The United States in 2022 is quite simply a land of litigation. There always seems to be an attorney willing to take on a lawsuit, no matter how false the allegations, the results of which can be career-devastating for a small business owner. And while decades ago the tattoo industry was on the fringes of society and probably protected from such lawsuits, today it’s borderline irresponsible for an artist to do business without being protected by liability insurance. One of the problems artists face when trying to protect themselves is that most insurance agents have little to no understanding of how the tattoo industry works, let alone the protection artists need to protect themselves from protect lawsuits. Founded by people who understand the industry inside and out, InkShopGuard provides coverage to Tattoo artists and shops across the country. We spoke to Nate Szana, who runs the company’s day-to-day customer service, about how the company came about and why insurance is absolutely necessary for tattoo artists.
Let’s start with the simplest question: what exactly does InkShopGuard do?
We offer liability and property insurance for the tattoo industry. We work with a couple of insurance carriers that help us insure artists, businesses, and the stuff inside.
How did InkShopGuard come about?
It started as a passion project for Shawn Woedl, our CEO. There are few options for adequate insurance in the tattoo industry and we want to help change that by offering a tattoo industry tailored program based on our experience. Shawn and I both had issues being covered in tattoos in the insurance industry. When Shawn asked me to help get this program off the ground, it felt perfect.
Why should tattoo artists consider personal liability insurance?
Put simply, it protects you and your business. Even if you are not a shop owner and you work as an artist in a shop you have the same legal obligations and risks of liability as larger shops and corporations. You can be sued for almost anything — customer injuries, infections, or someone who has decided they don’t like your work. General liability insurance provides defense and helps cover legal fees and damages resulting from a lawsuit. These are just a few reasons we encourage tattoo artists to ensure they are properly covered. If you are a business owner or independent contractor of any kind, you should have general liability insurance.
Nate Szana
What exactly does InkShopGuard insurance cover?
Our policies can cover slips and falls, accidental injury to customers, property damage to a customer’s belongings, advertising violations – which can cover things like defamation or slander. There is insurance coverage for professional services, which can cover things like consulting with clients and getting advice about the tattoo itself, the size, or the placement. We offer coverage for communicable diseases and infections. Although rare, they do happen, and you can still face a lawsuit, although most often they stem from the client not following the aftercare properly.
How has the stigma attached to tattoo artists made it harder for them to get insurance?
Many insurance companies see the industry as much riskier than it is. As a result, fewer carriers offer coverage, or they don’t offer the right coverage. Your average insurance agent doesn’t know anything about the risks that come with your business, making the process more difficult and complicated.
Tattoo artists naturally tend to be suspicious of structures, so how do you get them to understand that insurance is something they should be interested in?
Suspicious or not, it doesn’t stop you from being sued by one of your customers or anyone else. Even if you can successfully fight the lawsuit, it will be expensive, tens of thousands of dollars or more. Why pay out of pocket and use up your savings when you can pay a small fee to take care of it? Each artist runs their own business; Owning a business comes with risks. Insurance is an easy way to mitigate this risk.
Have you seen cases of artists being sued for poor artwork? Is this something insurance can help with?
Personally, I haven’t seen any claims of anyone being sued for lousy graphics. It’s usually because someone has had an allergic reaction, infection, scarring, keloids, or something similar. However, in most cases you are covered if someone sues you because they didn’t like your finished work or it didn’t live up to their expectations. Even if nothing came of it, we would still be obliged to defend you before the lawsuit.
Where do you see the future of InkShopGuard?
I want our program to keep growing. I hope InkshopGuard will eventually be tantamount to insuring all the fantastic artists and businesses. We will adapt and change with the insurance needs of the tattoo industry.
Check out InkShopGuard and the services it offers by clicking here.