair treatments.

Professional Treatment Risk Insurance: Safeguarding Your Reputation

Professional treatment risk insurance protects if a client files a claim against you alleging injury as a result of the treatment you have provided. This coverage ensures that your reputation and financial security remain intact by covering legal fees and potential compensation payouts for incidents like incorrect application of hair treatment products leading to damaged hair or skin irritation. It’s also vital to note that there’s a surge in injury claims, with irritations caused by hair dye reaching as much as £35,000.

In another incident, a hairdresser left her client under a heat machine for too long. The client, a mother of two, ended up with a bald patch and was compensated with £17,000. Fortuitously, the hairdresser was insured.

Employers’ Liability Insurance: When and Why It’s Needed

Employers’ liability insurance is mandatory if you have employees working under your supervision—such as juniors, apprentices, or assistants. This policy covers claims made by employees who may be injured at work while under your guidance and ensures that both parties are protected from potential financial loss.

Equipment and Stock Insurance: Covering Your Tools

Equipment and stock insurance covers the cost of replacing essential tools like scissors, combs, brushes, styling products, and electronics used in providing hairstyling services if they get damaged due to unforeseen events like theft or fire within the salon space.

Renting Vs. Employing: Benefits and Risks

While renting a chair allows greater independence when it comes to running your business and keeping earnings without sharing with salon owners directly, it also comes with increased responsibilities such as managing taxes and securing appropriate insurance policies independently—unlike employed stylists who usually have these matters taken care of by their employer.

How to Choose the Right Insurance Policy for Chair Renters

When selecting an insurance policy tailored for self-employed chair renters:

  • Assess the risks specific to your business operations.
  • Compare policies offered by different insurers.
  • Ensure selected coverages match the extent of risk exposure.
  • Review deductibles and premium rates within budget constraints.
  • Talk with other professionals renting chairs for recommendations based on their experiences.

10. The Costs of Hairdresser Insurance for Chair Renters

The costs of obtaining suitable insurance coverage for chair renters depend on location, claim history, chosen coverages, and policy deductibles.

Contact Salon Saver Today

Being a hairdresser provides flexibility, creativity, and independence. However, it is imperative to protect yourself with the right insurance.

Being a hairdresser in a salon without proper coverage can expose you to significant risks, and the aftermath of any unforeseen event can lead to escalating costs, draining legal disputes, and possibly the end of your career.

At Salon Saver, we aim to equip you with a complete understanding of hairdressing insurance and the potentially hefty price of going unprotected.

Always remember, having the right insurance can act as a safety net, protecting your hairdressing business from potential calamities and ensuring its sustainability and success.

Dean Laming

Dean Laming is a Chartered Insurance Broker with more than 25 years insurance experience. Through various underwriting, operational and management roles, Dean has built up extensive knowledge of the hair and beauty sector and is now Managing Director of Salon Saver, part of the wider Henry Seymour Group.

All articles by Dean Laming

Leave a comment

Our Reviews

4.9 / 5 Based on 6278 Reviews*

All very quick and easy

Reviewed 1 week ago

Highly recommend by a beauty therapist of mine!!

Reviewed 1 week ago

Easy site to use and very competitive cost. Thank You

Reviewed 2 weeks ago
Leave a review
This website is intended for customers based in the UK and is therefore subject to the UK regulatory regime(s). © Copyright 2023 Salon Saver | Salon Saver and Henry Seymour & Co. are trading names of Barkdene Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 303965) for our insurance distribution and credit broking activities. Barkdene Limited is a credit broker not a lender. You can check this on the Financial Services register. Registered in England No 1842617. Registered Office – Chancery House, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 1JB. All rights reserved.
*Reviews taken from our sister site Salon Gold
Redirecting you to Salon Gold, our sister website for salons, hair and beauty professionals.