Hours bent over the chair
Long sessions hunched over a client, holding a machine steady for hours, take a toll. Tattooists often deal with neck and back pain, carpal tunnel and tendon problems in the hands and wrists. Eye strain from fine detail work can add up too.
Any problem that affects your hands or vision can stop you working while you feel fine otherwise. That makes the choice of incapacity definition especially important for tattoo artists.
Artists who travel to conventions or guest spots abroad spend long days on their feet and long journeys between bookings. Mention any regular overseas work, as insurers may ask about time spent outside the UK.
Chair rent, deposits and booked-out months
Many artists rent a chair in a studio and keep their own takings, or pay the studio a share. Studio owners carry rent, rates and supplies. Clients often book months ahead with a deposit, so time off can mean refunds or rescheduling.
Insurers base income protection on your taxable profit, averaged over a few years. Keep your records tidy, as cash-heavy trades sometimes struggle to show their real earnings at claim time.
Apprentices and newly qualified artists may have little trading history. Some insurers will still consider you, especially if you have earnings from a previous job. Let us know where you are in your career.
- Declare all your income on your tax return
- Keep booking and deposit records
- Tell us whether you rent a chair or own the studio
Occupation class and own occupation cover
Every insurer places jobs in a risk group. Tattooing is not heavy manual work, but it relies on fine motor skills, so insurers vary in how they see it. Your class affects the price and the definition on offer.
Studio owners who spend more time managing bookings, staff and stock than tattooing may be classed differently. Tell the insurer how your week splits, as it can affect both price and terms.
Own occupation cover pays if you cannot work as a tattoo artist. A suited or any occupation definition could refuse a claim if you could still manage the front desk or do design work. We will show you which each quote uses.
Deferred periods and cover for your family
If you have savings or deposits banked, a longer deferred period lowers the premium. If not, four or eight weeks gets money to you sooner.
Should you die while the policy runs, life cover pays your family a lump sum. Your own tattoos make no difference to life insurance, though insurers ask about general health, smoking and alcohol.
How Hi Tomorrow helps tattoo artists
We describe your work accurately to insurers, look for the strongest definition available, and help you present your income clearly. We compare prices across our panel, help with the medical questions and support you if you claim.
We also check whether short-term income protection would suit you better than full cover, if budget is tight while you build your client list.