Tanning salons will more commonly be rolled into commercial package policies (CPPs) designed for day spas, health clubs, fitness centers and beauty services. Litigation and regulatory activities concerning the safety of tanning salons has made these businesses more difficult to underwrite in recent years, driving carriers away from these types of accounts. This climate, compounded with warnings from dermatology associations and the Centers for Disease Control about indoor tanning being unsafe and causing more cancer than smoking, led to a steady decline in tanning businesses during the past few years.

Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration began requiring all tanning beds and booths display labels warning of the dangers of use by anyone under 18. Some states, including California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Vermont and Washington, have banned minors from using tanning beds altogether. The Affordable Care Act will also make it more difficult for indoor tanning services to operate. The law dictates that these businesses will be levied an excise tax of 10 percent of the actual cost of tanning, effective 2018.  (3/16/15)