
Learn about business insurance requirements and the most common policies for hair stylists and salon owners in Pennsylvania.

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Hair stylists may need different types of insurance depending on the services they offer. These are the most popular insurance policies for Pennsylvania hair styling businesses and beauticians, which protect against financial losses from accidents and lawsuits.
General liability coverage handles basic hair salon risks, such as spilling dye on a customer’s expensive clothing. Bundle with commercial property insurance for savings in a BOP.
A BOP bundles general liability insurance and commercial property insurance at a discount. This is often one of the most cost-effective salon insurance policies.
This policy covers lawsuits related to your professional services, such as dissatisfaction over a client's hair dye or styling. This policy is also called errors and omissions insurance (E&O).
Pennsylvania requires workers' comp for salons that have employees. It also protects sole proprietors from work injury costs and legal fees that health insurance might deny.
Cyber insurance covers costs related to data breaches and cyberattacks. It's strongly recommended for hair salons that handle credit card numbers and other personal information.
Commercial auto insurance covers the cost of accidents involving a vehicle owned by a hair salon. Pennsylvania requires this coverage for vehicles owned by a business.
Whether you're in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, or elsewhere in the state, hair salons in Pennsylvania often must carry the following types of beauty salon insurance coverage to comply with laws:
Pennsylvania state law requires hair and beauty salons with employees to provide workers’ compensation insurance, which covers medical bills for work-related injuries and occupational diseases. This policy is also recommended for sole proprietors, as health insurance can deny claims for injuries related to your job.
Workers' comp provides disability benefits to offset lost wages for Pennsylvania workers who are disabled or recovering from a job-related injury, such as if you slip and break an arm in your salon. Policies usually include employer's liability insurance, which covers legal expenses if an employee sues their employer over an injury.

State law requires commercial auto insurance for any vehicle owned by a business, including hair stylists and salons. This policy covers property damage and medical costs resulting from an accident. It can help pay for vehicle theft, weather damage, and vandalism, depending on the coverage options you choose.
All Pennsylvania vehicles must have the following car insurance, at a minimum:
If you or your hair stylists drive personal vehicles for salon work, you'll need a different policy. Because personal auto insurance won't cover work-related driving, you'll need hired and non-owned auto insurance (HNOA) in this situation, or if you rent or lease a vehicle used for business. You can often add this coverage to your general liability policy as an endorsement.
In Pennsylvania, anyone who provides cosmetology services—such as hair cutting, coloring, styling, or chemical treatments—must hold a valid license from the State Board of Cosmetology of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Depending on your role, this could be a cosmetologist, hairstylist, esthetician, manicurist, or teacher of cosmetology. The cosmetologist license requires completing a minimum of 1,250 hours of instruction or 2,000 hours through apprenticeship, as well as passing state exams. Working without a required license may subject you to civil penalties or disciplinary actions under state law.
If you plan to operate a salon or barber shop, you must also obtain a Salon License issued by the Board. Your salon cannot serve customers until the license is issued and passes the facility inspection. If you move location or change ownership, a new application and an updated inspection are required.
Home-based salons and mobile operations must also meet similar requirements. For example, salons must maintain physical facility, equipment, sanitation and floor space requirements as stated under Chapter 7 of Title 49 of the Pennsylvania Code.
Beyond licensing, salon owners should ensure the business is properly registered, comply with local zoning and building codes, obtain any relevant city or county business permits if selling retail products, and maintain health and safety standards as outlined by the Board’s regulations.

Hair salons in Pennsylvania that buy policies from Insureon pay an average of:
General liability: $27 per month
Business owner's policy: $102 per month
Workers' compensation: $48 per month
Factors that affect hair salon insurance costs during underwriting include:
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