Choosing an insurance provider for nail services
By Sophie Nutt | 14 February 2020 | Expert Advice, Feature
All technicians need public and products liability insurance. This type of insurance is inexpensive and will protect you from most situations involving products, whether as a result of an accident or an allergic reaction, for example. It often covers accidental damage to property and loss of products and tools, and has certain requirements in order to be valid.
Direct Line for Business
“Direct Line for Business insurance covers nail technicians whether you own your own salon, visit your clients, have clients to your home or rent a space in another salon,” says Jemma Holloway, hair & beauty product manager, Direct Line for Business. “It’s important to make sure you and any employees are suitably trained and qualified for the treatments you carry out. For trainees, they’ll have to have continuous supervision until they are fully qualified.
“We offer cover for Public Liability, which covers you if you accidentally drop someone’s property, for example by spilling some nail polish on a fancy new coat, and Treatments Liability if they become injured or unwell from the nail treatments, like a slip with an electric nail buffer. We also offer insurance for your equipment, if it’s damaged or stolen, any stock you hold for nail polishes and other products, as well as a host of other covers for your business.”
Direct Line for Business offers an insurance tool, allowing nail professionals to choose the policy features they need and change them at any time without paying any admin fees, meaning the tech only pays for the cover they need.
www.directlineforbusiness.co.uk
Associated Beauty Therapists (ABT)
“To be insured by ABT, nail technicians must have undertaken a nationally recognised qualification, or if they are taking a training course with a specific brand or independent training school, the course must be ABT accredited,” reveals Dave Horton, ABT director. “ABT accreditation is a simple, low cost and extremely efficient way for training providers to show their potential clients that they are approved, endorsed and eligible to offer ABT membership and insurance packages to them, so that students can be confident teaching is of a professional standard. If a course is not accredits, the treatments you offer after you’ve qualified wouldn’t be covered by your insurance policy.
“Being able to gain insurance is vital is an individual is working professionally as a nail technician, or in any area of the beauty or hair sectors, whether that’s in the salon, in your own home or in a client’s home if you work mobile. Being insured protects you against claims from clients should the worst happen, such as adverse reactions to products or injury during treatment or while visiting your business location, or if you damage a client’s property accidentally.
“While you’re training, taking out a student insurance policy will cover you for any nail treatments you may need to complete as part of your case studies. This is important, even if you are practicing on close fiends or family. Once you are qualified, you can then upgrade your policy to cover you to work professionally and charge for treatments.”
The British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology (BABTAC)
BABTAC is a membership organisation and insurance provider for professionals working in the beauty, holistic and sports therapy industries. With over 10,000 members, the not-for-profit company has been running for over 40 years, working to raise industry standards.
“For a nail professional to be insured by BABTAC, the training and qualifications required would be dependent on what procedures the technician carries out,” says a spokesperson from BABTAC. “If it is only for very basic manicure services, then we would expected a minimum of a recognised accredited course. Any manicures involving metal tools would not be able to be insured with us without the technician having completed a Level 2 or Level 3 beauty qualification.”