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General liability insurance for personal care businesses

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General liability insurance

General liability insurance covers common business risks like customer injury, customer property damage, and advertising injury. It protects your small business from the high costs of lawsuits and helps you qualify for leases and contracts.

General liability covers common third-party risks

Massage therapists, estheticians, nail technicians, and other personal care professionals often see numerous clients in a single day. Because of the risk inherent in every client visit, general liability insurance is often the first policy they buy.

This policy helps cover expenses related to third-party injuries and property damage. It’s sometimes required in the terms of a commercial lease.

General liability insurance provides coverage related to:

  • Customer injuries
  • Customer property damage
  • Product liability
  • Advertising injuries, such as slander and libel

Bundle policies to save money and increase security

If you run a small business, you may be able to bundle general liability insurance with commercial property insurance in a business owner’s policy (BOP). A BOP for personal care businesses costs less than purchasing each policy separately.

Businesses that are eligible for a BOP typically:

  • Have fewer than 100 employees
  • Have a small office or workplace
  • Make less than $1 million in annual revenue
  • Operate in a low-risk industry
  • Need less than 12 months of business interruption insurance

Personal care businesses can sometimes add professional liability insurance to their BOP or general liability policy at a discounted rate. Talk to a licensed Insureon agent to find out more.

Find general liability insurance quotes for personal care businesses

What coverage can general liability provide for personal care companies?

Third-party bodily injuries

If a customer slips on a wet floor and breaks an arm at your day spa, you could be held liable for the injury. A lawsuit could result in significant financial burden for your small business. General liability insurance helps cover:

  • Medical bills
  • Attorney's fees
  • Settlements
  • Court-ordered judgments

This policy does not cover employee injuries. For that, you’ll need workers’ compensation insurance.

Third-party property damage

Accidents involving customer property can happen at any small business. A smartphone could be damaged in the steam room of your day spa, or a pair of glasses could slip off the counter while a client gets a haircut at your salon.

General liability insurance protects you when customer property is damaged. It can help cover the cost of repair or replacement of the damaged item. If a customer files a lawsuit, it can also help pay legal expenses, such as the cost of hiring an attorney.

Product liability insurance

If you sell personal care products, you take on additional liability. Product liability insurance helps pay for lawsuits related to injuries or property damage caused by products sold at your business. It's usually included in general liability insurance.

As an example, say a bottle of massage oil sold by a massage therapist causes a severe allergic reaction. Product liability insurance could pay the therapist's legal defense costs if the customer filed a lawsuit.

Advertising injuries

If you advertise, your business could be vulnerable to lawsuits. General liability insurance covers lawsuits related to advertising injuries, including:

  • Accidental copyright or brand infringement
  • Defamation, both libel (written) and slander (spoken)

 If you launch an advertising campaign through a magazine ad, social media page, or another medium, it’s important to protect yourself with this policy.

Other important policies to consider

General liability insurance protects against the basic risks of running a business. However, it doesn’t cover employee injuries, theft, and other risks. Personal care businesses can also benefit from:

Business owner’s policy: A BOP bundles general liability insurance with commercial property insurance, usually at a lower rate than if the policies were purchased separately. It can help your business recover from a fire, burst pipe, or burglary.

Professional liability insurance: This policy can cover legal costs related to business mistakes or decisions that result in a lawsuit, such a skin treatment that failed to produce promised results. It's also called errors and omissions insurance (E&O).

Workers’ compensation insurance: Workers' comp is required in most states for businesses that have employees. It covers medical costs and disability benefits for work-related injuries and illnesses.

Cyber insurance: This policy helps businesses recover financially from data breaches and cyberattacks. It's strongly recommended for any business that handles credit cards, email addresses, or other personal information.

Commercial auto insurance: This policy covers the cost of an accident involving a vehicle owned by your personal care business. Most states require this coverage for business-owned vehicles.

Get free quotes and buy online with Insureon

Are you ready to safeguard your personal care enterprise with general liability insurance? Complete Insureon’s easy online application to compare quotes from top U.S. insurers. Once you find a policy that fits your needs, you can begin coverage in less than 24 hours.

Updated: September 7, 2023
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