One key aspect associated with owning or managing a profitable business is securing proper insurance coverage. The multiple liability exposures unique to the indoor tanning industry create an uncommon need for certain coverages, one of which is Professional Liability coverage.
Professional Liability should be the basis of any indoor tanning salon owner’s business insurance policy. This vital coverage protects the salon against accidents of negligent acts that may arise out of its profession. For example, Professional Liability protects the salon against claims made by customers who claim they’ve suffered from overexposure. Even if your salon is trying to do everything right – all employees are certified, tanners are skin-typed, new clients are only allowed to tan for a shorter period of time, and more – your salon can still be prosecuted.
Irresponsible tanners can pose as a threat to your business because you don’t know when and how often they are tanning elsewhere. They may tan at your salon and then head to Mexico, where they then get sunburned or tan at their condo complex where there is no one to monitor their tanning time (and probably no one to even clean the bed before or after someone tans). Needless to say, irresponsible tanning can lead to sunburn, premature skin aging, cataracts and other skin and eye diseases. To reduce the chance for a claim like this to happen at your salon, make sure that you and your staff are taking all the necessary precautions to be a safely operated business.
While we are all human, overexposure and other skin diseases can also occur from operator error. For example, a new staff member overestimates the amount of time a client can go tanning ... or better yet, the new staff member thinks they are being nice and asks the client, “How long do you want to go today?” This happens all too often and it needs to be stopped. The employees that are controlling the amount of time that someone tans need to be educated in indoor tanning. Customers who suffer injuries from UV equipment can attempt to hold the salon liabile by filing a lawsuit – this could be considered a Professional Liability claim.
The Professional Liability claims might not be as common as “trip and fall” claims, but when they occur, they usually have a pretty severe price tag. That being said, make sure that your policy includes Professional Liability for the UV exposure, and if you offer other services, make sure they are added onto your policy as well. Other professional services include those of beauticians, estheticians, manicurists, airbrush tanning and more. Before you add any service, talk to your insurance agent to make sure your current policy can cover the exposure and to get an estimate on the increased premium. (The more services you offer, the more coverages you need to make sure you’ve accounted for.)
Also remember to TRAIN your staff. There are so many different types of “training” out there. Make sure you are using an industry-experienced training company that is well-versed in the nuances of indoor tanning. Feel free to contact our office and we can give you some recommendations. In addition to receiving a greater knowledge of the industry, you can also save some money on your insurance when going with a specialized company. That should show you how important it is to train your staff.
Jenny Bortman is an account executive for Universal Insurance, which has been serving professionals in the indoor tanning industry since 1993. For a competitive, personalized quote or additional information about Universal’s exclusive Tanning Salon program, call 800.844.2101 or visit www.uitanning.com.
Related Articles:
