Working in the realm of beauty means that you often have to work on other people and serve them. Whether you’re running a permanent makeup business, spa, tanning salon, or maybe a face painting business , it’s always a good idea to get the right kind of business insurance so you’re always covered. The same can be said for makeup insurance, which will be the subject of this guide
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We’re going to explore what you need to know about the various forms of insurance coverage available for makeup artists and discuss what you can expect to pay for your policy. We’ll also give you a general overview of some of the top makeup artist insurance companies on the market.
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Makeup artist liability insurance protects you from third-party claims. This is primarily offered as a general liability policy. However, there are other options as well such as professional liability insurance and public liability insurance. Let’s discuss these three in more detail.
General liability insurance is the primary protection for makeup artists. It covers you from the most common and damaging situations. Here are some examples:
The client didn’t tell you that she is allergic to specific makeup brands. Coincidentally, you used a makeup brand to which the client is allergic
You were blading a client’s eyebrow. The client suddenly twitched and this caused the blade to slip. This resulted in you wounding the client
The client was using her phone while you were applying liquid makeup on her face. For some reason, you spilled the liquid makeup on the client’s phone and clothes.
As you might have guessed from the above examples, general liability insurance will provide protection if you injure the client or destroy the client’s property. In practice, this insurance policy will help you compensate the client for his or her pain, suffering, and economic losses due to damaged property. General liability will also pay for defense, settlements, and other legal costs if the client takes the matter to court.
General liability insurance provides more protection if you decide to add optional policies to it. Optional policies common in makeup artist general liability insurance are:
Products and completed operations
Advertising injury coverage
Products and completed operations coverage in general liability insurance will protect you from personal injury claims and property damage claims past clients file.
Your business might be accused of copying another business’s ad, badmouthing a client or another business, or falsely advertising services. Claims filed due to any of these causes will be very expensive. That’s why general liability insurance has advertising injury coverage that will shoulder defense costs and settlements for slander claims, defamation claims, copyright infringement claims, and false advertising claims.
Public liability insurance is popular among makeup artists because of how affordable and useful it is compared to other kinds of liability insurance. While it may not protect you from as many people as general liability coverage, public liability insurance is cheaper on its own as a standalone policy and it covers you from members of the public, who are generally the most likely to sue or have claims against your makeup business.
Members of the public include any third parties that come to your place of business, including your customers. Members of the public also include suppliers who are coming to restock your beauty supplies and even people who are just walking by your business and end up getting injured on your property.
You might commit a mistake while providing a makeup service. It’s also likely for a client to accuse you of being negligent. Committing a mistake and being negligent are valid grounds for a client to file a claim, and professional liability insurance will protect you.
Professional liability insurance will cover costs if a client sues you for the following:
Negligence - A client told you not to use a particular makeup brand because she’s allergic to it. You forgot this instruction and proceeded to use the makeup brand that you’re told not to use
Omissions - Before hiring you for a wedding, it was agreed that you’ll have to provide a makeup service for all of the client’s bridesmaids. While working, an emergency happened and you have to excuse yourself without telling the client. Only a few bridesmaids had their makeup done as a result
Inaccurate advice - During a makeup service, a client asked you what would be the best makeup for her job interview. You gave your suggestion and the client agreed. However, the result didn’t meet expectations.
Professional liability insurance is also known as errors and omissions insurance or professional indemnity insurance. For lawyers, surgeons, veterinarians, social workers, and other related professionals, this is also known as malpractice insurance.
We recommend you have professional liability insurance and general liability insurance. It’s because these policies work in tandem to give you the best protection against third-party claims.
Personal injury claims, property damage claims, and negligence claims aren’t the only exposures you’re facing. That’s why it’s not bad if you get other business insurance policies for makeup artists namely:
Commercial property insurance
Workers compensation insurance
If you’re a makeup artist providing services in his or her shop, commercial property insurance will be very useful. Your shop might get damaged or destroyed. Commercial property insurance will cover expenses if any of the two happens.
Fire and extreme weather might destroy your commercial building. Reconstructing it will surely take a lot of money. However, if you have commercial property insurance, you’ll surely have your building back because it will pay for reconstruction expenses.
Theft, vandalism, fire, extreme weather, and other related perils might damage your commercial building’s structures. Commercial property insurance will also take care of these by paying for building repair expenses.
Commercial property insurance has additional coverages you can decide to purchase for better protection. These are:
Business equipment and tools coverage
Stocks and contents coverage
Business equipment and tools coverage in commercial property insurance will cover all the tools and equipment you’re using to provide makeup services to clients. This will reimburse your losses if the following gets damaged or lost because of fire, theft, and other covered perils:
Brushes
Mirrors
Tweezers
Reclining chairs
Cosmetic spatulas
Cosmetic palettes
Makeup LED lights
Other tools and equipment comprising a typical makeup kit
Concealers, moisturizers, and other related products are very costly. This is why insurance companies include stocks and contents coverage in commercial property insurance. If concealers, moisturizers, and other related products are damaged because of fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered perils, stocks and contents coverage will reimburse your losses.
Good thing you asked. Commercial property insurance excludes damage or destruction to your commercial building due to an earthquake or flood. Protect your commercial building against earthquakes through specialized earthquake insurance. To cover a flood, you need tailored flood insurance .
Workers' compensation insurance is a must if you’re a makeup artist working with employees. Your employees might experience carpal tunnel, allergies, and other injuries or illnesses associated with makeup service. As the employer, it’s your responsibility to take care of treatment, hospitalization, rehabilitation, and lost income compensation.
Of course, you don’t want to use personal funds or business funds when doing so. That’s why there’s workers' compensation insurance available. If an employee suffers from a work-related injury or disease, workers' compensation insurance will be the one to pay for rehab, treatment, hospitalization, and compensation for lost income.
Speaking of compensation for lost income, how much will the employee receive? Workers' compensation insurance will provide two-thirds of an eligible employee’s average weekly wage. For example, if your makeup service business’s employee makes $1,256 per week. The amount of lost income compensation workers comp provides will be $841.52.
Labor laws or workers comp laws (depending on which applies in your state) mandate the purchase of workers comp insurance and punish violators. The punishment differs from state to state. Here are some examples:
| When to Get Workers Compensation Insurance | Punishment for Not Getting Workers Compensation Insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | Employers with one or more employees need to get workers' compensation insurance regardless if such employees are part-time, full-time, regular, or contractual. An exception applies to sole proprietors, partnerships, farmers/agriculture, and domestic service. | Authorities impose a $1,000 fine for each violator multiplied by the number of days insurance isn’t purchased. Employers might also face felony charges punishable by 2-year imprisonment and $10,000 fine upon conviction |
| Oregon | Employers with one or more part-time or full-time employees need workers' compensation insurance. However, an exception applies if the business’s monthly payroll is less than $500 | Authorities will impose a fine equal to twice the amount the employer would’ve paid for workers' compensation insurance premiums. If the employer continues not to get workers comp, a $250 fine will be imposed multiplied by the number of days workers compensation insurance isn’t in force |
| New Hampshire | Employers must get workers compensation insurance as soon as there are one or more part-time or full-time employees*Note: family members - nieces, sons, daughters, etc. - helping with the business are considered as employees to be covered with workers comp under New Hampshire’s Workers' Compensation Law RSA 281-A: 5 | First-time violators will face a fixed $1,000 fine. Repeat violations will face a $1,000 fine plus a $100 fine multiplied by the number of employees not covered by workers' compensation insurance |
| Washington | Authorities require businesses having one or more employees to get workers' compensation insurance*Note: Independent contractors are considered employees | An employer who fails to provide workers' compensation will be fined a $1,000 fine or an amount twice the cost of workers comp insurance premiums, whichever is greater |
| Massachusetts | All employers operating in Massachusetts are required to carry workers' compensation insurance for their employees. Sole proprietors also need to get workers' compensation insurance. | Minimum fines are $100 per day, including weekends and holidays, beginning on the date the penalty was issued. Fines accrue daily until insurance coverage starts and the fine is paid. |
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Insurance for makeup artist businesses that operate with freelancers tends to be more affordable than that for more established businesses for a range of reasons. The first and most obvious reason why it’s cheaper is because there is a lesser risk since a freelancer typically works on their own.
A freelancer will also typically deal with fewer clients over the course of a year than an established business, meaning that they’ll be a lot less likely to get sued. All of this comes together to result in surprisingly affordable makeup insurance policies when purchased by freelancers.
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Self-taught makeup artist insurance tends to be a little more affordable than insurance for larger businesses, but it’s a little pricier than freelance coverage because the insurance company doesn’t have as much trust in you. Remember that an insurer doesn’t necessarily know you, so they only have your education and history to judge you by.
So what are the policies offered in self-taught makeup artist insurance? Self-taught makeup artist insurance offers the following:
| Policy | What’s Covered |
|---|---|
| General liability insurance | Bodily injuries, property damage, advertising injuries |
| Professional Liability insurance | Violation of good faith, negligence, misrepresentation, and other acts constituting errors and omissions |
| Loss of income insurance | Covers losses if a self-taught makeup artist is interrupted from providing a service and generating income |
| Tools and equipment insurance | Covers the tools and equipment of a self-taught makeup artist that were damaged on-site or off-site because of fire, extreme weather, and other covered perils |
If you taught yourself how to do makeup, there’s no guarantee that you’re actually good at it or qualified, even if you might be. Unfortunately, this means that you’ll end up paying more for your insurance, but the increase in price shouldn’t be that high due to the relatively low average cost of makeup artist insurance.
Mobile makeup artists go to their clients' places to provide a service. If you’re one of them, then know that a tailored insurance plan won’t only include general liability, professional liability, and commercial property insurance. Specialized protection will also have commercial auto insurance.
Commercial auto insurance will cover the van you’re using to meet clients and carry equipment and tools as well as makeup products. This offers the following protection:
Auto liability coverage - Commercial auto insurance will cover expenses if you caused a vehicular accident. It will pay for the medical treatment of injured parties and will reimburse owners who had their property damaged. Defense costs and settlements are also covered if someone decides to sue you
Physical damage coverage - Commercial auto insurance has a physical damage coverage that will pay for parts replacement or repair. Physical damage coverage has two forms - collision and comprehensive. Collision physical damage coverage will pay for parts repair or replacement if the commercial vehicle was damaged by colliding with an object or another vehicle. Comprehensive, physical damage coverage, on the other hand, will pay for parts replacement or repair if the damage is caused by fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered perils
As we’ve already mentioned in passing, the cost of insurance coverage for a makeup artist can vary dramatically based on the kind of work they do and their qualifications. Beyond the makeup artist themselves, insurers will also consider the size of the makeup business that they’re working with.
The average makeup artist insurance cost for a $1 million general liability coverage is relatively cheap, about $26 per month or $312 per year.
At the end of the day, the cost of your makeup artist insurance depends on the amount of risk that the insurer is taking on your behalf. If you’re seeing multiple clients per day, then it’s likely that you’re at a higher risk of getting sued by one of them, which will increase your insurance premiums.
Also, the cost of your insurance will depend on your history as a makeup artist, so if you’re known to make mistakes while doing your job, you’ll also have a higher premium.
| Company | Cost per month | Cost per year | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| CoverWallet | $20 | $240 | Comparing the quotes of insurance companies available for makeup artists online |
| Thimble | $23 | $276 | Comparing the quotes of insurance policies available for makeup artists online |
| BBI | $27 | $324 | Small makeup businesses |
| Elite Beauty Society | $30 | $360 | Larger makeup businesses |
Instead of having to search through countless companies for a decent makeup artist insurance quote, you might want to use our quotes comparison tool by clicking one of the 'Get Quotes' buttons on this page, completing the form, and comparing cheap makeup artist insurance quotes and coverage options online from some of the best makeup artist insurance companies in America.
You also might want to take a look at the companies we've reviewed below. We’ve gathered them here so that you know their pros, cons, and pricing for a $1 million general liability coverage.
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CoverWallet doesn’t have tailored makeup artist insurance. However, it has an online quotes comparison platform you can use to find carriers that cover your business. Using it won’t take long. All you have to do is provide the details of your business, and you’ll then receive the offers and pricing of different makeup artist insurance companies. Another way to get covered is to ask CoverWallet representatives if you can qualify for the company’s beauty & salon insurance.
Best for: Comparing the quotes of insurance companies available for makeup artists online
Average cost: $20 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Get insured in an instant
Choose not to have a deductible
Get covered for only hours, days, weeks, or months
Customer service is not reachable via phone
Thimble offers general liability and professional liability insurance. Though not very comprehensive, this company’s insurance for makeup artists still holds water. Why? It’s because you can purchase it as an on-demand and a temporary policy. Get insured fast and choose to have coverage for hours, days, weeks, or months
Best for: On-demand makeup artist insurance
Average cost: $23
Our rating: 9/10
Affordable
General and professional liability coverage
High coverage limits
Not too many coverage options
Beauty and Bodywork Insurance isn’t a traditional insurance company since they’re actually a risk purchasing group, which means that they’re a bunch of people who have pooled their resources for group insurance. They operate in the makeup industry, as well as face painting and massage therapy.
BBI offers a policy that combines general and professional liability for makeup artists, with a limit of $3 million and $2 million per occurrence. Their coverage also offers up to $300,000 of coverage for damage to premises rented, and it even has a $2000 limit on inland marine and personal business property coverage.
Best for: Small makeup businesses
Average Cost: $27
Our Rating: 8/10
Offers monthly payment
$2 million in liability coverage (general and professional)
$100,000 in rental property damage protection
A little more expensive
The Elite Beauty Society isn’t exactly an insurance company, but they’re a network of beauty professionals that exists to support each other, including providing each other with insurance opportunities. This society has been in operation since 2015, and they started off as Beauty Insurance Plus.
Elite Beauty Society offers two plans for makeup artist insurance, one of which lasts one year and the other which lasts two years. They also offer a discount for students who are still in beauty school.
Best for: Larger makeup businesses
Average Cost: $30
Our Rating: 7/10
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This place is an absolute joke of a company and should be ashamed of the way they conduct business. I was hurt on the job at the end of July and it took them just shy of 7 weeks to issue out a paycheck to me. Yes the amount was back dated but still. Not many have the luxury of not receiving a paycheck for almost 2 months. To top it all off, the original adjuster marked me down for the wrong state which caused a problem from the get go, I've had 3 different adjusters now since each one can't seem to figure out the simplicity of my claim. All my paperwork which includes, my job, house, and drs visits all are from the same state and city but yet some how I have been filed under a completely different state 1500 miles away. They do not answer your phone calls or emails no matter how many you leave. I've had to escalate my frustrations to the supervisors of each of these individuals in order to even get some kind of response. I've had more communication and information given to me about my claim from the customer service representatives then the actual adjusters.......... please tell me how that works?! A serious overhaul needs to happen here in order to serve your clients the way they deserve to be taken care of. 10/10 do not recommend this company to a single soul on earth
I have never had the displeasure of working with a more incompetent and disrespectful person in my life. I’m an injured worker and the adjuster that was assigned to my case was named Carrie Furgeson. In the past 6 weeks that I’ve been injured and out of work I have only been able to get ahold of her twice, not for lack of trying. I have left countless voicemails, countless emails, and she ignores them all. When I am finally able to get ahold of her I’m greeted with terrible customer service. She is rude, she talks over me and I’m hardly able to get a word in edgewise. She spelled my name wrong on my documents even after I spelled it for her properly countless times, this caused a whole new issue with my bank. I have bill collectors from the hospital calling me demanding payment and Carrie Furgeson won’t do a single thing to help, or to get them paid. All of my documentation is in Colorado, my job is in Colorado, my address is in Colorado, all my Dr offices and appointments have been in Colorado and Carrie still managed to hold my claim because she wasn’t sure what state she needed to file it under. It’s been 6 weeks since my Injury and my company still hasn’t received the wage paperwork to fill out so they can get me my correct wages. When she’s not ignoring me she’s answering my questions with “I don’t know” well I don’t know how she got this job, because apparently she doesn’t know anything about it. She is a disgusting morose individual inside and out and I genuinely wish her the worst in all of her future endeavors. I highly recommend you don’t use this company. Please if you are a business owner and your looking into this company please don’t use them. I’m sure they have the cheapest payment and that’s why companies use them in the first place, but you will be doing your employees a grave disservice by forcing them to venture into this absolute dumpster fire of a company. I would rate 0/5 if possible but 1 was the lowest I was allowed.
Their general liability insurance purchase process is simply the best online experience I've ever had in my life!
As long as they cover your line of business, you're literally covered! best rates, best coverage, best online experience, best professionals, can't be happier that I chose them!
It really can't get any better than this... wow
Not all those who wander are lost.
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