Nail Salon Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a nail salon business may carry — core, prevalent, and situational — why each matters, and the gap most often missed.
Pull out your current policy and check the box next to any coverage you can confirm is already in place — anything unchecked is worth a quick conversation with your advisor. Coverage checklist for nail salons and nail bars. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against the services offered and how technicians are engaged.
Tick each coverage you can confirm you carry — anything left unticked is a good question for your next policy review.
| Have it? | Coverage | Why this business needs it | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Liability (Nail Services) | Covers infections, cuts, burns, and allergic reactions from services — GL usually excludes them. | Core | |
| Commercial General Liability | Covers client slips and falls and damage to client property. | Core | |
| Products Liability | Covers reactions to polishes, gels, acrylics, and products sold. | Prevalent | |
| Business Personal Property | Covers pedicure chairs, ventilation equipment, and inventory. | Prevalent | |
| Workers' Compensation | Required in most states; chemical exposure, dust, and repetitive strain affect technicians. | Core | |
| Employment Practices Liability (EPLI) | Covers wage-and-hour, misclassification, and discrimination claims — common in this industry. | Prevalent | |
| Equipment Breakdown | Covers failure of pedicure spas, ventilation, and water heaters. | Situational | |
| Business Income | Replaces income if a health department closure or covered loss shuts the salon. | Prevalent |
The coverage gap most often missed
The most commonly missed exposure for this class is pedicure spa infection. Whirlpool footbaths can harbor bacteria that cause serious skin infections: one Northern California outbreak infected 110 customers of a single salon, later outbreaks spread across dozens of salons, one led to a death, and a settlement reached $2.91 million. Salons need professional liability that clearly covers infection claims, and a written cleaning log for every foot spa is often the best defense. Technicians' chemical exposure and wage-and-hour claims are the other major exposures, which is why workers' compensation and EPLI matter here.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your nail salon coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Nail Salon Insurance · Nail Salon Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a nail salon business need?
The core coverages for a nail salon business are Professional Liability (Nail Services), Commercial General Liability, Workers' Compensation. This checklist also lists the prevalent and situational coverages worth considering, with a plain-English note on why each matters.
Is this checklist insurance advice?
No. It is a free educational tool to help you have a more informed conversation with a licensed professional. It affords no coverage and is not insurance, legal, or financial advice — only your actual policy language governs what is and isn't covered.
Can Cory Washington & Co. review my nail salon coverage?
Yes. Share your checklist and we'll review your program line by line, market your account across multiple carriers, and explain the trade-offs in plain English. Cory Washington & Co. LLC is licensed in all 50 states.
This checklist is a free educational tool from Cory Washington & Co. to help you review your own coverage and have a more informed conversation with a licensed insurance professional. It is general information only — not insurance, legal, or financial advice, and not a recommendation to buy, change, or cancel any policy. Coverage terms, availability, limits, and requirements vary by policy, carrier, and state, and only the language in your actual policy governs what is and isn’t covered. Checking or leaving blank any item above does not indicate that you are adequately insured or under-insured. Using this checklist does not create a client, agency, or fiduciary relationship. Always consult a licensed professional about your specific situation.