Sauna Insurance
Written by
Ann Herro has been writing about insurance and employee benefits for over 15 years. She has covered topics as easy as insuring a car, and as difficult as transparency in healthcare costs.
Reviewed by
Paul Martin is the Director of Education and Development for Myron Steves, one of the largest, most respected insurance wholesalers in the southern U.S.
Saunas are small rooms that are heated to temperatures between 150°F and 195°F. They often have unpainted, wood interiors and temperature controls. Many saunas have heating elements that include rocks that absorb and give off heat. Water can be poured onto these rocks to create steam.
Saunas offer relaxation and health benefits, such as reducing minor aches and pains.
Sauna owners have the same risks as many other business owners who deal with the general public, who have physical assets, and who can be sued for any reason — with or without merit. And if you own a sauna, you also have unique risks associated with causing illness or injury to customers using your saunas.
Your sauna insurance can help protect your business from property losses and lawsuits. If you own a sauna, an independent insurance agent can help you find customized business insurance that addresses all of your unique risks.
Why Do You Need Sauna Insurance?
The sweating that is caused by saunas can be beneficial for people with conditions like COPD, congestive heart failure, and peripheral artery disease. Saunas may also help reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, and can be very helpful for muscle recovery after sports or heavy workouts.
Spending time in a sauna can also help improve relaxation and reduce anxiety for many people.
But despite their benefits, saunas aren’t for everyone. People with uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, heart failure, an abnormal heart rhythm, or unstable angina can have negative consequences from visiting a sauna or spending too much time in a sauna. What’s more, pregnant women or people who take certain medications might not be good candidates for sauna use. Being in a sauna for too long can cause dehydration, nausea, overheating, dizziness, and other negative health consequences.
So while operating a sauna can be very rewarding, one lawsuit from a customer who becomes ill in your sauna can destroy your business for good. You need sauna insurance to protect your assets from a variety of unique risks:
- Property damage risks (fire, theft, vandalism)
- Liability risks (customer trips and falls, customer illnesses and injuries from sauna use)
What Does Sauna Insurance Cover?
You need custom insurance coverage for the unique and not-so-unique perils that you face in your day-to-day operations. Remember that your business insurance coverage should be tailored for sauna operators, as opposed to generic property or liability insurance that is suitable for other businesses. Tailored sauna insurance is the only way to ensure that your unique risks are covered.
Your sauna insurance should include the following types of policies and coverage.
- Commercial property insurance: Saunas have to protect their commercial property from catastrophic loss. You must protect your building if you own it, as well as be able to pay your bills and resume operations if you have to close for repairs after a storm, a fire, or some other unforeseen event. Talk to an independent insurance agent about coverage for office furniture, fixtures, and all other office contents, as well as your expensive sauna rooms and equipment.
- Business interruption coverage: You still need to pay for expenses like rent and employee salaries if your sauna must close to make repairs after a fire, storm, or some other covered event. This coverage helps you stay afloat while you have an interruption in your day-to-day operations.
- Commercial general liability (CGL) insurance: You can be held responsible for injuries or property damage that affects customers, vendors, or other members of the general public while at your sauna. Slips and falls (sauna floors can become steamy and slippery), burns, overheating, or other heat-related illnesses or injuries can leave you vulnerable to claims and costly lawsuits that could put you out of business. A CGL policy provides broad coverage for bodily injury or property damage that occurs on your premises. Remember that you should always use waivers and consent forms as a means of limiting your liability exposures. If you do not require clients to sign specific waivers and consents, you should start doing so immediately.
You may want to consider a business owners policy (BOP). BOPS are designed for small businesses and include liability, property, and business income insurance in one affordable package policy.
What Other Insurance Policies Do Saunas Need?
Your basic property and liability policies provide broad coverage for a wide range of claims. But some types of claims are excluded from coverage or are not sufficiently covered by these basic policies. You’ll likely need some additional types of business insurance policies, including the following.
- Commercial umbrella insurance: This provides excess liability protection to any of several other policies you might have. If a customer's injury in your sauna leads to an expensive lawsuit that exceeds the limits of your CGL policy, your commercial umbrella kicks in with higher coverage limits.
- Employment practices liability insurance: This covers you if an employee sues you for discriminatory employment practices.
- Cyber liability insurance: This is important for any business that uses, transmits, or stores electronic data. It pays for any costs related to a cyber breach as well as any related legal costs if a customer or supplier who was harmed by the breach sues you.
- Workers’ compensation insurance: This is typically required for any business that has employees, and pays for lost income and medical expenses for employees who are injured on the job. If an employee is injured while slipping on a wet floor, for example, workers’ compensation insurance pays for related medical costs and compensates them for time away from work.
- Crime coverage: This protects your business if an employee or a group of employees engage in theft, forgery, or fraud that damages your business. Having a small business with high-turnover part-time employees makes your business susceptible to employee theft. This coverage also protects you from the costs associated with shoplifting and vandalism.
- Sign coverage: This pays for damage to outdoor signs not attached to your building that is caused by vandalism, theft, weather, or accidents.
- Utility interruption coverage: This provides income protection if you are unable to operate due to a covered utility (water, electrical) interruption.
Save on Business Insurance
Our independent agents shop around to find you the best coverage.
How Much Does Sauna Insurance Cost?
Your sauna insurance cost depends on a number of factors, such as the size and location of your physical space, the value of your commercial property, the types of services you provide, and the number of employees you have.
With a proper valuation of your property and careful analysis of your liability risks, an independent agent can help you find insurance companies that specialize in sauna insurance at a price that fits your budget.
Find and Compare Quotes
An independent agent can work with you one-on-one to determine the types and amounts of coverage you need to protect your business from a variety of costly problems. Your agent can get quotes from multiple insurance companies so you can evaluate the cost and coverage options and make the best choice.
Benefits of an Independent Agent
Our agents simplify the search process for finding the right sauna insurance. They’ll walk you through the handpicked policy options and explain the details and options.
Most importantly, they’ll be there for you when claim time comes. They know the ins and outs of the process and will make sure that your claim is handled appropriately.
The Lowdown on Online Quotes
Online quotes can be tempting. They are fast and easy to get — but are they accurate? And are you getting quotes for the right coverage? For business owners, choosing speed over accuracy can cost you.
Online quotes can’t and don’t see the whole picture. They can omit important coverage that will leave you devastated if something unexpected happens. And they can leave out cost-saving opportunities that an agent can help you take advantage of.
Instead of getting an online quote, find an independent insurance agent now, and get one-on-one consultation and affordable options for the best coverage for your unique needs.