Simply Business homepage
  • Business insurance

    • Business Insurance FAQs

    Business insurance covers

  • Support
  • Claims
  • Sign In
Call Us0333 0146 683
Our opening hours

Mobile hairdresser insurance

Join over 6,500 mobile hairdressers like you with public liability cover from £3.19 per month*

Get tailored quotes in 7 minutes

Start your quote
Mobile hairdressser cutting a clients hair

Compare quotes from leading brands

  • Hiscox insurance
  • Axa insurance
  • Zurich insurance
  • AIG insurance
  • Churchill insurance
  • RSA insurance
Liked icon

Rated 4.7/5

Based on 39,755 reviews

Precise icon

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 mobile hairdresser insurance?

Whether you’ve got years of experience or you’re just starting out, any haircut is a trust exercise. Even if it’s styling rather than trimming, accidents do happen. Insurance for mobile hairdressers can be a game-changing tool, covering your hard work and vital equipment against unexpected claims.

  • protection from hard-hitting claims for accidents and injuries
  • cover for what you need like your kit and product stock
  • renting a chair in a salon? Don’t worry, it won’t affect your policy’s price

Start your quote

What does mobile hairdresser insurance cover?

We’ll start with public liability insurance, which can cover you against accidents in a client’s home, at a venue or somewhere else. You might want to add cover for your essential kit – from hair tools to newly-ordered stock and supplies. Freelance hairdressing insurance which includes personal accident cover is also handy, if an unexpected injury stops you working.

Public liability insurance

In case your hairdressing business and products cause an injury or property damage.

What’s typically covered by public liability insurance for mobile hairdressers?

Claims against your business for:

  • damage to someone’s property, because of your mobile hairdressing business
  • an injury caused by your business activities and products
  • accidental damage or injuries caused by your employee, if you have one

If you do employ anyone, you’re usually required by law to have employers’ liability insurance too.

For example:

  • a client has an allergic reaction to the hair dye you’ve used, and needs medical treatment
  • your trainee damages the client’s wedding dress during a hair-up booking

What you’ll need additional cover for

  • do you have a salon? If so, you may need buildings cover to protect your business premises. Start a new quote and choose ‘hairdressing salon’, instead of ‘mobile hairdresser’

Read more about public liability insurance

Employers’ liability insurance

In case something happens to an employee while they’re working for you.

What’s typically covered by employers’ liability insurance?

Claims against your business for:

  • an injury or illness that comes as a result of working for you (including temps and casual workers)

**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:

  • your assistant claims for damages, after developing migraines while working for you
  • a trainee injures themselves because they didn’t get enough health and safety training

Tools insurance

In case your hairdressing tools are lost, stolen or damaged.

What’s typically covered by tools insurance?

  • your hairdressing equipment, like your handheld tools or portable electronics
  • theft or accidental damage while your tools are on a client’s premises, or in transit (in the UK, and in a vehicle you own or lease)

For example:

  • a flood at your business premises damages your hair dryer, curling tongs and straighteners
  • your tools bag is stolen from your passenger seat, while you wait at a red light

Read more about tools insurance

Stock insurance

In case the products you rely on are lost, stolen or damaged.

What’s typically covered by stock insurance for mobile hairdressers?

  • loss, damage or theft of the essentials you keep in stock, like shampoo and styling products

For example:

  • during a burglary, your new stock of bleach and hair dye are stolen from your business premises
  • a fire damages the stock of styling products you need for a wedding the next day

Read more about stock insurance

Business and office equipment insurance

In case something happens to equipment like your phone or laptop.

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

  • theft of the equipment you use to run your business, like your phone or laptop
  • accidental loss of your equipment
  • flood, fire or accidental damage

For example:

  • the tablet and business phone you use to manage your hairdressing bookings are stolen in a burglary
  • your hairdressing chair gets damaged in a fire and needs replacing

What you’ll need additional cover for

  • your handheld hairdressing equipment, such as scissors and curling tongs – make sure you add specific tools cover when setting up your policy

Read more about business and office equipment insurance

Legal expenses insurance

In case you’re faced with legal costs while running your mobile hairdressing business.

  • legal costs associated with day-to-day operations, like an employee dispute
  • property damage, nuisance or trespass and associated legal costs
  • HMRC, tax and compliance issues, if they come up
  • includes a tax advice helpline, a 24/7 confidential legal helpline and crisis PR support to help you protect your reputation as a highly recommended hairdresser

For example:

  • you run into a dispute with your client, who claims you haven’t met your contractual obligations
  • a wedding season temp you’ve hired brings a case against you for unfair dismissal

Read more about legal expenses insurance

Personal accident insurance

In case you or anyone you’ve covered has an accident at work or elsewhere.

What’s typically covered by personal accident insurance?

  • injury or death of anyone you’ve chosen to cover in your policy – whether this happens at work or elsewhere
  • lost income, hospital bills or other medical costs associated with the accident

For example:

  • you’re helping a bride get ready and trip over the cord of your straighteners, breaking your ankle
  • your temp shuts their hand in the car door while shopping after work

Read more about personal accident insurance

How much does mobile hairdresser 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 mobile hairdresser insurance quotes, real prices

covea insurance

£5.53 /month

£34.31 /year

A mobile hairdresser who works in residential homes and also rents a chair in a local salon

  • 2-3 years' experience
  • Sole trader
  • No employees
  • Based in Stoke-on-Trent
  • Public liability

    £1,000,000

  • Employers’ liability

    Not included

  • Tools

    Not included

maltings insurance

£19.84 /month

£176.32 /year

A mobile hairdresser with one part-time employee, who also rents a chair in a local salon

  • 5+ years' experience
  • Limited company
  • 1 employee
  • Based in Glasgow
  • Public liability

    £2,000,000

  • Employers’ liability

    £10,000,000

  • Tools

    £2,000

How we work out example quotes These examples are real quotes from our online system (created 10/09/2020). 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

Stock

£100

£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

Simply Business

Direct to
insurer

Highstreet
broker

Compare policies from a range of trusted insurers

Buy online or over the phone in minutes

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.

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.

Does mobile hairdresser 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 mobile beauty insurance or makeup artist 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

Peter (not his real name) tripped while walking to his car at a client’s wedding, chipping two bones in his right ankle. Luckily he’d added personal accident cover to his mobile hairdressers’ insurance policy, which covered his costs.

Peter saved more than £15,100.57

Covering the cost of personal accident

  • Insurance payout

    £15,128.57

    The excess amount stated in Peter’s policy terms

  • Peter’s costs

    £100

    The excess amount stated in Peter’s 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

Mobile hairdresser 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 mobile hairdressing insurance. You can also check out our business insurance FAQs.

  • Because you’re in close contact with clients and you visit them at home, protection for public liability claims can provide a certain amount of peace of mind. It works to cover you for injury and damage claims, usually from clients or members of the public.

    For example, imagine your equipment burns a hole in your client’s carpet, or a chemical causes damage to their scalp. Your mobile hairdresser public liability insurance could cover the legal fees and compensation payment, which may take into account costs like medical bills and lost income.

  • Public liability insurance will be a key cover for many mobile hairdressers – it’s built to cover you for injuries and property damage, if your client makes a claim.

    Alongside this important cover, you may want to add insurance for things like your essential business equipment, tools and stock. And if you employ anyone (including contractors, temporary staff or apprentices), employers’ liability cover is usually a legal requirement.

  • 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 instalments.

  • 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 mobile hairdressers

Hairdresser blow drying a clients hair in a hair salon

27 Jul 2021 • 10-minute read

A guide on how to become a hairdresser for the self-employed

Keep up to date with Simply Business. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and follow us on social media.

Subscribe to our newsletter
Mobile hairdresser insurance

Insurance

Public liability insuranceBusiness insuranceProfessional indemnity insuranceEmployers’ liability insuranceLandlord insuranceTradesman insuranceSelf-employed insuranceRestaurant insuranceVan insuranceInsurers

About

About usOur teamAwardsPress releasesPartners & affiliatesOur charitable workModern Slavery ActSection 172 statementSocial mediaSite map

Customer support

Contact & supportPolicy renewalMake a claimProof of policyComplaintsAccessibility

Address

6th Floor99 Gresham StreetLondonEC2V 7NG

Northampton 900900 Pavilion DriveNorthamptonNN4 7RG

Careers

Careers at Simply BusinessTech careersCurrent opportunities

Benefits

BenefitsRefer a friendFinance

Legal

Terms & conditionsPrivacy policyCookie policyVuln Disclosure policy

Knowledge

Knowledge centreOpinionsMicrosites

© Copyright 2024 Simply Business. All Rights Reserved. Simply Business is a trading name of Xbridge Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Financial Services Registration No: 313348). Xbridge Limited (No: 3967717) has its registered office at 6th Floor, 99 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7NG.