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Do Makeup Artists Need Insurance?
Since makeup artists deal directly with members of the public, they should have public liability insurance—even freelancers. And depending on the scope of your business, you may need additional business insurance coverages as well. Here's what you need to know about makeup artist insurance before you buy.
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What Kind of Insurance Does a Makeup Artist Need?
A makeup artist certainly needs business insurance but the types of cover you need will depend on whether you are a freelancer, a mobile trader, you own a salon, you rent vs. own a business premises, etc. While insurance requirements vary by situation, here are some of the more common types of insurance that a makeup artist might need, plus some real-world examples to help explain the different coverages.
Public Liability Insurance for Makeup Artists
Public Liability insurance is a good idea for all makeup artists, since they have exposure to members of the public. This type of business insurance protects you financially against claims from members of the public (e.g., your clients) if they are injured or their property damaged due to your negligence. Public liability insurance can pay for legal defence expenses and compensation claims if you're sued, and is frequently available with limits of £1 million, £2 million, £5 million or £10 million.
- Bodily Injury Example: A client trips on a makeup case you left out and falls, breaking their arm. They are unable to work for 2 months and sue you for lost wages.
- Property Damage Example: You spill a bottle of foundation on a client's carpet, which stains and won't come out. The client sues you for the cost to replace the carpet.
Employers' Liability Insurance for Makeup Artists
Employers' Liability insurance is compulsory if you hire anyone, from an assistant to a team of makeup artists. Employers' Liability insurance covers legal defence costs and claims settlements if an employee falls ill or is injured due to their work for you.
- Employers' Liability Example: An employee slips and falls on a wet floor at work, blaming you. They sue for damages.
Tools and Equipment Insurance
Tools/Equipment Cover can be useful to cover accidental damage, loss or theft of valuable tools, such as makeup and brushes. A makeup artist's equipment can be very expensive to replace and you can't work without it, so having this cover in place can keep you in business in the event of a disaster like theft.
Stock Cover
Stock Cover: If you keep stock of makeup, hair products or other items to sell to your clients, stock cover can protect these goods in the case of accidental damage, loss or theft.
Personal Accident Insurance
Personal Accident insurance can provide a financial benefit if you or an employee has an accidental injury and is unable to work. This type of insurance is a "benefit" so it's not tax deductible. The benefit is either in the form of a weekly payout for a temporary injury (e.g., broken arm) or a lump sum payout for a permanent disability (e.g., loss of an eye).
- Personal Accident Example: You slip and fall at work, breaking your dominant hand. You're unable to work for 6 weeks while your hand heals so you claim for the weekly benefit while you're off work.
In addition, a makeup artist might need other types of cover as mentioned below.
Do Makeup Artists Need Insurance?
Yes, makeup artists need insurance—in particular, they need public liability insurance. Public liability insurance is critical when dealing with clients, customers and members of the public (meaning anyone not employed by you)—since makeup artists by definition deal with other people in close proximity, they should have public liability insurance coverage at the very least.
Whether or not you need other types of business insurance as a makeup artist will depend on the specific risks you face. For example, if you hire any assistants or a team of makeup artists as your business grows, you will need employers' liability insurance. If you want cover for your equipment (e.g., brushes, makeup, etc.), you'll need tools cover.
Other coverages you might want include professional indemnity, personal accident, product liability, commercial property, office equipment, business use on your vehicle insurance, etc.—what you need depends on your individual situation and risk factors.
How Much is Public Liability Insurance for a Makeup Artist?
The average cost of public liability insurance for a makeup artist starts from around £41 a year for a simple £1m public liability policy, assuming you're a self-employed sole trader. Makeup artists pay some of the lowest public liability rates in the UK compared to many other professions.
| Average Cost of Public Liability Insurance for a Makeup Artist | Sole Trader |
|---|---|
| £1 million of cover | £41 |
| £2 million of cover | £48 |
| £5 million of cover | £56 |
The cost of cover increases with the level of cover (as you can see below), however the premium increase for an additional million pounds of cover is usually quite insignificant compared to the first million of cover. You might be surprised to hear it but your business insurance premium also depends on where you live.
Your total cost of business insurance may be higher, depending on the additional coverages you need. For example, employers' liability insurance is required by law if you hire an employee and will cost around £200 a year for one hire.
Of course, these are just sample quotes to give you a general idea of prices; your premiums might vary significantly depending on your situation and the details of your application.
FAQs
Makeup Artist Employment and Earnings Statistics
As with many professions, makeup artist pay is largely dependent up on experience. Newly-qualified makeup artists may need to work for free in some cases to gain experience, and senior makeup artists can easily earn 2X to 3X as much as their junior trainees.
| How much does a makeup artist earn? | Average makeup artist pay |
|---|---|
| Per hour | £10.50 |
| Junior makeup artist in fashion and editorial shoots | £0 to £150 per day |
| Senior makeup artist fashion and editorial shoots | £170 to £500 per day |
| Fashions shows | £275 to £450 per day |
| Films | £500 to £800 per week |
| London salon | £1,000 to £1,200 per month |