Explanation of insurance requirements for fitness instructors
Fitness and exercise are the centre of your world – but they are not without their risks. There are no legal insurance requirements for fitness instructors but if you’re self-employed and work hard to help people reach their fitness goals, you don’t want a costly lawsuit to weigh down on your success.
Fitness instructor liability insurance
As a professional fitness instructor, it’s your job to push your clients so they can reach their fitness goals. But what if they wake up the next day with a painful injury?
You might think it’s their responsibility to know their limits, but it’s not always so straightforward.
Everyone loves to feel the burn of an intense workout, but if someone pushes themselves too far it could be your business that takes the fall.
If they seek legal advice, you could find yourself on the receiving end of an expensive personal injury claim, making you responsible for paying compensation.
And what about accidents? As a fitness instructor, you might be leading sessions in the park or in a fitness studio.
If you or one of your clients causes accidental damage to the property, space, or equipment you’re using, you could find yourself with a nasty bill.
When you’re working directly with clients, you might find yourself in their home or handling their possessions. Relationships can quickly turn sour – not to mention expensive – should a client feel you have damaged their belongings or property.
If someone hurts themselves during a class you’re leading, you’ll want to make sure they receive the medical attention they need and are looked after without the worry of an expensive lawsuit ringing in the back of your mind.
“Personal liability insurance” or "fitness instructor liability insurance" are often the terms used during google searches for insurance requirements for fitness instructors.
The two legal covers that will make sure your focus can remain on the wellbeing of your clients, and not your bank account are professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Fitness instructor liability insurance offers you a safety net so that you can focus on your clients’ health and fitness without the worry of expensive legal action.
Public liability insurance for fitness instructors
You can see how easily something could go wrong – a client tripping on a weight, someone slipping on a mat, or simply a go-getter who doesn’t know their limits and causes themselves injury.
Public liability insurance for fitness instructors will cover you should someone be injured because of your business. It also covers any damage caused by you or a client while you’re delivering classes or working with clients.
By taking out public liability insurance, you won’t break a sweat if someone injures themselves at one of your classes. That’s because any costs you may incur from legal action will be covered.
Being a fitness instructor without public liability insurance is an extremely risky game and due to the nature of the business you provide, public liability insurance is worth considering.
Professional indemnity insurance for fitness instructors
You’ll know that when someone finds a fitness class that works for them, they’ll come back week after week. That’s because they love the way you lead the class, the workouts you offer and the results they see. But it’s also because they feel comfortable and safe in your hands.
Your reputation is everything as a fitness instructor, so a rogue accusation about your conduct could soon turn your popular, oversubscribed classes into a ghost town.
Imagine a client pulls you aside at the end of a class to say thanks and to ask for some advice on their home workouts and general health. You, with the best intentions, might give them some pointers and advice. But if they misunderstand your guidance or misinterpret your advice, they could either hurt themselves outside of your class.
The other danger, especially in today’s world, is how you address someone, the things you say and your tone of voice. If a client takes offence to the advice you provide, you might end up facing an allegation of insensitive conduct leading to a professional negligence/duty of care breach legal claim.
Professional indemnity insurance for fitness instructors will cover you, should you be sued for any of the above. It will make sure that should you be on the receiving end of a lawsuit, costs and legal advice will be covered, minimising the impact of the case and allowing you to focus on delivering and growing your business.
Business legal expenses extension
Suited also provides an invaluable legal cover extension with its professional indemnity cover to take care of other scenarios a self employed fitness instructor might face while running a business.
The good news is that Business Legal Protect is included as standard with the PI cover, nothing extra to pay. It can provide you with legal and professional help with situations like unpaid invoices, tax disputes, threats to your professional reputation or contractual disputes.
