Treatment risk insurance for barbers
Professional Indemnity and Treatment Risk Cover for Barbers
Public liability covers someone who gets hurt in your shop, like a client who slips on the floor. Professional indemnity covers the work itself: the claim that your shave, cut or colour did the harm.
Insurers sell the cover for harm caused by the service under different names, including treatment risk and treatment liability. Whatever the name, check the policy covers every service you offer.
Cover is subject to the policy terms and the insurer's acceptance.
Reviewed by
Founder and Director, Grace Insurance. Diploma in Broking, Fellow CIP. In insurance broking since 1992.
What treatment risk pays for
What Professional Indemnity Covers in a Barbershop
Professional indemnity, through its treatment risk cover, pays claims that a service you gave caused injury or loss, such as a razor cut, a burn, a reaction or an infection. Some public liability policies leave these claims out.
A razor cut that leaves a mark
A client moves during a straight-razor shave and needs stitches. If they claim for the scar and the time off work, treatment risk pays the claim and your legal costs.
A hot towel that burns
A towel straight from the warmer can burn the face or neck. Because the burn happened during the service, treatment risk cover pays the client's claim.
A reaction to beard dye or bleach
Dye, bleach and colour can cause allergic reactions and chemical burns, sometimes days later. Treatment risk covers the client's claim, and a record of your patch test, a small test of the product on the skin before you colour, helps defend it.
A skin infection after a shave
Clippers and blades that are not cleaned between clients can pass on infection. A client who gets a skin infection and blames your tools can claim for their medical costs.
Hair loss after a chemical treatment
A relaxer, the cream that straightens hair, or a bleach left on too long can break hair or burn the scalp. The client can claim for the cost of fixing it.
Two different covers
How Professional Indemnity Differs From Public Liability
Each cover pays a different claim
Professional indemnity covers claims about the work itself, such as the shave, the colour or the advice you gave. Public liability covers accidents around the work, such as a slip on clippings or a stained jacket.
Some policies leave treatment out
Some barber packages put both covers in one policy, and some public liability policies leave out claims about the service altogether. Check which kind a policy is before you buy it.
Check the policy you already hold
If you already hold public liability for barbers, ask us whether treatment risk is included or needs adding.
Timing of a claim
Why Professional Indemnity Needs to Stay in Place
The claim date is what counts
Professional indemnity needs to stay in place because many policies are written on a claims-made basis: they cover a claim if the policy is active on the day the claim is made.
Clients can claim months later
A client can claim months after the appointment. If you cancel the policy or let it run out, a claim for last year's shave may not be covered.
Run-off cover after you stop
If you stop cutting or sell the shop, ask about run-off cover, which covers claims about work you did before you stopped.
Habits that help
How Can Barbers Lower the Risk of a Treatment Claim?
01Patch test and write it down
Patch test before any dye, bleach or colour, and note the date and the product.
02Clean your tools between clients
Clean and disinfect clippers, combs and razors between every client, and use a fresh blade for each straight-razor shave.
03Test the towel's heat first
Check the towel's heat on the inside of your wrist before it goes on a client's face.
04Ask about allergies and keep records
Ask about allergies, skin conditions and medication before a shave or colour, and note the answer. Keep your client records, because a client may not claim until months after the appointment.
Treatment risk cost
What Affects the Price of Professional Indemnity?
Your premium, the price of the policy, depends on the services you offer, your turnover, the limit you choose, your qualifications, how many people cut in your shop and your excess. The exact figure is confirmed on your quote.
The services you offer
Colour, bleach, chemical work such as relaxers and perms, and straight-razor shaves carry more risk than clipper cuts alone.
Your turnover and client numbers
More appointments mean more chances of a claim.
The limit you choose
The limit is the most the policy pays for a claim. A higher limit costs more.
Your qualifications
Insurers may ask about your barbering qualifications and how long you have been cutting.
How many people cut in your shop
The business policy needs to cover every barber who works for you.
Your excess and claims history
The excess is the amount you pay towards each claim. A higher excess usually lowers the premium, and recent claims can raise it.
You can pay the premium in one go, or spread it with premium funding, where a finance company pays the insurer for you and you repay it weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly or every six months.
Who it is for
Who Needs Treatment Risk Cover?
Anyone who uses a razor, a hot towel, or dye or bleach on a client should have it. That includes self-employed barbers, chair renters, mobile barbers, and hairdressers and salons doing colour and chemical work such as relaxers and perms.
If you employ barbers, the business policy needs to cover the work your staff do as well as your own. Tell us how many people cut in your shop when you ask for a quote.
Related covers
Other Insurance for Barbers
Public Liability
Covers claims from clients and the public for injury or damage to their property, with limits of $5 million, $10 million or $20 million.
Read about public liability →
Personal Accident and Illness
Helps replace your income if an injury or illness stops you working, which matters most when you are self-employed.
Read about personal accident and illness →
Tools and Equipment
Insurers call it general property. It covers your clippers, scissors and styling tools against theft and damage.
Read about tools and equipment →Professional Indemnity FAQ
Professional Indemnity Questions for Barbers
The law usually leaves it to you, but a claim that your shave or colour caused harm is one that public liability may not cover. If you use straight razors, dye, bleach or hot towels, you should have it.
Not exactly. Treatment risk is the cover for claims that come from the hands-on service, and insurers sell it inside professional indemnity or add it to public liability. The names vary between insurers, so check what the policy covers.
No. A cut someone does not like is not an insurance claim. Professional indemnity pays when the client says the service caused injury or a loss, such as a burn, a scar or hair loss.
Many professional indemnity policies cover claims made while the policy is active. Keep your cover in place, and if you stop working, ask about run-off cover, which covers claims about work you did before you stopped.
Often, yes. Some insurers add it to public liability and others sell it separately. Tell us the services you offer and we will arrange the cover that fits them.
Treatment risk quote
Get a Treatment Risk Quote
Tell us the services you offer, from clipper cuts to colour and straight-razor shaves, and a broker will contact you with your options.
1800 556 777Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm Perth time
