Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1509423
Get a discount when you upgrade to Professional membership today! ascpskincare.com 45 Several weeks later, Rhonda came home from work to nd a court summons taped to the front door of her home. According to the summons, the client from a few weeks back was suing Rhonda for $600,000 in damages and medical bills resulting from scarring to 25 percent of her legs. Rhonda was shocked. Apparently, the spa had let their coverage lapse, and Rhonda was not covered—so she was held liable. The client settled in court for $126,000. Unfortunately, Rhonda wasn't a member of Associated Skin Care Professionals (ASCP), so she didn't have personal liability insurance to protect her. WHY DO I NEED LIABILITY INSURANCE? Liability insurance is an insurance policy that protects you when you are being sued and/or being held legally liable for claims of negligence resulting from damage or injury to a person or property. Simply put, accidents happen. Liability insurance helps you out if, like Rhonda, you've been negligent (whether you know it or not), and it resulted in injury to a client or damaged their property in some way. Liability insurance protects you against the following types of situations: • Professional Liability—The client was injured during the service you performed. • Product Liability—The client suered an allergic reaction caused by a product used on them or sold to them for at-home use. • General Liability—The client was injured during a slip and fall or due to faulty equipment (including damage to the client's property). WHAT IF MY EMPLOYER HAS INSURANCE? Never assume you are covered by your employer. ASCP has heard some very sad stories of estheticians like Rhonda who relied on their employer's policy and found out too late that they were not covered. Here are four questions you should ask yourself to ensure you have complete coverage that protects you as an individual. Am I Covered If My Client Sues Me Individually? An employer's insurance policy protects the business and its owner in the event they are sued. If you are also named by your client in a lawsuit, and the employer's policy doesn't explicitly provide coverage for you, the individual therapist, you stand a chance of losing your personal assets, such as your house, your car, and/or your savings. Does My Employer's Policy Cover Every Treatment? Many traditional insurance companies don't understand esthetics—at least not like ASCP does. Many of them will not cover eyelash extensions. Some won't even cover chemical peels. You might perform a service several times a day that isn't covered under a traditional insurance policy. This isn't something you want to nd out after an incident has occurred. Is My Employer's Policy Current? Bills can get lost in the mail. Spa owners can lose track of time. A lot can happen. But if your employer doesn't renew their policy on time and you end up injuring a client during that coverage lapse, you won't be covered. Obtaining your own policy is the best way to ensure you are covered. Am I Covered Everywhere I Work? If you do any work outside your employer's place of business, your employer is not going to cover you. ASCP membership, and the insurance provided as a bene t to members, will follow you wherever you work. PREPARE FOR YOUR CAREER Some accidents are small, and some are big. Make sure you have the best professional liability insurance and a team to support you so you can avoid what Rhonda experienced. Professional members of ASCP enjoy comprehensive liability insurance as well as other bene ts to support you and your career. Are You Protected? Not all esthetics insurance policies are the same! ASCP o ers protection with the industry's best value in liability insurance for skin care professionals like you. Learn more at ascpskincare.com/liability- insurance-estheticians.