This has been a tough year for many businesses in the United States. With everything going on, there has been a tremendous focus on the insurance industry and what policies cover. For the independent contractor or business owner, it is crucial to understand what insurance can and cannot do for a business.  

Liability is third party coverage and a business will buy liability as protection against lawsuits.  For those in the beauty business – professional liability is necessary. This provides protection from allegations of negligence or a lawsuit stating the service did not turn out as expected. All businesses and individuals also need general liability – an independent contractor needs this also. A few years ago, an independent contractor client pushed the massage bed up against the wall, it buckled, and the person getting the procedure fell against the wall and broke her neck. She recovered, but there was a million-dollar payout under the independent contractor’s general liability insurance as she could no longer do her high paying job.

Susan Preston has been at the forefront of insurance program innovation since 1993 when she founded Professional Program Insurance Brokerage (PPIB) in Novato, California. Preston is also the co-founder of a non-profit association setting standards for the permanent makeup industry, Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals (SPCP). With industry involvement, Preston and PPIB have been a leader in insurance programs for emerging markets and for the spa industry. Due to the national reputation of PPIB, in 2016 and 2017 Insurance Business America Magazine named Preston one of the 144 Elite Women in Insurance. ppibcorp.com