Is your aesthetics business insurance ready for a glow-up?

From Harley Street to the high street, many aestheticians and beauticians up and down the country see the business potential in providing the likes of fillers, facials and faradic toning.

While you carry out these procedures with the utmost care and expertise, having the right insurance can give you the peace of mind to administer treatments your clients want, knowing that safeguards are in place to help in the face of claims.

Administering aesthetics treatments in the UK today

Cosmetic procedures are becoming widely available, with tweakments being a quick lunch break treat or part of one’s self-care routine. In 2022 some 501,822 aesthetic procedures were carried out in the UK – and the rising demand for these procedures shows no signs of slowing down with the UK aesthetics industry projected to grow to over £5 billion by 2026.

From qualified beauticians looking to branch out, to dentists looking to offer therapeutics beyond the odd root canal, many specialists want to increase their breadth of service by offering additional beauty treatments to new and existing clients alike. Equally, clients want to see a well-trained specialist with the correct credentials.

In the same breath, the UK’s current regulatory framework places few restrictions on who can perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures. This means that whether you plan to administer the treatments (or even go under the needle yourself), the potential for risk and mishaps could be greater.

Rightly so, clients demand safety, a high level of skill and someone to take responsibility if something goes wrong.

What types of specialists can administer aesthetic treatments?

Currently, aesthetic professionals typically fall into two categories:

1. Regulated healthcare professionals – like nurses, dentists, doctors and pharmacists

2. Aesthetic practitioners – such as beauty therapists and tattoo artists

Healthcare regulators in the UK are responsible for making sure that healthcare professionals have the necessary skills and knowledge to work within the scope of their practice. For example, doctors must be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC), hold a licence to practise and meet the expected standards.

For non-medical professionals, there are no mandatory training requirements for practitioners but there are voluntary bodies that monitor the industry, such as:

• British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (BABTAC)
• National Hairdressing and Beauty Federation (NHBF)
• UK Spa Association (UKSA)

Regardless of your profession and whether you're offering invasive or non-invasive aesthetics treatments, one way that can help safeguard your business from claims is adequate and appropriate aesthetics insurance. Getting the right set of covers in place, specifically designed for your aesthetics business, can help against uninsured claims against you.

Looking to smooth out the wrinkles in your aesthetic treatment insurance?

The likes of treatment insurance is designed to cover you in the event that a treatment you provide causes a client to suffer an injury, illness, disease or permanent disfigurement – or even die.

This can cover damages you're liable to pay, including potential legal fees and costs associated with criminal inquiries into manslaughter or corporate homicide. In some cases, this type of insurance could see you or your employees compensated up to £250 a day for attending court should the worst happen.

What beauty treatments does Superscript cover?

Superscript's aesthetic treatment insurance can cover a range of invasive and non-invasive treatments like:

• Facial topical application
• Injectables, like botox and fillers
• Semi-permanent make-up
• Tattooing and tattoo removal
• Dissolvable thread lift
• Sunbeds

Superscript can also provide insurance for general beauty treatments like:

• Ear piercing
• Faradic toning
• Hair removal
• Manicure and pedicure
• Massage and more…

Take a look at the full treatment list for more information.

What other covers might an aesthetics provider need?

Running a beauty business often involves using specialist equipment, particularly for those with an expertise in injectables, laser treatments or semi-permanent makeup.

In this instance, business equipment insurance could be one for you. This can cover the cost of repairing or replacing accidentally damaged, lost or stolen equipment, including electronic essentials like your business laptop or phone. Both yours and your employees’ business equipment can be covered anywhere in the UK or temporarily worldwide.

As with any business, there are plenty of covers to choose from that might be beneficial depending on your needs. You might also want to consider including public liability insurance, which is designed to cover third parties — like your clients — from loss or damage to themselves or their property, and personal accident insurance which can cover you when you’ve had a mishap and are unable to work.

Another consideration for today’s business is cyber insurance, which is designed to help safeguard you and your business from the associated costs of claims regarding data leaks or cyber attacks. And let’s not forget, employers’ liability insurance – often a legal requirement for businesses with employees, part-time, freelance, temp, apprentice or otherwise.

Summary: Why might I need aesthetics treatment insurance?

Whether you need it or not is a decision for you to make. You might ask how great of an impact an uninsured business could have on you and your finances and let that steer your decision.

While it goes without saying that aesthetics insurance doesn’t prevent mistakes and mishaps, it could provide the right cover for you and your business if a claim is made against you.

Ultimately, aesthetics insurance tells your clients that you care about their welfare and tells your employees that you care about their careers and your shared reputations.

Find out more about aesthetic treatment insurance for your business.