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Makeup artist insurance

Join over 1,500 self-employed makeup artists like you with cover from £3.19 per month*. Compare tailored insurance from trusted brands.

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  • UK-based expert support, online and on the phone
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  • Compare tailored MUA insurance from trusted brands

Make-up artist applying make-up to a model

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Rated 4.7/5

Based on 39,755 reviews

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Claims paid in 24 hours

For 80% of settled claims

What's on this page

  • Why is insurance important?
  • What does it cover?
  • How much does it cost?
  • How do I choose insurance?
  • How do claims work?
  • FAQs
  • Helpful articles

Why do you need makeup artist (MUA) insurance?

When you’re working with actors, models, brides or other clients to create amazing effects with makeup, the last thing on their mind is an adverse reaction to lipstick. But as an MUA, you need to manage the risks. From allergies to accidents, makeup artist insurance gives confidence that you can cope in face of the unexpected.

  • Protection against big claims if the unexpected happens, including injury and damage to property
  • Cover what you need, from your employees to your makeup tools to your sales inventory
  • Reassurance in the case of legal expenses and personal accidents

Start your quote

What does makeup artist insurance cover?

You know your makeup artist business best, so we put you in control. Whether you’ve got employees you need to cover, or you’re looking to protect yourself from loss, damage or theft, you decide how to structure your insurance policy.

Makeup artist public liability insurance

In case someone gets injured or their property gets damaged as a result of your business.

What’s typically covered by public liability insurance?

Claims against your business for:

  • damage you’ve caused to someone else’s property while you’re working, or as a result of your work
  • injury you’ve caused to someone else while you’re working, or as a result of your work
  • accidental damage or injury caused by your employee (remember, if you employ people, you're required by law to have employers' liability insurance)

For example:

  • a model you’re working for suffers an allergic reaction to a particular brand of foundation you’ve used
  • you’re visiting a client at their home and you accidentally drop a tub of bronzer, staining an expensive beige carpet
  • you sell a highlighting and contouring kit to a customer and their child chokes on one of the brushes
  • your employee pokes a customer in the eye with a mascara wand while applying bridal makeup for her wedding day

Read more about public liability insurance

Employers’ liability insurance

In case something happens to one of your employees while they’re working for you.

What’s typically covered by employers’ liability insurance?

Claims against your business for:

  • illness or injury experienced by a member of staff because of the work they’ve done for you

**Employers’ liability insurance is required by law if you have people working for you. Without it, you could be fined up to £2,500 a day for each employee.**

For example:

  • while trying out a new eye colour cream you’ve bought, your assistant suffers an allergic reaction to one of the chemicals in the ingredients
  • your employee shuts her hand in the car door while you’re on your way to an autumn/winter fashion event

Business and office equipment insurance

In case your business and office equipment is lost, stolen, or damaged.

What’s typically covered by business and office equipment insurance?

  • the equipment you use to run your business (mainly operational equipment, not tools of the trade) while stored at your business premises, while at a client’s premises, or while you’re travelling to a job
  • theft of your equipment
  • flood or fire damage to your equipment

For example:

  • the laptop you use to take bookings is stolen from your office
  • your 3D makeup printer is lost or stolen at an industry event

What you’ll need additional cover for

  • your makeup tools – these would be covered under tools insurance

Read more about business and office equipment insurance

Tools insurance

In case your makeup artist tools are lost, stolen or damaged.

What’s typically covered by MUA tools insurance?

  • the specialist tools you use to carry out your profession as a makeup artist (especially handheld tools and portable electronic tools), whether on site, stored at your business premises, or while you’re travelling
  • theft of your tools
  • flood, fire, or accidental damage to your makeup artist tools

For example:

  • the bag containing your makeup palette, brushes, false lashes and other accessories is stolen while you’re on site working with an actor, so you need to buy replacement products
  • your kit is damaged in a flood

Read more about tools insurance

Stock insurance

In case the products or materials you keep in stock are lost, damaged or stolen.

What’s typically covered by stock insurance?

  • loss, damage or theft of the materials you use to carry out your work
  • loss, damage or theft of the items you’re planning to sell to customers

For example:

  • the makeup brushes you keep in your sales inventory are stolen from your business premises, so you need to replace them

Read more about stock insurance

Legal expenses insurance

In case you’re faced with legal costs from running your business.

  • assistance with investigations into your tax and compliance affairs
  • the cost of resolving disputes with members of your team, and similar legal costs you’re responsible for as the owner of your makeup artist business
  • legal claims and compensation payouts to do with property damage, nuisance or trespass
  • access to a tax advice helpline, a confidential 24/7 legal helpline, and crisis communications support to help you restore confidence in your brand as a makeup artist

For example:

  • your company is selected at random for an audit or you’re investigated by HMRC, so you need a hand dealing with the tax enquiries – either for the business itself, or for you as an individual and any other directors
  • you’ve got to defend your rights following the dismissal of a member of staff

Read more about legal expenses insurance

Personal accident insurance

In case you or anyone you've covered has an accident.

What’s typically covered by personal accident insurance?

  • injury or death at work or outside of work, for anyone covered on the policy
  • lost income, medical costs and hospitalisation benefit

For example:

  • you trip over your customer's dog on your way into their house, causing you to fall over and break your wrist
  • you sprain your ankle on a night out with your friends at the weekend

Read more about personal accident insurance

How much does makeup artist insurance cost?

Find out how much you’ll pay by comparing prices from a range of trusted insurers. You choose what goes into your policy, so you only pay for what you need.

Prices start from £3.19 per month

Get your quotes in 7 minutes – prices are guaranteed for 30 days.

Get your tailored quotes in 7 minutes

Start your quote

10% of our customers paid up to £38.32 a year for a public liability insurance policy between 1st April 2023 - 30th June 2023. Equivalent to £3.19 per month based on a monthly cost when paying for the policy in one annual payment. Paying monthly is usually more expensive as you'll pay interest. Most customers pay more than this but some pay less.

Example MUA insurance quotes, real prices

axa insurance

£7.62 /month

£56.15 /year

A self employed make up artist specialising in wedding and small events

  • 1-2 years' experience
  • Sole trader
  • No employees
  • Based in Aberdeen
  • Public liability insurance

    £1,000,000

  • Employers’ liability insurance

    Not included

  • Tools insurance

    Not included

chiswell insurance

£24.80 /month

£220.40 /year

A small make up artist company working with actors and fashion shows

  • 5+ years' experience
  • Limited company
  • 2 employees
  • Based in Belfast
  • Public liability insurance

    £1,000,000

  • Employers’ liability insurance

    £10,000,000

  • Tools insurance

    £2,000

How we work out example quotes These examples are real quotes from our online system (created 25/10/2022). They’re based on a range of factors, like employees and location. Your own quote will be based on what you tell us about your business. Prices may go up or down from day to day, so the prices you’re quoted may differ to the ones you see here.

What kind of excess should I expect?

An excess is an amount you pay towards any claim you make on your insurance. For example, if your excess is £250 and you make a claim worth £1000, your payout will be a maximum of £750.

Insurance cover

Lowest excess

Highest excess

Public liability

£100

£2500

Employers' liability

No excess

No excess

Tools

£60

£500

Business and office equipment

£50

£750

The figures above are for guidance only and any excess applying to your quote may differ. You’ll get a breakdown of the excesses for each quote when you compare with us.

How it works

  • Pick what goes into your policy

    Only pay for what you need

  • Get prices from a range of insurers

    Choose the best fit for you

  • Buy online in minutes

    Get your documents the same day

Start your quote

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How do I choose insurance?

Making sure you have the right type and level of business insurance can be the difference between getting a claim paid and having to cover the cost of an expensive accident yourself. Read our tips for guidance on what to consider when buying a policy.

Can I just cover my most expensive tools?

Make sure you cover the total cost of replacing all your tools or you’ll only get a proportion of your claim paid out if something happens to them. Learn about tools cover.

Which type of workers do I need insurance for?

Employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement if you employ people.

If you have people working for you, including bona fide subcontractors (BFSC), labour-only subcontractors (LOSC), part-timers, or full-time staff, employers’ liability insurance is required by law.

Read on for our simplified guide to the difference between labour-only subcontractors and bona fide subcontractors.

Will tools insurance cover all my equipment?

Depending on what you use to do your work, you may need other covers.

You may need more than tools insurance – for example, business equipment insurance if you have a work laptop, plant insurance if you use machinery.

Does makeup artist insurance cover my work correctly?

Make sure you're picking the right cover to protect you properly. It's important to know that if you have another trade or job, you'll need additional cover. For example, do you need to consider beauty insurance or mobile beauty insurance?

Do I need cover for other types of work?

If you provide other services, make sure you’re covered:

Other types of insurance

Which public liability cover limit should I choose?

Think about the maximum possible loss your business could face in the event of a claim, and make sure you take legal fees and damages into consideration. You can choose from three levels of coverage – £1 million, £2 million, or up to £5 million.

Talk to an expert

Our team of UK-based insurance experts are here to help, Mon 09.00am - 05.30pm, Tues 09.00am - 05.30pm, Weds 09.00am - 05.30pm, Thurs 09.30am - 05.30pm, Fri 09.00am - 05.30pm, Sat 09.00am - 02.00pm

Call our team

0333 043 8527

Online

Contact us on our website whenever suits you

Phone

Call our insurance experts during office hours (calls are charged at a local rate)

FAQs

Find answers to common insurance questions

How do claims work?

Unlike price comparison websites, we take the hassle out of claims for you. We know how important it is to get your business back on track quickly – and with a minimum of fuss. That’s why you get access to your dedicated claims any time, day or night. Call them on 0333 207 0560 or claim online. They’ll do their best to be fair and supportive. The figure below is rounded across our range of products. Our claims process may vary for different products and operates on a ‘claim by claim’ basis.

£39 million in claims paid out in 2022

Paying 80% of settled claims within 24 hours in 2022

Example claim

Having makeup artist insurance through Simply Business has saved makeup artists thousands of pounds when the unexpected happened.

Saoirse saved more than £500

The last time Saoirse (name changed for privacy) had used her work iPad was at a makeup artist training session. She realised she hadn't seen it since. Unable to track it down, she needed to purchase a new one. Luckily her insurance covered the cost of the replacement.

  • Insurance payout

    £499.20

    Covering the cost of accidental loss.

  • Saoirse costs

    £100

    The excess amount stated in Saoirse policy terms

Chosen by 900,000 small businesses and landlords

We started out as a team of five back in 2005. We’ve grown since then with 900,000 customers across 1,500 trades now trusting us to provide their business insurance.

  • Compare and buy in minutes

    Documents arrive today

  • Rated 4.7/5

    Based on 39,755 reviews

  • Here to help

    Help from UK-based experts

  • 24/7 claims

    Make a claim any time

Makeup artist insurance FAQ

Whether you’re new to buying business insurance or you’ve been trading for a while, here are the answers to some commonly asked questions about MUA insurance. You can also check out our business insurance FAQs.

  • If you have people working for you, employers’ liability insurance is required by law.

    You may not be legally obliged to have any extra cover on top of that, but there are additional options worth considering if you want to protect other elements of your business. As with any industry, it’s a good idea to start with an assessment of the risks your business might face.

  • Remember, for every makeup artist who employs staff, employers’ liability cover is a must – it’s the law.

    And if you’re working with members of the public, especially actors or any other high-profile people, you’ll also want to look into public liability insurance.

    Other types of cover you might find useful include:

  • Yes. You may start offering additional services that require you to use different skills or carry out different tasks. If you find yourself in this situation, it’s important to give us a call on 0333 043 8527 to update your policy before you take on this new work. If you don’t have the correct type of cover in place for the work you do, you may be unable to claim on your policy if something goes wrong.

  • Each insurer looks at CCJs and IVAs differently – some apply stricter rules than others, but having a CCJ or IVA doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be able to buy insurance.

  • You can choose the payment type that suits your business and cash flow best. Some customers prefer to pay in one go, while others prefer to pay a regular monthly amount, like you do with lots of other bills. Simply Business offer three ways to pay for your policy:

    • one-off credit or debit card payment
    • BACS payment
    • Direct Debit

    If you choose to pay by Direct Debit, our credit provider, Premium Credit, pays Simply Business the full amount for your policy up front. You then repay Premium Credit in 10 monthly installments.

  • If you change your business legal structure from sole trader to limited company mid-way through your policy, give us a call straight away on 0333 043 8527. It’ll only take us a few minutes to cancel your existing policy and replace it with one that correctly covers your new legal structure. It’s worth bearing in mind that your insurer and premium amount may need to change.

  • This will depend on whether you have employers’ liability insurance in place. Public liability insurance is designed to protect your business against the consequences of legal action brought by members of the public for injuries or damage to their belongings. But when it comes to your employees causing injury or damage, this protection only activates if you also have employers’ liability insurance.

    If you employ people, you’re required by law to have employers’ liability insurance.

    There’s one exception here. Family businesses that aren’t incorporated as a limited company are not legally required to have employers’ liability insurance. The government defines a “family business” as one where all your employees are closely related to you (as a spouse, civil partner, sibling, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, step-parent, stepchild or half-sibling). So if you run an unincorporated family business and you choose not to get employers’ liability insurance, it’s important to know that your public liability insurance wouldn’t cover you against damage or injury caused by your team.

We create this content for general information purposes and it should not be taken as advice. Always check policy documentation for details and seek professional advice. Read our full Terms and Conditions

Helpful articles for makeup artists

Makeup artists applying makeup to a model

22 April 2022 • 5-minute read

How to become a makeup artist — a step-by-step guide

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