Public Liability Insurance For Nail Technicians

Nail technicians need nail technician public liability insurance to protect them against unexpected losses. It is arguably the most important insurance type for anyone in this profession.

But, although you might know that you need this type of insurance, not many nail technicians actually know what public liability insurance covers. Even the nail technicians who know what public liability insurance covers often don’t know how public liability insurance that’s been designed specifically for nail technicians differs from a standard public liability insurance policy.

So, what cover is provided by a public liability insurance policy, and what makes a public liability insurance policy for nail technicians different?

What a public liability insurance policy covers

Public liability insurance covers you against any compensation claims that are made against you by someone who alleges that they’ve suffered an injury or had their property damaged due to something that you have done or failed to do.

It pays any compensation that is awarded, but it also covers the claimant’s associated expenses. This might include taxi fares if the claimant had to attend hospital appointments. It could also include the cost of any equipment that the claimant needs to deal with their injury. If the claimant was unable to work due to their injury their loss of income is also covered.

Public liability insurers have teams that specialise in dealing compensation claims and the complex legal arguments they can involve. This means you don’t have to deal with complex legal arguments yourself. Any legal fees incurred in handling the compensation claims are also covered.

What claims are covered?

Public liability insurance covers compensation claims that have been made against you by someone who believes that you have done something, or failed to do something, and that has resulted in an injury to them or damaged to their property.

As an example, if you spill nail varnish onto a client’s clothing or property they may claim compensation from you to cover the cost of cleaning or replace the property that was stained by the nail varnish.

That would result in a relatively small compensation claim, but if you left an item in a walkway, it could result in someone tripping over it and breaking their wrist in the fall. That compensation claim may end up with a settlement cost in the region of £20,000.

As well as things you’ve done leading to claims, things you’ve failed to do can also lead to claims. Failing to warn people that you’ve recently mopped a floor can result in people slipping. If a spinal injury occurred as a result of someone slipping on a wet floor, the compensation claim may well end up costing over £250,000.

How does nail technicians’ public liability insurance differ?

A bespoke nail technician’s public liability insurance policy contains a number of important differences because nail technicians might find themselves uninsured for certain compensation claims if they relied on a standard public liability insurance policy.

Nail technicians need products liability insurance. Public liability insurance provides cover if you have done something or have failed to do something and a compensation claim arises. Products liability insurance also covers compensation claims but covers claims arising due to defects in products that you have supplied or sold.

The treatment risk cover extension is also important. Standard public liability insurance does not cover compensation claims that arise as a result of professional activities. Providing nail services is deemed to be a professional activity. If you do not have the treatment risk cover extension, many potential compensation claims would not be covered.

The financial loss cover extension is also important. A standard public liability insurance policy will only cover a compensation claim if it involves an injury or damage to third party property. It does not cover compensation claims involving purely economic losses. A financial loss cover extension will address this issue.

Darragh Timlin

With over 25 years’ experience, Darragh is an expert in all things insurance. Starting his career in commercial property underwriting, Darragh has worked for a number of global insurers and is now Managing Director of Salon Saver, part of the wider Henry Seymour Group.

All articles by Darragh Timlin