Fitness Instructor Insurance: 7 Commonly Asked Questions Answered
Fitness professionals from personal trainers to group fitness instructors need insurance. Gym and fitness insurance policies protect fitness professionals from lawsuits, especially if their students or clients are injured during a session. Fitness professionals often have questions about policies, so let’s look at seven commonly asked questions.
1. Who benefits from having fitness instructor insurance?
Nearly all fitness professionals should have liability insurance. If your job involves helping people move their bodies, adjust their lifestyles, or change their eating habits, then you should get fitness professional insurance. The list of professionals includes
● Personal trainers
● Group fitness instructors
● Dance instructors
● Nutritionists
● Dieticians
● Lifestyle coaches
● Yoga instructors
Liability insurance covers accidents and the costs that come with them. Whether a client is injured after tripping over a piece of equipment or they have an allergic reaction to a supplement purchased at your gym, liability coverage will protect you from lawsuits that average around $30,000 each.
2. Where will insurance cover me?
Your fitness insurance can protect you even if you work at home or remotely. Since clients can be injured following video courses, you should have insurance protection. Your homeowners insurance will cover property damage, but it won’t protect you from claims received while teaching classes or working with clients at home.
If you teach classes virtually or at home, your insurance agent can help you get the coverage you need, like general or professional liability. Your policy can cover your fitness tools and equipment so you can file a claim to replace them if they are damaged during sessions.
3. Can I be covered if I work at several locations?
Fitness professionals often work at several gyms and studios. Fortunately, insurance coverage can protect them wherever they work. If you are an employee (not a contractor) at any locations, their insurance should cover you. But, if you visit on a contractual basis, you should have your own coverage. Your insurance agent can help you get coverage that meets your unique needs.
4. Will my insurance policy cover physical contact?
Some fitness professionals need to make physical contact with their clients. If you do, your policy should cover limited contact like adjusting a posture, demonstrating a dance move, or helping a client maintain their balance. Most policies will not cover abuse or molestation.
5. Do waivers protect fitness professionals?
No. Waivers and insurance are not the same, and waivers do not provide the same protection as insurance. Waivers can supplement your insurance, but you will need your clients to understand them and sign them.
6. What’s in an insurance policy?
Policies cover general and professional liability. If a client is injured or property is damaged, insurance protects you from having to pay medical bills or replacement costs out of pocket. Depending on your needs, you purchase coverage for product liability, cyber liability, or rental liability protection and more.
7. How much will insurance cost?
Insurance for fitness professionals is affordable. Your coverage should be around $200 AUD. The cost will increase if you add different types of protection.
