Barber insurance in Australia
Insurance for Barbers
What you need depends on how you work. An employed barber, a self-employed barber with their own regulars and a barber who owns the shop each carry different risks.
If you are on someone's payroll, their business insurance usually covers the work you do for them. The moment you take your own clients, rent a chair or travel to cut, you need your own.
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 insurance does a barber need in Australia?
Most barbers need public liability for injury and damage claims and treatment risk cover for claims that a cut, shave or colour caused harm. Add tools and equipment cover for your clippers and kit, and personal accident and illness cover if you work for yourself. If you employ staff, the law requires workers compensation, which pays staff hurt at work.
Insurance for barbers
The Covers Barbers Need
Most barbers need public liability and treatment risk cover for claims from the people in their chair, and tools cover for their kit. Personal accident cover replaces your income if you work for yourself, and workers compensation covers anyone you employ.
Public liability
Covers claims from clients and the public for injury or damage. Your limit, the most the insurer pays for one claim, can be $5 million, $10 million or $20 million.
Read about public liability →
Professional indemnity and treatment risk
Covers claims that the shave, cut or colour itself caused harm, such as a razor cut, a hot towel burn or a dye reaction.
Read about professional indemnity →
Tools and equipment
Covers your clippers, scissors and styling tools against theft and damage, in the shop and on the road.
Read about tools and equipment →
Personal accident and illness
Pays you a weekly benefit, a regular payment in place of your income, if an injury or illness stops you cutting. It matters most when you work for yourself.
Read about personal accident and illness →
Workers compensation
Pays your employees' wages and medical costs if they are hurt or become ill because of work. The law requires it once you employ staff, and that includes an apprentice.
Read about workers compensation →Barber risks
Common Risks for Barbers
The main risk for a barber is a client hurt by the service, such as a cut, a burn or a reaction to dye. The others are your kit being stolen and an injury that stops you working.
A razor nick during a line-up
A client flinches while you shave a sharp edge around their hairline, known as a line-up, and needs stitches. Their claim for the scar falls under treatment risk cover, or under public liability if your policy covers the service.
A hot towel that is too hot
A towel heated for too long can burn a client's face or neck. They can claim for medical treatment and time off work, and that claim falls under treatment risk cover.
A reaction to beard dye
Beard dye can cause an allergic reaction days after the appointment, and the claim falls under treatment risk cover. Do a patch test first, a small dab of dye on the skin to check for a reaction, and write down the result.
Clippers taken from the car
A kit bag stolen from your car is a tools and equipment claim. Each policy sets its own conditions for theft from a car, and we explain them on your quote.
A wrist injury that stops you cutting
Workers compensation does not cover a sole trader. If you work for yourself, personal accident and illness cover pays you a weekly benefit while you recover.
How you work
Which Covers Do You Need to Buy Yourself?
That depends on how you work. An employed barber is usually covered by the shop's policies, and a barber who takes their own clients needs their own cover.
You work for a shop owner
Your employer's policies usually cover the work you do in their shop, and their workers compensation covers you if you are hurt at work. Clients you see privately, at home or on your days off, are not covered by your employer's policy.
You work for yourself
You need your own public liability and treatment risk cover, plus tools cover for your kit. Workers compensation does not cover a sole trader, so personal accident cover is what replaces your income.
You rent a chair
You run your own business inside someone else's shop, so the shop's policy usually does not cover you. See insurance for barbers renting a chair.
You cut at homes or events
Your public liability needs to list that work, and your tools cover needs to include the kit you carry in the car. See mobile and home-based barber insurance.
Sole traders
Do You Need Insurance If You Have an ABN?
01An ABN alone does not require cover
Having an ABN, an Australian Business Number, does not on its own make any insurance compulsory. The law requires workers compensation once you employ staff, and some states and territories require public liability for certain jobs.
02Sole traders pay claims personally
A barber with an ABN is running a business, and a claim from a client is paid by the business. For a sole trader, someone who runs the business in their own name, that means you personally.
03Landlords and shop owners ask for it
Landlords, shop owners and event organisers usually ask to see your public liability before they let you cut, so have it in place before you start.
Who we cover
Other People We Cover
Barbers FAQ
Questions From Barbers
By law you need workers compensation once you employ staff. The law usually leaves public liability up to you, but landlords and shop owners will often ask for it before you can cut.
Usually, for the work you do for them in their shop. Private clients you see at home or on your days off are not covered by your employer's policy.
You need public liability and treatment risk cover for your clients, and tools cover for your clippers and scissors. Add personal accident and illness cover for your income, because workers compensation does not cover a sole trader.
Your price is confirmed on your quote. It depends on the covers and limits you choose, your turnover, the services you offer, where you work and any past claims.
Yes. With premium funding, a finance company pays the insurer for you. You repay it weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly or every six months instead of once a year.
Barber insurance quote
Get a Barber Insurance Quote
Tell us how you work and the services you offer, and a broker will contact you with your options.
1800 556 777Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm Perth time
