Opening up a full-service beauty salon is a great idea, especially if it's in an area where these types of services are not available. Services offered at salons can include manicures, hair coloring, facials, massages, and more, and these services are all popular for men and women. As you prepare to open a business like this, you will need to hire the right employees for the jobs, and you will also need to make sure you purchase the right types of commercial insurance policies. One type you will definitely want to get is called professional liability insurance.

What is professional liability insurance?

There are dozens of different types of insurance policies you can purchase for a business, including professional liability insurance. This type is not needed for all businesses, but it is extremely beneficial for service businesses, including beauty salons.

Professional liability insurance is designed to protect you, your employees, and your salon from mistakes, injuries, or problems that may occur as a result of the services you offer. A lot of insurance companies compare this type of insurance to medical malpractice insurance because it is similar in a way.

Why is this necessary for a beauty salon?

When people visit your salon for services, they will expect good and safe services. If something goes wrong during the visit or after a service was completed, a customer could sue your salon. If this happens, your professional liability insurance would kick in and pay any claims you are responsible for. Here are some examples of issues customers could sue you for:

• Burns or scars left from a facial peel
• Embarrassment from a stylist dying hair the wrong color or cutting the hair in a way that was not what the customer wanted
• Infections forming on nails after manicure or pedicure
• Pain from a massage a client received

Hiring good employees is a great way to reduce the potential problems you may have with your clients; however, there is nothing you can do to prevent people from suing. There will always be customers who are unhappy with a service your salon provides, and there can be times when you and your employees were not even at fault. Having this coverage is a necessity, though, if you want to prevent paying out large settlements if you are sued and lose.

If you would like to learn more about the types of coverages you will need for your new beauty salon, contact an insurance company such as Ratcliffe Insurance that specializes in commercial insurance.