All content provided in this blog is only for informative purposes and is not meant to be taken as advice in any form. Please consult your medical professional or lawyer before making a final decision.
Aesthetic medicine has come leaps and bounds over the last decade. However, that doesn’t mean aesthetic treatments administered by cosmetologists are perfect and devoid of undesirable effects. Any treatment that involves injections and resurfacing has an element of risk associated with it. The best way to mitigate legal risks as a practitioner of aesthetic medicine is to get yourself insurance to cover surgical liabilities.
So why do you need aesthetic insurance? If a claim is made for any insured treatments you give patients or advice you give them, medical malpractice insurance will shield you from any potential costs and damages you could be required to pay by law.
In order to get the best aesthetician insurance available on the market, you will need to first identify your coverage requirements and then find the policies that offer those specific coverages.
If you aren’t 100% sure which coverages you would require in your line of treatments, then it’s recommended to opt for general liability insurance that covers a whole array of legal claims made against you. Here are some coverages that the best insurance policies include:
Additionally, try to find insurance policies that cover specific treatments, beauty products, confidentiality breaches, reputational harm, business interruption, accidental damages, etc. Also, it’s important to remember that a cheaper and more economical premium doesn’t always mean better coverage.
It takes prudent perusal of insurance policies offered by various firms to find the perfect balance between cost and risk coverage. It’s advised that aestheticians take the time to even get an expert legal opinion before opting for an insurance plan. Standard Limits of Indemnity range from $2.25 to $5.65 million, but certain procedures may be offered more.
Without sufficient insurance, you will be forced to personally defend yourself against any accusations, which may be quite expensive. If you‘re found to be at fault, the cost of compensatory damages alone — before factoring in lost wages and other expenses—can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Most insurance policies protect you against accidental damages that may have occurred due to tripping, slipping, or falling within the area of the clinic. This is especially beneficial for clinics that are mobile (perform procedures in different locations) and for self-employed practitioners. working in and out of different clinic locations or in patients’ homes.
It’s common for medical spas to sell and recommend beauty/skincare products to their customers. In such cases, it’s important to have aesthetician insurance that can cover the costs incurred due to failed treatments or procedures.
Having the appropriate insurance in place not only protects practitioners but also assures clients that you uphold the highest levels of professionalism. This is because most insurance providers only offer their policies to professionals who have undergone training in the procedure they’re performing on patients.
Cosmetic liability insurance should be your top priority if you’re a purveyor of skincare treatment and procedures. Even if you’re a seasoned veteran, getting aesthetician insurance will give you the safety net that will protect you from overwhelming legal costs.
Having aesthetics insurance ensures that your assets are safeguarded in the event that a claim is made against you. An expert insurance provider will also continuously offer help and direction, giving you peace of mind.
Enough coverage also demonstrates care for patients and may be required by some professional and regulatory authorities. In general, there are two sets of standard policy covers that come with most aesthetician liability covers. They are:
Liability coverage and insurance policies can be availed by different people in the aesthetics industry. This includes medics, non-medics, nurses, and practitioners. There are also a number of policies designed for specific types of practitioners. Professions eligible to apply for aesthetician insurance include:
If you have received training for specific treatments (for example, anti-wrinkle injectable therapies) and are a medically qualified professional, such as a nurse, paramedic, doctor, dentist, or pharmacist, most insurance providers will offer you the claimed coverage right away.
Meanwhile, your case will be evaluated along with your insurance application if you’re a non-medical professional with experience in the beauty business. The amount of training necessary to perform the treatments will be compared with your experience in the field. Generally speaking, the minimal requirement in addition to the necessary training is an NVQ Level 3 Beauty Qualification (or equivalent).
An aesthetician insurance policy can vary in cost largely depending on the treatments you are offering, the size of your clinic, the type of policy you are opting for, and the insurance provider you choose. In general, the premium cost for aesthetician insurance can be categorized into 3 distinct groups:
A malpractice insurance for aestheticians usually comes under the professional liability category of aesthetic insurance. With that being said, each policy has a different cost depending on a number of variables and factors that have to be taken into account. On average, it can cost you anywhere between $42 to $67 dollars for minimum coverage.
We advise having an indemnity limit that will cover your worst-case scenario when purchasing medical malpractice or professional indemnity insurance. All awards for claims and defense expenses must be covered under the 12-month aggregate maximum limit specified in your policy.
Certain companies may only provide coverage for injectable procedures with a minimum limit of $1 million. You will be extremely vulnerable to treatment risk claims if you fall short of this level. You should consider the dangers involved with the treatments being used when determining your upper limit. For instance, working with models or famous people may carry a larger risk because claims for lost wages can be significantly higher.
Your next step is to shortlist insurance providers who offer policies that are in alignment with your budget and requirements. Ideally, you should be looking for insurance providers who offer the following coverages:
After careful consideration of all the above policy coverages offered by the insurance providers, you need to make a decision on which policy gives you the most value for your money. Getting an expert legal opinion and asking other professionals who work in the beauty industry is highly recommended before committing to a policy.
It’s important to have access to high-quality equipment and to have undergone extensive training to minimize the risk of damage to your client. Remember that if you minimize the number of claims made through your insurance policy, there’s a chance for a reduction in your premium costs.
At FACE Med Store, we provide a range of online training courses and beauty supplies and tools. These include training programs in the use of injectable therapy, cosmetic threading, dermal fillers, fractional radiofrequency treatment, and intense pulsed light (IPL), among others. To learn more about our cosmetic dermatology training programs, get in touch with us right away.