Salon and spa insurance checklist: what a hair, nail, barber or med spa business needs

The salon & spa insurance checklist

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A salon or spa needs a business owner's policy for the premises and general liability, professional liability for the services performed (color, chemical treatments, waxing, injectables at a med spa), workers' compensation once it has employees, and often employment practices and cyber coverage. Landlords and franchisors each ask for proof of specific pieces, and booth renters need their own policies.

Reviewed by CoverMatch licensed agents, Licensed property & casualty agents · Reviewed Oct 11, 2026 Updated Oct 14, 2026

Who asks for what

Who	What they usually want to see
Landlord	GL with additional insured, property on improvements and equipment, workers' compensation, water damage provisions
Franchisor	The franchise schedule: GL, property, professional, workers' compensation, EPLI, sometimes cyber and an umbrella
Booking and payment platforms	Cyber coverage in their vendor terms
Licensing board (med spa)	Medical professional liability for the services performed
Your booth renters	Nothing from you, but you should collect certificates from them

How to check what you already have

BOP dec page. Liability limits plus the property section covering business personal property at replacement cost; confirm tenant improvements are included.
Professional liability. Either a separate policy or a beauty-services or professional endorsement listed in the BOP forms. If neither is present, service claims are uncovered.
Workers' compensation. Commissioned stylists, assistants and receptionists on the payroll estimate.
Forms list. EPLI, cyber and data breach endorsements are often small add-ons that appear here.
Renter certificates. A folder of current certificates from each booth renter, with expiration dates in your wallet.

What usually goes wrong

Service injuries with no professional coverage. The most common gap in this industry.
Renters assumed covered. They are not.
Med spa services added without medical professional liability. Suppliers and boards catch it; so do claims.
Water. Shampoo stations and leaks into the unit below; landlords know this, which is why the lease asks what it asks.

Renewal timing

Salon policies are usually packaged and renew together. Put the date in the wallet, compare sixty days out, and if you have added services, lasers, injectables or renters since last year, say so: the policy should describe what the salon does now.

Questions people actually ask

Does a business owner's policy cover a bad color job or a chemical burn?

Usually not. A BOP covers premises and operations liability, such as a fall in the waiting area. Injuries from the service itself are professional liability claims and need that coverage, sometimes available as an endorsement on the BOP, sometimes as a separate policy.

My stylists rent chairs. Am I responsible for their insurance?

Your policies cover you and your employees. Booth renters are separate businesses and need their own general and professional liability. Most salon owners require a certificate from each renter and keep it on file.

What does a landlord usually require from a salon?

General liability with the landlord as additional insured, property coverage on your build-out and equipment, workers' compensation, and sometimes a plumbing or water damage provision because of the shampoo stations.

Do I need special coverage for lasers or injectables?

Yes. Treatments that are medical in nature require medical professional liability, often with a medical director named, and equipment suppliers and licensing boards ask to see it before you can offer the service.

This checklist, state by state