Whenever you run a business where you have people come through your doors; For instance, when running a hair salon, microblading studio, beauty center, or tattoo studio - it’s a good idea to carry the right business insurance. If you have a solid policy from a reliable carrier, you won’t have to spend every day worrying about what might happen if a client files a lawsuit or when commercial property gets damaged.
Whether you're a self-employed tattooist or a tattoo shop owner, it can be challenging to determine how much you can expect to pay and what are the policies to choose for your tattoo insurance. Here's a guide that will help.
Society has embraced the idea of having tattoos. And so, many make a living either by running their own tattoo studio or working as independent or employed tattoo artists. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the median income of tattoo artists is $23.62 an hour or $49,120 a year.
With that being said, tattoo services can be a stable and lucrative source of income right now. However, just like any other profession out there, it comes with risks. These risks are:
Accidents that might cause personal injuries or property damage to clients
Negligence and errors resulting in economic or financial loss to the client
Damage to commercial property
Accidents the commercial vehicle causes
Tattoo liability insurance is the first kind of insurance that tattoo artists and tattoo shops need. There are several types. The most common ones included in tattoo artist insurance and tattoo shop insurance are:
General liability insurance
Professional liability insurance
Public liability insurance
General liability coverage in tattoo artist liability insurance functions to provide money if the tattoo artist or tattoo shop/studio is accused of causing injuries or property damage to the client.
There are a lot of hazardous equipment and substances used in tattoo service. Examples are inks, needles, razors, and tattoo machines. Spilled ink if not removed immediately from the floor can cause the guest to slip and fall or stain their belongings. Needles and razors can cause cuts and lacerations. Finally, tattoo machines have cords that, if not kept well, will cause the client to trip.
Personal injury and property damage lawsuits against tattoo artists and tattoo studios are not cheap. Court judgments can sometimes demand compensation for the aggrieved party’s losses that amount to hundreds or even millions of dollars. For this reason, getting general liability insurance is essential.
General Liability insurance for tattoo artists and tattoo studios will take care of property damage and personal injury claims from a client, vendor, visitor, or any other third parties. In practice, this type of tattoo parlor insurance will pay for attorney fees, other legal costs, and compensation if the claimant wins the legal battle.
Some insurance companies offer general liability insurance with rented premises liability coverage. This one is useful for tattoo studio owners or tattoo artists renting a commercial space. When fire damages the rented commercial space, rented premises liability coverage will reimburse the losses of the property owner on behalf of the policyholder
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Copyright infringement is another exposure that tattoo artists and tattoo studios might face. This can happen when:
The tattoo artist or tattoo studio gave a tattoo to a client referencing a particular image without knowing that the image is actually an intellectual property
The client asked the tattoo artist or tattoo studio to have a tattoo based on a copyrighted image
Copyright infringement lawsuits can really happen, and they’re expensive. Here’s an example:
Photographer, Jeff Sedlik, sued famous tattoo artist, Kat Von D, who used his photograph of a famous jazz musician as a reference for a client’s tattoo. The said lawsuit amounts to $150,000
General liability coverage in tattoo artist or tattoo studio insurance provides protection against copyright infringement lawsuits. However, it can only do so if it comes with advertising injury coverage on its terms. Advertising injury coverage takes care of copyright infringement claims, slander claims, libel claims, and other forms of advertising or reputational harm.
Tattoo artists and tattoo studios all follow health protocols to avoid causing permanent injuries to their clients. In the US, state and local health departments regulate and implement guidelines for proper tattoo practice. With that said, clients might file a claim if the tattoo or tattoo shop commits the following:
Failure to use clip cord/sleeve for the tattoo machine
Failure to store tattoo equipment neatly and properly
Failure to change gloves or wear gloves while working
Reusing needles or cartridges
Failure to sterilize tattoo equipment
Professional negligence lawsuits are costly. Compensation to the victim starts at $10,000 - $30,000 for minor injuries. In case of severe infections that result in scarring of the skin and other permanent injuries, a tattoo shop or tattoo artist might have to pay $100,000 - $500,000 to the victim.
Professional liability insurance in tattoo business insurance provides protection from any professional negligence lawsuit against a tattoo artist or tattoo shop. It provides $1 million up to $2 million so that the policyholder can pay for legal costs, attorney fees, and compensation for damages.
Professional liability insurance also covers incidents where the tattoo artist or tattoo shop is accused of not following the instructions of the client or giving the client an infected tattoo. Here are some examples:
Blank Ink tattoo was sued by a customer who reported that her tattoo was oozing liquids and was painful
A client sued Ceaser's tattoo shop for $500,000 after her tattoo became infected
A client sued for $11,520 after the tattoo artist left her face with numerous star marks when she only asked for three
Tattoo public liability insurance is a policy that offers protection against customers, vendors, and other third parties filing a personal injury claim or property damage claim. Yes, in a way, general liability insurance and public liability insurance are the same. But still, you need to know that:
General liability insurance includes the language of public liability insurance
General liability insurance can take care of advertising injury claims or reputational harm claims public liability insurance can’t
General liability insurance comes with a rented premises liability coverage whereas public liability insurance doesn’t have this
To put it simply, the main difference between general liability insurance and public liability insurance is that the former is more comprehensive while the latter is very limited in its scope.
Tattoo shops don't only have to worry about their liability to third parties. There are other perils to think about such as the destruction of stocks, business equipment, and other physical assets. And so, tailored tattoo shop insurance or tattoo studio insurance includes commercial property insurance.
The primary function of commercial property insurance is to cover the commercial building of the tattoo studio. It will:
Reimburse the losses of the policyholder if fire or extreme weather totally destroys the commercial building. The amount of reimbursement is equal to the current market value or the original market value of the commercial building
Reimburse losses of the policyholder if fire, extreme weather, vandalism, theft, and other covered perils caused damage to the commercial building. The amount of reimbursement is equal to the value of the damage incurred
There’s business equipment and tools coverage in commercial property insurance for tattoo studios. Business equipment and tools coverage’s function is to reimburse losses when tools and equipment used in tattoo service become lost or damaged due to theft, fire, vandalism, and other covered perils. Common tools and equipment covered are:
Tattoo beds or reclining chairs
Tattoo machines
Tattoo scanner and design computer
Tattoo lighting systems/kits
Aside from equipment and tools, there are other valuables such as tattoo inks, tattoo needles and needle sterilizers, and sanitary kits. What covers this in case of damage or loss due to fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered perils is stocks and contents coverage - another inclusion in commercial property insurance.
Some tattoo artists and studios don’t do business in a fixed commercial space but instead, take their services to the client’s personal space. And aside from liability insurance policies, they will also find commercial auto insurance useful.
Commercial auto insurance covers exposures associated with using a vehicle for commercial purposes. It offers the following protection:
Auto liability coverage
Physical damage coverage
Emergency roadside assistance
A tattoo artist’s or tattoo studio’s commercial vehicle might cause an accident on the road. In connection, the function of auto liability coverage in commercial auto insurance is to cover the medical expenses of injured third parties. This will also reimburse the losses of individuals whose property incurred damage due to the accident.
Physical damage coverage has two forms - collision and comprehensive. Collision physical damage coverage will take care of parts repair or replacement if the commercial vehicle got damaged because it collided with an object or another vehicle while running. As for the second type - comprehensive physical damage coverage - it will take care of parts repair or replacement if fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered perils damaged the commercial vehicle.
The resulting out-of-pocket expenses are very expensive when the commercial vehicle suddenly experiences issues on the road - dead battery, flat tire, running out of gas, etc. This is why commercial auto insurance for tattoo artists and tattoo shops includes emergency roadside assistance. Emergency roadside assistance will reimburse what was spent on gas delivery, tire delivery, tire repair, battery jump start service, and more.
The hands are the bread and butter of tattoo artists. Severe injuries to the hands will make it impossible for tattoo artists to work. While it’s not possible for tattoo artists to insure their hands only, it’s possible to get protection against injuries to the hand and other body parts through worker's compensation insurance.
Tattoo artists can get worker's comp insurance for themselves so that they’ll have a policy that provides coverage for the treatment of hand injuries and lost income compensation.
Tattoo shops can get worker's compensation insurance as soon as one or more individuals are hired. Failure to get workers compensation insurance is punishable by law.
One thing to note though is that workers comp will only apply if a work-related injury impaired the hands.
With that said, if a tattoo artist's hands got injured during a car accident, then workers comp won’t provide coverage even if it’s active. And so, we recommend tattoo artists also get disability insurance for themselves as it will cover injuries that didn’t happen at work.
Workers comp insurance and disability insurance are almost the same in the sense that:
Both have an elimination period, which is the length of time the policyholder has to wait before receiving money through insurance
Provides money based on the policyholder’s income
Helps to pay for hospitalization and other medical expenses
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Yes, there is. Tattoo artists who run their own small studios, do tattoo sessions in their house, or at the house of the client can opt to get self-employed tattooist insurance. This has general liability coverage and professional liability coverage. For tattoo artists who go to their client’s address for tattoo sessions, self-employed tattooist insurance also offers commercial auto insurance as an additional option.
Tattoo shop insurance cost $35.92 a month or $431.04 a year and gives the policyholder $1 million general liability coverage
Professional liability insurance for tattoo shops and artists starts at $28.67 a month or $344.04 a year
Public liability insurance for tattoo shops and artists is $30 a month or $360 a year
For further reference, here are the specific rates of the best tattoo shop insurance companies:
| Company | Cost per month | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|
| CoverWallet | $34 | $408 |
| Thimble | $42 | $504 |
| Allen Financial Group | $45 | $540 |
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There’s no absolute best tattoo insurance company for tattoo artists and tattoo shops. Each company has its own pros and cons. With that said, here’s a review of the most trusty tattoo insurance company right now. Read to know their pros, cons, and rate for a $1 million general liability coverage.
| Insuranks rating | 10/10 |
|---|---|
| Best for | Tattoo shop and tattoo studio insurance quotes comparison online |
| Average cost | $34 per month |
| Year Founded | September 2015 and acquired by AON at 2020 |
| CEO | Inaki Beringuer (former) |
| Headquarters | 101 Avenue of the Americas 18th Floor New York, NY 10013 United States |
| Customer Support | (646) 844-9933 |
| AM Best Rating | A ( excellent) |
| BBB Rating | A+ |
| Number of Complaints | 158 |
Has an online quotes generator that customers can use to find accredited carriers that offer tattoo insurance, which are the partners of CoverWallet
Online policy management and certificate of insurance through the MyCoverWallet app
Get tattoo artist and tattoo parlor insurance quotes in within minutes
Has a live chat system for customers
Not a tattoo insurance carrier but more of an online quote comparison platform that offers the products of its partners to customers
CoverWallet is an insurance broker and not a tattoo insurance company. But still, it’s fine. This company has an online quotes comparison platform you can use to find insurance companies that offer tattoo studio insurance and tattoo artist insurance. Getting a quote is easy. All you have to do is provide basic information about your line of work and insurance quotes will be provided within minutes.
Choose to work with CoverWallet because it has live insurance agents who will help you decide what policies to purchase and how much insurance coverage to have. Insurance agents are also ready to help you find the right endorsements for your tattoo business insurance for the most comprehensive protection.
| Insuranks rating | 9/10 |
|---|---|
| Best for | Henna Tattoo Artists |
| Average cost | $42 per month |
| Year Founded | 2015 |
| CEO | Jay Bregman |
| Headquarters | New York City |
| Customer Support | hello@verifly.com |
| AM Best Rating | A+ ( excellent) |
| BBB Rating | A+ |
| Number of Complaints | 53 |
Offers short-term tattoo artist insurance that lasts for an hour, a day, or a month
Insures tattoo artists within minutes
Allows the policyholder to get an online certificate of insurance
Only offers general liability coverage for tattoo artists
Only insures Henna tattoo artists
Thimble offers insurance for henna tattoo artists. Its tailored insurance only offers general liability coverage with a $1 million - $2 million policy limit.
This company is perfect for Henna tattoo artists who only work part-time or during events. So why is this? This company’s henna tattoo insurance is available as an on-demand and short-term insurance plan. Meaning that customers will get covered the day they decide to be insured. Furthermore, they can choose to only have coverage for hours, weeks, days, or months.
| Insuranks rating | 7/10 |
|---|---|
| Best for | Tattoo shops, all kinds of tattoo artists, and tattoo removal specialists |
| Average cost | $45 per month |
| Year Founded | 1971 |
| CEO | Brent Allen |
| Headquarters | Jackson, Mississippi, United States |
| Customer Support | (800) 874-9191 |
| AM Best Rating | N/A |
| BBB Rating | N/A |
| Number of Complaints | N/A |
Insures tattoo shops, traveling tattoo artists, tattoo apprentices, guest tattoo artists, mobile tattoo studios, etc.
Has a lot of tattoo insurance programs
Tattoo insurance has a $2 million aggregate limit and a per-occurrence limit of $1 million
Non-profit tattoo organizations might not qualify for Allen Financial Group’s tattoo insurance
Allen Financial Group’s tattoo insurance is available for tattoo students, traveling tattoo artists, employed tattoo artists, freelance tattoo artists, mobile tattoo studios, and more. The inclusions of this company’s tailored insurance are general liability insurance, professional liability insurance, commercial property insurance, and abuse and molestation insurance. In addition, there are also specially underwritten insurance products such as minor tattooing insurance, guest artist insurance, and tattoo apprenticeship program insurance.
Only you can find the best tattoo insurance coverage. Don’t get insured without looking at the quotes of carriers. Get quotes from as many carriers as possible and compare pricing. By doing so, you’ll find the best coverage that doesn’t only meet your needs but your budget too. Start comparing using our online quotes generator tool. Click the “Get Quotes” button to start.
References
Use anyone except Employers. Period. They are non-transparent and shameful. After I complained long enough to warrant a call from a supervisor, the supervisor called back from a PRIVATE NUMBER (no caller ID), left a message that they are not reversing their decision (without any communication with me), and failed to leave a phone number for me to call back. She was hiding! They also fact find via email and phone calls, which is terrific for speed and communication. However, after setting a precedence of email or phone calls, they send time sensitive information via email, without any heads up... they are hoping you miss it and forfeit via expiration. Evil policies. Go elsewhere.
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!
Not all those who wander are lost.
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