We often think about insurance as a safety net – something we need if things go wrong – but the reality is, choosing the right insurance is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as an aesthetic business owner.
With new treatments emerging, patient expectations rising and regulatory changes on the horizon, having the right protection in place is essential for safeguarding your business, reputation and livelihood.
At Hamilton Fraser, we’ve spent almost 30 years supporting practitioners across the sector. Drawing on insights from our in-house teams – those who speak to clients daily and handle claims first-hand – we’ve identified the top five policy must-haves that every aesthetic professional should consider.
1. Medical malpractice insurance
Aesthetics is a hands-on, high-stakes profession, and even when practitioners follow best practice, complaints and claims can still occur.
Medical malpractice insurance is the foundation of your coverage. It protects you if a
patient alleges injury, complications or dissatisfaction resulting from a treatment.
With claims becoming increasingly costly, this type of cover is vital. Without adequate insurance, practitioners can be left to personally fund legal defence, expert reports and compensation payments, which can run into hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Medical malpractice insurance covers the costs and damages you may become legally liable to pay arising from:
Why medical malpractice insurance is a must-have:
Hamilton Fraser’s standard policy offers up to £5 million indemnity cover for any one claim or series of claims during the policy period.
Your policy schedule outlines exactly which treatments and procedures are covered, and can be tailored to your specific portfolio.
2. Public liability insurance
Slips, trips, falls, or injuries unrelated to a treatment can happen in any clinic, salon or home-based setting. Public liability insurance means you are protected if a client or member of the public suffers an injury in the area you are responsible for.
Why public liability insurance is a must-have:
For many practitioners, combining medical malpractice and public liability creates the strongest foundation for safeguarding day-to-day operations, especially for those who own, lease or rent premises.
If you carry out treatments on a mobile basis, working across multiple clinic locations or visiting patients at home, public liability is still important as you are still legally responsible for the environment in which you are working, even when it is not your own premises.
At Hamilton Fraser, we include work away public liability cover up to £2 million as standard within our medical malpractice policy. This covers you when you are working in a property where you rent a chair/room or a property that you do not own. If you require cover for premises-based Public Liability, please contact the Cosmetic Team.
3. Contents and equipment cover
As treatment portfolios expand, contents and equipment insurance is becoming even more important. Your equipment, from lasers and microneedling devices to clinic furniture, is central to your business. Theft, fire or accidental damage can disrupt your operations instantly.
Why contents and equipment cover is a must-have:
Hamilton Fraser offers specialised insurance for businesses, including equipment and contents cover for risks like fire, theft, storm, and accidental damage to items such as aesthetic equipment and general contents.
4. Cyber insurance
Cyber is now one of the fastest-growing insurance needs across aesthetics. Many clients assume their clinic system is “too small” to be targeted, when in reality, small businesses are among the most common victims.
Cybercrime is one of the fastest-growing risks in the aesthetics sector. From hacked booking systems to stolen patient photographs, breaches can be financially and reputationally devastating.
Why cyber insurance is a must-have:
As more clinics digitise their operations, cyber insurance has become a modern non-negotiable.
Hamilton Fraser partners with CFC, a leading specialist in cyber insurance, to offer comprehensive protection designed specifically for small businesses and aesthetic clinics. CFC’s cyber cover goes far beyond financial indemnity – it provides proactive tools and expert support to help prevent, detect, and respond to threats before they cause damage.
Read our latest article on cyber risks for more.
5. Directors’ and officers’ insurance
If you run a clinic, employ staff or hold any managerial responsibility, you may be personally liable for decisions made at a senior level.
Why directors’ and officers’ insurance a must-have:
D&O cover is often overlooked, but as the aesthetics sector professionalises, it is becoming a crucial part of a well-rounded insurance portfolio.
What sets Hamilton Fraser apart?
Practitioners often tell us that insurance can feel confusing, especially when comparing policies across different providers. Here’s what genuinely differentiates Hamilton Fraser:
1. An in-house claims team you can call
While many brokers outsource claims, Hamilton Fraser handles them in-house. Clients speak directly to trained specialists, not a call centre or anonymous online portal.
“Unlike most brokers, we have an in-house claims team where our clients can speak to someone on the phone rather than behind a screen”, says Claims Handler Priya Chander.
“Our team is approachable, we are not a ‘call centre’, so you are likely to speak to the same person and build a relationship with them”, adds Nicola Bowtell, Account Executive, Healthcare.
This means:
2. Authority to handle patient dissatisfaction
We don’t only step in when there’s a “formal claim.” Our team can help the moment a complaint or concern is raised.
This early involvement often prevents an issue from escalating and provides reassuring support for practitioners who may be unsure how to respond.
3. Industry-leading expertise
Because Hamilton Fraser specialises exclusively in aesthetic and cosmetic cover, our policies are built around the realities of clinical practice. Our policies are backed by underwriters who specialise in aesthetics, with decades of real-world experience.
We work closely with manufacturers and distributors, who often approach us first when new treatments reach the UK market – to make sure our cover keeps pace with innovation.
In addition, our team has decades of combined specialist experience – something few competitors can match.
“The experience of our team is unmatched, we have more than 85+ years combined knowledge in our team – that is a lot of knowledge”, says Nicola.
Common misconceptions
Our team highlighted the issues clients misunderstand most frequently:
1. “I only need to notify my insurer if a formal claim is made.”
You must notify us at the first awareness of any issue that may lead to a claim, even a simple complaint or awkward email.
2. “If I refund a patient, it means I'm admitting liability.”
Refunds can be offered without accepting fault, as long as it is clearly stated as a goodwill gesture.
3. Confusion over “claims-made” vs “claims-occurring.”
This is one of the most common areas of confusion in aesthetic insurance, and our team always takes the time to explain the differences so you know exactly how you’re protected.
A claims-made policy covers you only if the claim is made while your policy is active, regardless of when the treatment was carried out.
Example: You perform a treatment in March 2024 and the patient complains in January 2025. If your policy is active in January 2025, you’re covered.
This is why it’s vital not to let your insurance lapse — even if you temporarily pause practising.
A claims-occurring policy covers you based on when the incident actually happened, even if the claim is made years later, after the policy has ended.
Example: If a treatment was performed in 2023 and a claim is made in 2026, you would be covered as long as your policy was active in 2023.
At Hamilton Fraser, we also offer run-off policies. This means that if you retire, cease trading permanently, or pause your practice temporarily – for example, during maternity leave – you can still be protected for claims arising from past treatments provided you purchase this additional cover.
Insurance may not be the most exciting part of running an aesthetic clinic, but it is one of the most important. Having the right combination of policies in place gives you clarity, confidence and practical protection when you need it most. From treatment-related claims to accidental damage, cyber issues or senior-level decisions, each type of cover plays a distinct role in keeping your business steady and secure.
At Hamilton Fraser, our aim is to make that process easier by offering specialist advice, clear explanations and support when issues arise. With a well-structured insurance portfolio behind you, you can focus on your patients and your practice, knowing you’re properly safeguarded.
Insurance may not be the most exciting part of running an aesthetic clinic, but it is one of the most important. Having the right combination of policies in place gives you clarity, confidence and practical protection when you need it most. From treatment-related claims to accidental damage, cyber issues or senior-level decisions, each type of cover plays a distinct role in keeping your business steady and secure.
At Hamilton Fraser, our aim is to make that process easier by offering specialist advice, clear explanations and support when issues arise. With a well-structured insurance portfolio behind you, you can focus on your patients and your practice, knowing you’re properly safeguarded.
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