Barber Shop Insurance Compared
We compared 5 insurance providers for UK barber shops on price, cover types, and suitability for shop owners, chair renters, and mobile barbers.
Salon Gold is the best choice for barber shop owners with treatment risk included and 35+ years of hair and beauty expertise. For self-employed barbers renting a chair, Protectivity offers the cheapest freelancer cover. To compare prices, Simply Business is fastest.
| Provider | Best for | PL cover | From | Our rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salon Gold Top pick | Shop owners | £1m - 5m | ~£7/mo | 4.6 / 5 |
| Simply Business | Price comparison | £1m - 5m | ~£5/mo | 4.5 / 5 |
| Protectivity | Chair renters | £2m - 5m | ~£3.50/mo | 4.3 / 5 |
| Hiscox | Premium cover | £1m - 10m | ~£9/mo | 4.4 / 5 |
| Everywhen | Multi-chair shops | £1m - 10m | ~£10/mo | 4.2 / 5 |
Prices are indicative and based on a sole trader barber in England with no claims history. Your quote will vary by services, premises, turnover, and cover level. All prices exclude Insurance Premium Tax.
What is barber shop insurance?
Barber shop insurance protects your barbering business against the risks of working with clients in close physical contact using sharp tools and chemical products. The core cover is public liability, but barbers also need treatment risk cover for razor nicks, allergic reactions, and service-related injuries that standard PL does not cover.
The NHBF recommends all barbers carry public liability and treatment risk as a minimum. If you employ staff, employers liability is a legal requirement.
Provider-by-provider breakdown
Salon Gold offers specialist barber shop insurance with treatment risk included on every policy. Packages cover salon owners, freelancers, and mobile barbers. For shop owners, the Complete Salon Package adds contents, stock, glass, and employers liability. Over 35 years in hair and beauty insurance.
Their industry Hub publishes barber-specific guides. The main downside is being a single provider, so no multi-insurer comparison. For barber shop owners wanting comprehensive specialist cover, Salon Gold is the strongest option.
- Treatment risk included
- 35+ years specialist
- Complete salon package available
- Glass cover available
- Instant online documents
- Single provider
- Slightly higher starting price
- No multi-insurer comparison
Simply Business compares quotes from AXA, Hiscox, Churchill, and Zurich for barber shops. Build a policy with public liability, employers liability, contents, stock, and personal accident from around 5 pounds per month.
Treatment risk depends on which panel insurer you are matched with. Standard haircuts and shaves are covered by most. Hair colouring or additional services need policy wording verification.
- Compare multiple insurers
- Competitive from 5 pounds per month
- Quick 7-minute quote
- Flexible add-on covers
- 1,500+ trades covered
- Treatment risk varies by insurer
- Not a barber specialist
- Some services may not be covered
Protectivity offers the cheapest barber insurance from around 3.50 pounds per month for self-employed and mobile barbers. Treatment risk is included. Accidental damage to clients' property is covered for home visits and events.
Best for self-employed barbers renting a chair or working mobile, not shop owners needing contents, glass, or stock cover. For a solo barber wanting affordable PL and treatment cover, Protectivity is the cheapest route.
- Cheapest starting price
- Treatment risk included
- Good for chair renters
- Accidental damage covered
- Simple online quote
- Not for shop premises
- No contents or glass cover
- Limited employer options
Hiscox offers comprehensive cover with PL up to 10 million, higher than most beauty specialists. Clear policy wording and a well-regarded claims process. Professional indemnity also available.
More expensive but higher quality cover. Best for established barber shops wanting a reputable direct insurer. Not the most cost-effective for sole traders on a budget.
- PL up to 10 million
- Clear policy wording
- Strong claims reputation
- Professional indemnity available
- Direct insurer
- More expensive
- Not barber-specific
- Less suited to budget sole traders
Everywhen (formerly Towergate) offers comprehensive barber shop packages: PL up to 10 million, treatment risk, employers liability, contents, stock, business interruption, and glass cover. Unlimited employees covered, ideal for larger multi-chair shops.
Higher pricing reflects breadth of cover. Quote may require a phone call. Best for established shops with employees and significant contents that need comprehensive protection.
- Comprehensive packages
- PL up to 10 million
- Unlimited employees
- Business interruption available
- Large established broker
- Higher starting price
- May require phone call
- Less suited to sole traders
What to look for
Treatment risk cover. Essential for razor nicks, product reactions, and service-related injuries. Standard public liability does not cover these claims.
Shop contents and equipment. Barber chairs, clippers, razors, and fittings are a big investment. Check replacement cost coverage against theft, fire, and damage.
Glass cover. Barber shops have large mirrors and shop fronts. Glass cover pays for replacements, a common claim for shop-based businesses.
Chair renter obligations. If barbers in your shop are self-employed chair renters, they need their own insurance. But if you direct their work, you may still need employers liability.
Common questions
How we compared these providers
We researched each provider by reviewing their policy documents, getting test quotes, checking customer reviews on Trustpilot and Feefo, and speaking to business owners who have used these providers. Our ratings reflect a combination of price competitiveness, cover comprehensiveness, claims reputation, and ease of use. We update this page quarterly. FixList may earn a commission if you click through to a provider and purchase a policy. This does not affect our ratings or recommendations.