Aestheticians Working in a Medical Spa: Do you Need Malpractice Insurance?

Insurance often seems expensive until you need it, and then it seems cheap, or at the very least, worth the price.  Ask anyone who has been in an auto accident who had good insurance, and then ask the same question of an uninsured driver.  Of course, in most states auto insurance is mandatory and the aesthetician in a medical spa setting sees it as an option.  It can, however, be looked at as an option that the professional clinician is well advised to have.  

Medical doctors for years have budgeted in malpractice insurance because society has become more litigious over the years.  When someone can spill hot coffee on themselves at the drive-through of a fast-food restaurant and then win millions of dollars from the resulting lawsuit, you know that placing your fate in the hands of a jury and the arguments of two lawyers is a lot like rolling dice in Las Vegas.  

Since we are talking about your livelihood at the very least, and your life savings if a court finds against you should a client claim damages, having professional liability insurance should be high on the list of any aesthetician.

A Medical Spa Is Different From A Day Spa

A medical spa is different from a day spa, so the insurance requirements are also different.  A medical spa incorporates services and procedures that are, in most  states, considered to be the practice of medicine.  Clinicians performing procedures under the supervision of a physician need the protection insurance offers, just in case.

What About A Rider On The Doctor’s Policy?

Many people wonder why it is not simpler to get a rider on the medical malpractice insurance the medical doctor affiliated with the medical spa is carrying anyway.  This idea is good, but most carriers do not offer this service.  The price of medical malpractice insurance for physicians has skyrocketed in recent years due to the many lawsuits – some thought to be frivolous – that have been filed.  

Packaged Deals Mean Deep Discounts

Generally insurance coverage can be acquired in a package that includes business office coverage: business personal property, slip and fall, hired and non-owned auto, valuable papers, advertising liability, computers and other areas will all be covered.  If this is combined with Workers Compensation coverage discounts usually apply.  If any health or life insurance policies for employees are provided by the medical spa, then the same carrier generally will write all policies again offering major discounts.  Whatever the source however, liability insurance is something all aestheticians should look into for safety’s sake.