Makeup Artist Liability Insurance
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 for Makeup Artists
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 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.
Makeup Artist Public Liability Insurance
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.
Makeup Artist Professional Liability Insurance
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.
Liability Insurance Isn’t The Only Protection You Need
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
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 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:
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.
If an Earthquake or Flood Happens, Will Commercial Property Insurance Cover Me?
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
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.
Is Workers Compensation Insurance Enforceable?
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. |
