Why do I need a Barber Insurance policy?

Your barber shop offers much more than just a nice ‘do: the conversation, community, and confidence that a well-run barber shop brings is invaluable to a customer. For all its inspiring moments and steady business, though, running a barber shop comes with its fair share of risks, including financial risks, that could potentially put you out of business if you don’t have the right protection.

A Barber Shop General Liability Insurance Policy offers financial protection against many of the common risks you businesses could face. Even if you’re self-employed, Barber Insurance can cover you every time you cut a client’s hair.

Barber Insurance is a crucial part of a well-run shop or a lucrative side-gig.

How much does Barber Shop Insurance cost?

The cost of your Barber Shop Insurance Policy depends on a few factors. Things like your zip code, your coverage limit, the size of your team, and the length of your coverage all play a factor in determining the risk that comes with insuring your barber shop business.

With Thimble, you don’t have to commit to long, expensive policies, though. You can access flexible barber shop insurance through the Thimble app and customize your coverage down to the month, day, or hour. Plus, if you need to add Additional Insureds, you can tack them on to your coverage with Thimble at no extra cost.

To get an accurate idea of how much barber shop insurance would cost you and your business, get a quote from Thimble.

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What is covered under the Barber Liability Insurance policy?

Bodily Injury

You’re taking the clippers to a guy’s sideburns, and throughout the process, he keeps trying to watch the basketball game playing on the TV in the corner (in all fairness, it’s a big game). You politely request that he stay still while you quickly clean up his cut. All of a sudden, the ref sounds a whistle, your client whips his head around, your clippers graze his ear, and they draw blood! Time out: he has to get stitches and he expects you to cover the cost.

3rd Party Property Damage

While you’re taking out your comb and scissors, you fumble the barbicide-filled container. The blue liquid spills all over your customer’s briefcase with his laptop inside. His computer sustains some costly water damage, and he puts you on the line to cover the repairs.

Defense Costs

Your customer isn’t satisfied with his haircut right before a big job interview. You do your best to spruce up the cut to be more up to his standards, but he’s in a hurry. He ends up being late to the interview, and he missed out on the opportunity. He files a claim against you in which he states that your services made him lose out on this financial opportunity. Even if his claims are eventually ruled unfounded, you’ll still have to pay for your defense to fight the claims in court.

Medical Coverage

Before your assistant is able to sweep up a pile of hair near a customer, that customer gets up to go to the bathroom without announcing his intentions. He steps right on the pile of hair, slips, and sustains a back injury (ouch). You’re on the hook for the cost of the chiropractor visits he has to make as a result of the fall (double ouch).

Errors & Omissions

Everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes cost money. You’re having an off day, and your barber skills suffer as a result. A candidate running for Governor stops by your barber shop for a spruce up before a televised debate. You accidentally shave his head when he asks for a trim.

He then has to go on live TV to address the state with a new and unflattering look. Despite being ahead in the polls before the debate, he loses favor and eventually concedes. If he files a distress or personal injury suit against you, you could have to cover defense costs, settlement costs, damages, and court fees. All because of a case of the Mondays.

How quickly can I get a Certificate of Insurance?

To prove the details of your Barber Insurance Policy, you need to have a Certificate of Insurance. A Certificate of Insurance—or a COI—is a document that confirms your coverage and all the details of what it entails. Most policyholders use their Certificates of Insurance to show potential clients that they come to the table with their own coverage.

With Thimble, you can access a Certificate of Insurance instantly through the app. You can also get as many as you like for no extra cost. On-demand access to your proof of insurance can help you step up your barber shop coverage and reference your policy details on the go.

The barber shop I work in already carries Barber Shop Business Insurance. Do I need my own Barber Insurance if I’m self-employed?

Unless you operate exclusively as an employee of the barber shop you’re working in, you need to purchase your own Barber Insurance Policy. For instance, if you rent a seat at a local barber shop, you’ll need to purchase your own insurance because you’re technically self-employed. Even if you are a full-time employee of a barber shop, any side gigs and one-off barber projects you perform outside of your day job can only be covered through your own additional Barber Insurance Policy.

The barber shop I work in already carries Barber Shop Business Insurance. Do I need my own Barber Insurance if I’m self-employed?

Unless you operate exclusively as an employee of the barber shop you’re working in, you need to purchase your own Barber Insurance Policy. For instance, if you rent a seat at a local barber shop, you’ll need to purchase your own insurance because you’re technically self-employed. Even if you are a full-time employee of a barber shop, any side gigs and one-off barber projects you perform outside of your day job can only be covered through your own additional Barber Insurance Policy.

What are the Barber Insurance policy limits?

Barber Insurance Policies from Thimble come with one of two policy limit options—$1M or $2M. The policy limit you choose determines how much coverage you’re eligible for. Choosing to invest a little more to access a $2M policy limit could mean saving up to $1M more in the future that you’d otherwise pay out of pocket.

Are workplace injuries of my barber shop staff covered?

In short, no. Your employees’ safety is important, and Barber Insurance only covers bodily injury for third parties (your customers), so you should consider Workers’ Compensation Insurance as a supplement to General Liability Insurance so you’re covered for any injury your people sustain on the job, too.

Does Thimble’s Barber Insurance cover damage to my equipment?

Similarly, Barber Insurance only covers damage to third-party property (like that guy’s laptop), so your business’s equipment isn’t covered under such a policy. Commercial Property Insurance, Commercial Auto Insurance, and Inland Marine Insurance are the kinds of policies that can cover your own tools and equipment.

What is an Exposure Period? And how long am I covered with a Barber Insurance policy?

First, your Policy Period is the length of your Barber Insurance policy and refers to the window of time in which you’ve purchased coverage. Your Exposure Period goes beyond that window of time; it’s like a buffer on your coverage, so if any damage or injury happens as a result of the services you performed during your initial Policy Period, you’re still covered through the end of that Exposure Period.

How do I get Barber Shop Insurance with Thimble?

Thimble makes it easier than ever to get Barber Insurance. In fact, you can insure your barber shop business, side hustle, or career within a minute through the Thimble app. Just provide a few details about your business to access an offer, and if you decide to purchase the policy you’re quoted, you’ll receive a Certificate of Insurance instantly. Whether you realize it or not, insurance is an essential part of your growing business—cut hair, not corners.

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