Mobile hairdressers provide flexible and personalised services, often travelling between clients’ homes, events, and hired venues. This working style introduces unique risks that can be different from those faced in salon-based environments. Mobile hairdresser insurance can help support hairdressers in protecting their tools, equipment, and liability while working on the move.
We explore the key areas of protection that mobile hairdressers may wish to consider, including public liability insurance, tools cover, treatment risk insurance, personal accident cover, and vehicle-related protection.
What is Mobile Hairdresser Insurance?
Mobile hairdresser insurance is designed to help safeguard hairdressers who work away from a fixed salon premises. It can offer cover for both personal equipment and potential liabilities that may arise while working at clients’ homes or other locations.
Policies can typically be tailored to include:
- Public liability insurance for mobile hairdressers
- Tools and equipment cover
- Treatment risk cover
- Personal accident protection
- Optional vehicle-related cover for tools in transit
We can support mobile hairdressers in finding tailored insurance options that suit their way of working and level of exposure to risk.
Public Liability Insurance for Mobile Hairdressers
Public liability insurance is often regarded as essential for mobile hairdressers. This cover can help protect against claims if a client or member of the public suffers injury or property damage as a result of the hairdresser’s work.
Why Public Liability Cover Matters
Accidents can happen when travelling between locations, setting up equipment, or carrying out treatments in clients’ homes. Public liability insurance can provide valuable protection against potential claims, which could include:
- A client tripping over trailing equipment
- Spillage of hair dye on carpets or furnishings
- Injury caused by the hairdresser’s tools during treatment
Some venues and clients may request proof of public liability cover before agreeing to appointments or events.
Tools and Equipment Cover for Mobile Hairdressers
Tools and equipment insurance can help mobile hairdressers protect their essential working items while travelling, working on-site, or storing them between appointments.
What Can Be Covered?
Cover can extend to:
- Hairdryers, clippers, straighteners, and curling tongs
- Scissors, brushes, and professional kits
- Mobile styling chairs or portable workstations
- Equipment carried in personal or hired vehicles
Mobile equipment can be vulnerable to theft, accidental damage, or loss in transit. Some policies can offer overnight cover for tools stored in securely locked vehicles, though this may be subject to specific security requirements.
Treatment Risk Insurance for Mobile Hairdressers
Mobile hairdressers often perform services involving chemicals and heated tools in locations they do not control. Treatment risk insurance can help cover potential claims if a treatment causes injury, hair damage, or an allergic reaction.
Why Treatment Risk Cover is Important
Treatment risk insurance can provide protection for incidents such as:
- Scalp burns from heated styling tools
- Hair breakage following chemical treatments
- Allergic reactions to colouring products or styling solutions
Hairdressers may need to follow manufacturer instructions and complete patch tests where appropriate to ensure their cover remains valid.
Personal Accident Cover for Mobile Hairdressers
Working in unfamiliar environments, lifting heavy equipment, and regular travel can expose mobile hairdressers to personal injury risks. Personal accident insurance can offer financial support if the hairdresser is injured and unable to work.
This cover can support income protection during recovery periods and help provide additional peace of mind when working independently.
Optional Vehicle-Related Cover
Mobile hairdressers often rely on their vehicles to transport equipment safely between clients. Additional protection can sometimes be arranged for:
- Tools in transit: Cover for items while being transported
- Theft from vehicles: Optional overnight protection subject to security measures
Although standard vehicle insurance does not typically cover professional equipment, tailored policies can offer this additional safeguard.
Supporting Mobile Hairdressers with Flexible Insurance
Mobile hairdressing offers freedom and flexibility but also introduces unique insurance considerations. Hairdressers may benefit from combining public liability, tools cover, treatment risk insurance, personal accident protection, and vehicle-related cover to help ensure comprehensive protection while working on the go. Brokers can support mobile hairdressers in finding insurance solutions that match their working style and specific needs.