A client sits in a barber chair while his barber – who has barber insurance – styles his hair.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:  The right barber insurance can save you from a massive financial burden while protecting your career, livelihood, and reputation. Prepare yourself now for the most common barber insurance claims by investing in barber insurance.


As a seasoned barber, you’re equipped for anything. You have everything you need to succeed–education, training, tools, shop–but sometimes, even the most prepared, skilled barber can’t prevent the unthinkable from happening.

Picture this: you’re an experienced barber with all the tools of the trade. One rainy day, a client steps off the wet street and into your barber shop. Next thing you know, they slip, and boom, they’re lying hurt on the floor.

Are you prepared for the potential lawsuit that follows?

Accidents can happen, and something as simple as a slip and fall can create a massive financial burden. Thankfully, you can protect yourself and your shop with professional liability barber insurance.

Barber Insurance for When Accidents Happen

Slip-and-Fall Accidents and Lawsuits

One of the most common causes of barber insurance claims is a slip-and-fall accident. In these scenarios, it’s likely that you did nothing wrong. Sometimes, accidents simply happen.

Whether a client slips on a wet floor or trips over a loose rug, the resulting injuries can lead to legitimate legal concerns for your barber shop. Preparing yourself for these personal injury claims and other potential legal defense costs is a must.

General liability insurance and a policy that protects against bodily injury are essential. Such insurance coverage covers bodily injury, accounts for your legal defense costs, and can keep your business financially healthy even in a bad situation.

Bodily Injuries and Barber Tool Mishaps

As experienced, skilled, and careful as you are, working with barbering tools is risky business. From slick hands to a small slip, even a minor mistake can cause your client harm.

No barber wants to be responsible for accidentally hurting their customer, but even a minor cut can cause big issues (including infections) that result in lawsuits. In circumstances like these, it’s better to be safe than sorry by investing in professional liability insurance.

"As experienced, skilled, and careful as you are, working with barbering tools is risky business. From slick hands to a small slip, even a minor mistake can cause your client harm."

Proper coverage via a barber insurance policy should cover medical bills and bodily injury. The right comprehensive coverage can save you not just from a damaged reputation, but from legitimate financial ruin.

Allergic Reactions and Sensitivity to Barbering Products

Other than your skill and barbering tools, the products you use each day might be the most important thing in your shop. From shampoos to beard balms, there’s rarely a session where you don’t reach for at least one barbering product.

What happens when a client has an allergic reaction to one of your products, resulting in skin irritation, medical bills, and even emotional pain over a ruined wedding weekend?

A barber clips his client's hair, excited that he has barber insurance in case something accidental happens.

A lawsuit is not outside the realm of possibility, and you could be on the hook for medical bills, legal defense costs, and other hefty financial losses. Thankfully, insurance coverage that includes professional liability and general liability insurance can protect you from these unique risks.

Professional liability insurance covers services rendered and products used, general liability is there for bodily injury issues that result from negligence, and liability insurance can cover your legal defense and settlement costs.

Unhappy Clients and Legal Disputes

While you’d like every client to leave your chair happy, even the best intentions can lead to lawsuits. Whether you misunderstood their request or were having an off day, a dissatisfied client can take legal action against you for a number of reasons.

Barber insurance can help with your legal defense, legal fees, and the financial burden that accompanies them. Of course, the right coverage is what’s important, and simply opting for the most affordable protection might not be enough.

Look for professional liability insurance with comprehensive coverage from a provider with an excellent reputation.

Accidents and Your Barber Shop Team

If your barber shop is home to independent contractors, there may be additional legal risks to be aware of. For example, if one of the barbers who is renting a chair in your shop accidentally cuts themselves while working, you could be facing a lawsuit for medical expenses, legal defense, lost wages, and potential financial loss.

Barber business insurance coverage is the safety net you need to ensure an unfortunate situation like this doesn’t sink your shop, reputation, and career. Both general liability insurance and professional liability insurance should be included in your tailored coverage to ensure you are fully protected.


The right coverage gives you the peace of mind to pursue your barbering passion with confidence and provide every client with the service they deserve. Barber insurance isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s an absolute necessity to protect your livelihood and help your business thrive.

With Elite Beauty Society, you can get the tailored coverage you need to give your best every day. With comprehensive policies that account for the unique challenges barbers face, you never have to face legal issues alone.

To learn more, be sure to subscribe to Elite Beauty Society and visit our blog.

An image is shown of the EBS copywriter Hanna Marcus from Boundless Copy.
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Meet Hanna Marcus, the Founder and Head Copy Gal behind Boundless Copy, a one-of-a-kind copywriting agency that specializes in big, bold brand voice and industry-disrupting copy that’s all about resonating with the right audience. 

Hanna has proudly teamed up with Elite Beauty Society for several years as their go-to copywriter on all things beauty, small biz marketing, and brand voice development. She’s big on feeling-first writing–her personal soapbox is that the best copy starts with telling a story. 

When she’s not writing cheeky, converting copy for clients, she’s mentoring other aspiring copywriters and creating digital copywriting resources designed for service pros and focused on taking the stress out of DIY copywriting.