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Lash technician insurance in Ireland: what insurers actually ask for (2026)
In this guide 7 sections
Insurance is one of the questions my students ask most, usually right after "will I get a certificate?". So in October and November 2026 I wrote to several insurers and asked them exactly what they need from a lash technician. Not all of them replied. Here is what the ones who did told us - so you can check it before you book any course, not after.
Do I need insurance by law?
No. Public liability insurance is not required by law in Ireland. It is still strongly recommended before you work on paying clients: you are working millimetres from someone's eyes, with glue and chemicals, and one reaction or complaint can cost far more than a year of cover.
A salon you rent a chair in, or a landlord, may also ask you for insurance in their own contract. That is their rule, not the law - but it is worth knowing before you sign.
What do insurers actually ask for?
Every insurer sets its own rules, and they are very different. This is what four of them told us, as of November 2026:
Insify
Told us by email, October 2026- What they ask for
- No specific accreditation, no minimum training hours and no proof of training. You apply online for your own business, under the activity "Beautician". If your business is less than 3 years old, they ask about your experience - it affects the price only.
- What is covered
- Lashes and brows are not listed separately, but they are not among the exclusions (permanent make-up, microblading, microneedling, injections, laser, permanent hair removal). Public and product liability; professional indemnity is not available for this activity. Limits of €1.25m, €2.5m or €6.5m per claim. Covers work at home, in a rented room and at the client's home.
- Price
- Not given - online quote
AIT / ABT Ireland
Public website, and by email, November 2026- What they ask for
- A nationally recognised qualification from Ireland or the UK (for example VTCT or ITEC), or a course with AIT accreditation. Other certificates are looked at case by case: you send a photo of your certificates and they decide.
- What is covered
- Membership with insurance includes eyelash extensions; covers work at home, mobile work and a rented room or chair in a salon. €6.5m each for products, treatment risks, professional and public liability.
- Price
- €358.78 for 12 months (membership with insurance, by email). Online package "Nails, Tanning & Makeup" with lashes: €198.72 (public page, 30 October 2026).
Balens
Told us by email, October and November 2026- What they ask for
- A recognised beauty qualification at NFQ Level 4 or 5 (EQF Level 3) in the treatments you offer, gained in Ireland, the EU or the UK, with practical training and a final competence exam. A lash course on top of an NFQ Level 5 beauty therapy qualification is accepted if the qualification is relevant to treating lashes. Without NFQ Level 4 or 5: not possible at the moment.
- What is covered
- Professional, public and product liability; mobile work (outside the USA and Canada).
- Price
- Indicative: €205.36 a year (€4m limit) or €220.22 (€6m limit)
BMIB
Told us by email, November 2026- What they ask for
- A qualification from their list of awarding bodies is accepted automatically; for anything else you contact their office. The qualification must come from a classroom course - online learning counts only as extra training (CPD). The name of the treatment must be on your certificate.
- What is covered
- You also confirm that you patch test every new client, keep client records for at least 5 years and tell them about new training during the year. Students are not covered.
- Price
- Not given
This is not insurance advice - it is what these insurers told us in October and November 2026. Rules and prices change, so always check with the insurer before you buy.
I am new to beauty - can I get insured?
Yes, but be realistic about your route. A certificate from any private lash course - including one called "accredited" - is not an NFQ qualification. The one exception that matters here: AIT / ABT Ireland insures treatments from courses that carry AIT accreditation.
So as a complete beginner you have two options:
- An insurer that does not ask for a recognised qualification. Insify, for example, told us it does not require accreditation, minimum hours or proof of training.
- Or an NFQ Level 4 or 5 beauty qualification first, if you want an insurer that asks for one.
I already hold an NFQ Level 5 beauty qualification
Then you have more choice. Balens told us that a lash course on top of an NFQ Level 5 beauty therapy qualification is accepted, as long as the qualification is relevant to treating lashes. Ask your insurer the same question about yours - with the name of the lash course - before you book.
What should I ask an insurer before I book a course?
- Do you accept the certificate from this specific course? (Send them the course page or a sample certificate.)
- Do you ask for an NFQ qualification or a particular accreditation?
- Are lash extensions, lash lift and brow treatments covered - and are any of them on your list of exclusions?
- What is the limit per claim, and where does the policy apply: at home, in a salon, at the client's home?
Then compare the answers with what the academy tells you. If you are not sure which questions to ask the academy, start with How to choose a lash academy in Ireland.
What should I do once I am working?
Some insurers make these a condition of cover, and they are good practice anyway:
- Patch test every new client, and keep a note that you did.
- Keep client records and consultation forms for at least 5 years.
- Make sure the name of the treatment is on your certificate - and keep the certificate where you can find it.
- Tell your insurer when you add a new treatment or finish a new course.
Lash insurance: frequently asked questions
Is lash insurance compulsory in Ireland?
No. Public liability insurance is not required by law in Ireland, but it is strongly recommended before you work on paying clients. A salon or landlord may ask for it in their own contract.
Is an accredited lash course an NFQ qualification?
No. A certificate from a private lash course is not an NFQ qualification, even when the course is called "accredited". One exception matters for insurance: AIT / ABT Ireland insures treatments from courses that carry AIT accreditation.
Can I get insured as a complete beginner?
Yes, with an insurer that does not ask for a recognised qualification - Insify, for example, told us in October 2026 that it does not require accreditation or proof of training. Insurers that ask for NFQ Level 4 or 5 will not cover you until you have one.
How much does lash insurance cost in Ireland?
In the answers we received, prices ranged from €198.72 to €358.78 a year, as of November 2026. Your price depends on your business, limits and experience - always ask for your own quote.
If you are thinking about my Classic Lash Extensions course, I explain what my certificate is - and what it is not - on the ProLash accreditation page.
