As a tanning salon owner, it’s your responsibility to protect your customers, as well as your business and personal financial assets. Even if you follow best practices, maintain exceptional privacy, and have a strong reputation for safety and service, your tanning salon could be a target for lawsuits. Standard commercial insurance will cover a majority of your risks, but specialized tanning salon insurance policies are designed to protect your tanning salon. This coverage can protect you from a variety of risks, including liability charges brought by customers.
Fortunately, a local independent insurance agent can help you get set up with all the tanning salon insurance you need to protect your studio. They'll ensure you walk away with a policy that includes the appropriate coverage at a great rate. But first, here's a closer look at tanning salon insurance and what it covers.
Key Takeaways - Tanning Salon Insurance
- Tanning salons have unique exposures and risks that require a specialized form of business insurance.
- Professional liability insurance is essential to protect tanning salons against customer claims of injury or other harm caused by your services, and related lawsuits.
- Tanning salon insurance costs can range from $500 to $5,000 per year, and the cost of your policy can vary based on factors like your business's size and location.
- It's strongly recommended to work with an independent insurance agent who can tailor a policy to your unique tanning studio business.
Why Tanning Studios Need Specialized Insurance
Tanning salons and studios have unique exposures and, therefore, require a specialized version of business insurance to protect them. Some of the most common exposures tanning studios need protection against include:
- UV burns
- Spray tan allergic reactions
- Equipment malfunctions
- Slip and fall incidents
- Customer dissatisfaction
Unfortunately, over the years, customer claims against tanning salons for harm caused by UV exposure have only increased. Without the right tanning salon insurance, your business could have to pay out of pocket for all the costs of a customer lawsuit, which could potentially even result in bankruptcy.
What Does Tanning Salon Insurance Cover?
Tanning salon insurance protects your business from liability claims, business interruptions, theft, and other threats. Before shopping for coverage, you've likely asked, "What insurance does a tanning salon need?"
A complete tanning salon insurance policy typically includes the following types of coverage:
- Commercial property insurance: Even if you don’t own your commercial building, tanning beds are expensive pieces of business property. This coverage will cover property in case of fire, smoke damage, vandalism, and other instances.
- General liability insurance: This is essential to protecting your business against third-party claims and resulting lawsuits. If a customer experiences bodily injury or property damage, this coverage will either pay compensation through the claims process or help cover legal costs if the issue goes to court.
- Business owner’s policy (BOP) insurance: This is a type of blanket insurance that combines multiple types of insurance into one policy. If you need property insurance, business interruption, and general liability, it can be bundled together in a BOP. Additional forms of coverage can also be added.
- Commercial vehicle insurance: While it’s likely you aren’t hauling around tanning beds, if you drive a promotional vehicle to community events, your personal auto insurance might not cover damage sustained in an accident.
- Workers' compensation insurance: Depending on where you live, this insurance may be required if your tanning salon has any employees. If an employee suffers a work-related injury or illness, this coverage will pay for their medical expenses and a portion of lost wages.
- Business interruption insurance: This coverage can pay for ongoing expenses like employee wages during temporary business closures due to covered disasters, such as fire damage.
- Product liability insurance: This coverage can pay for expenses relating to third-party claims of injury or other harm caused by your tanning salon's products and resulting lawsuits.
- Cyber liability insurance: This coverage can reimburse your business for the cost of data breaches, cyberattacks, and other digital threats that may expose sensitive or private data, such as customer credit card information.
Depending on the type of tanning salon you own, you might need additional coverage for your mobile services, known as mobile tanning insurance, or coverage for automated and 24-hour services, known as 24-hour tanning salon insurance. Work with an independent insurance agent to get set up with a complete tanning salon insurance policy.
Why Professional Liability Insurance Is Critical for Tanning Salons
Also known as errors and omissions insurance, professional liability insurance can protect you if a client claims there were errors, omissions, or negligence during your services that led to injury or other harm. For example, if tanners claim you’re responsible for their burns, or a new employee accidentally schedules a new tanner for too much time on the bed, you could potentially face a lawsuit. Even if you’re found innocent of negligence, legal defense is costly.
Without the right coverage, those costs must come out of business profits. If those are exhausted, your business could shut down, and you could be forced to tap into personal financial assets. Having the right professional liability insurance for tanning salons can help you pay for your legal defense and a settlement or judgment, if the need arises.
How Much Does Tanning Salon Insurance Cost?
Tanning salons pay an average of between $500 and $5,000 per year for tanning salon insurance. However, these figures may not reflect your unique tanning salon's business insurance cost. The cost of your policy can depend on several factors, including the following:
- Location of business
- Building type
- Amount and value of equipment used
- Safety protocols
- Services offered
- Claims history
- Coverage type and amounts
An independent insurance agent can help you find affordable tanning salon insurance near you. They'll help you find cheap spray tan insurance, UV tanning insurance, general liability insurance for tanning salons, property insurance for tanning equipment, and more.
How to Choose the Right Tanning Salon Insurance Policy
Before selecting your business's insurance coverage, you'll want to make sure you know which insurers are knowledgeable about your industry. It's also important to accurately evaluate your business's coverage needs based on its number of employees, annual revenue and payroll, services, equipment, and more. An independent insurance agent can assist you with this entire process and can shop and compare policies and quotes for tanning salon insurance from multiple carriers for you to find the best deal.
Here's How an Independent Insurance Agent Can Help
Tanning salons and studios have unique exposures and insurance needs. When it's time to find the right coverage for your tanning business, no one's better equipped to help than a local independent insurance agent.
These agents have access to several top-rated carriers, so they can find the right blend of coverage and cost for your unique tanning salon or studio. And down the road, your agent can also help you file business insurance claims and update your coverage when necessary.
FAQs About Tanning Salon Insurance
What types of insurance does a tanning studio need?
Tanning studios need several types of coverage, including professional liability insurance, general liability insurance, commercial property insurance, and more. An independent insurance agent can help you build a complete policy for your business.
How much does tanning studio insurance cost?
Tanning studio insurance can range from $500 to $5,000 annually, depending on your business's size, services, location, and other factors.
Does general liability cover tanning-related injuries or burns?
No, general liability insurance doesn't cover tanning-related injuries or burns. Professional liability insurance would be required to cover these specific incidents.
Is professional liability (E&O) insurance necessary for spray or UV tanning?
Yes, professional liability insurance is necessary to protect your business if it offers spray and UV tanning services. This coverage can pay for customer lawsuits claiming injury or other harm resulting from the use of these services.
Can I insure a mobile or 24-hour tanning studio?
Yes, you can insure a mobile or 24-hour tanning studio with the right coverage. Ask an independent insurance agent to help you customize your policy.
What are the recommended liability limits for tanning salons?
The recommended liability limits for tanning salons will vary depending on the volume of business your specific salon generates and other factors. The types of services you offer can significantly impact the amount of liability coverage your business needs.
Is workers’ compensation required for salon employees?
Yes, workers' comp is often required by law for salon employees. Review your state's workers' comp laws and regulations to be certain.
Can independent contractors or booth renters be covered?
Yes, you can get coverage for independent contractors and booth renters. Ask an independent insurance agent to help you find the right policy.
How quickly can I get a tanning salon insurance quote?
You can get a tanning salon insurance quote within minutes by researching online or working with an independent insurance agent in your town.
Sources
https://ekinsurance.com/small-business/tanning-salon-insurance/


