Salon Insurance Basics

Over the past 30 years, the indoor tanning industry has undergone some tremendous changes and today’s market is more competitive than when the industry began. However, a healthy mix of independent salons, larger chains and franchises are available to serve approximately 30 million tanners—and, regardless of size, those salons are subject to unique risks due to the presence of ultraviolet tanning equipment, as well as many of the other new and innovative services today’s indoor tanning salons offer.

As a business owner, you should never consider going uninsured. As a salon owner, you should consider tanning salon-specific insurance a necessity of running your business; without it, the risks to your salon—and you individually—are considerable. A light should go off when your landlord asks you for proof of insurance and you don’t have it.

Many new salon owners are not aware that insurance on a tanning salon is not as easy to procure as other small businesses, and insurance decisions can be overwhelming for those new to the industry or unfamiliar with the exposures unique to indoor tanning. Fortunately, there are a handful of excellent insurance programs specifically designed for tanning salons—this is the way to go. You will be guided through a series of questions and be provided with insurance protection that is tailor-made for you. The best part is that you may be surprised at how affordable a well-rounded insurance portfolio can be, especially when it gives you peace of mind regarding adequate insurance protection.

When applying for insurance, make sure that your policy has at least three basic coverages—professional liability, business liability and property coverage. Of course, there are many other coverages available, but these three are the basic minimums that you should procure before you even open your doors.

In addition to those three coverages, there are many other types of insurance that you should discuss with your agent when purchasing or renewing your salon policy. The following is a list of some of the more common types of coverage.