Why do fitness instructors need insurance?
There are no legal insurance requirements for fitness instructors, but if you are 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.
Claims of injury from your instructions
As a fitness instructor, you face potential lawsuits brought against you by clients if your instructions lead to an accident.
Unforeseen accidents during a class
During a fitness class, people constantly move around, and equipment is lying about. Accidents are common, and you could be asked to compensate if they become serious.
Failing duty of care
You may look away or leave the class to take an urgent phone call. Your reputation could be on the line if something happens in your absence.
Something you said is taken out of context
During a high-energy class, your adrenalin can be high. Something you shout out or say to a participant could be easily misinterpreted; the passing comment may become a dispute if they take offence.
What is fitness instructor liability insurance?
Legal liability insurance protects fitness instructors against legal actions arising from their business activities. Depending on your business needs, you may need to purchase one or more of these liability products.
The two essential products are public liability and professional indemnity insurance. Other fitness instructor liability insurance, such as employers’ liability or commercial legal expenses insurance, will depend on your circumstances and risk appetite.
Public liability insurance for fitness instructors
Public liability insurance protects fitness instructors from claims of injuries or property damage.
Fitness instructors usually work with clients face-to-face; this could be in a gym or a park with other people around. If an accident happens, and it is connected to your fitness business, you may be sued and required to pay compensation.
Public liability is an inexpensive protection against these unfortunate accidents.
What does fitness instructor public liability insurance cover?
Public liability insurance covers the legal costs to defend against injury claims and associated compensation demands.
If someone makes a claim against you for causing an accidental injury or property damage or loss, public liability will provide legal defence and pay compensation if you become liable.
Cover includes:
- accidental injury or death
- accidental property damage
For example, you face financial demands because:
- One of your clients accidentally damages the gym space or equipment you’re using, and you find yourself with a sizeable bill.
- A client hurts themselves during a class you’re leading, which requires expensive medical attention.
Professional indemnity insurance for fitness instructors
Professional indemnity insurance protects fitness instructors from accusations of professional mistakes, negligence or failing duty of care.
Fitness instructors advise on exercise, health and well-being. If that advice goes wrong and leads to an injury or loss for your client, they may pursue you for compensation.
What does fitness instructor professional indemnity insurance cover?
Professional indemnity insurance covers the legal costs to defend against accusations of wrongdoing arising from a fitness instructor’s professional advice. It will also pay compensation if due.
Cover includes:
- Failing your duty of care
- Making a mistake
- Acting negligently
- Giving the wrong advice or recommendation
For example, you face financial demands from a client because:
- You advised on a home workout routine that went wrong, leading to a severe injury for the client at their home.
- Something you said was taken out of context, which resulted in accusations of professional misconduct.
What professional indemnity limit do fitness instructors need?
The professional indemnity limit you need depends on your business activities. When choosing a limit, consider how often you instruct, how many clients you work with, and the potential financial impacts if your advice goes wrong.
Switching your professional indemnity insurance
Typically, in the UK, if you cancel a professional indemnity policy, you can no longer claim against it.
Therefore, if you switch your fitness instructor insurance provider, be sure your new policy covers your past work; this is called “retroactive cover”.
Should I keep professional indemnity insurance if I pause my fitness instructing activities?
It’s wise to keep your professional indemnity if you’re taking a break or retiring from fitness instructing. Claims against professional misconduct can surface months or years after you delivered the work.
Remember: If you cancel your policy, your insurance coverage will end, including coverage for any previous work.
How long you keep your cover in place is up to you. Consider the type of fitness instructing you did and the likelihood that a client might bring a claim against you.
Other insurance fitness instructors buy
As a fitness instructor, the types of insurance you require will vary depending on your unique situation. It's crucial to consider if you could financially handle a legal conflict, how you would manage any tax-related problems, and what actions you would take if a client refused to pay.
Commercial legal expenses insurance
Most commercial legal expenses insurance will protect fitness instructors against various tax and legal issues you may encounter due to your profession, which are not picked up by professional indemnity or public liability.
At Suited, we combined £100,000 of commercial legal expenses insurance with helplines and other tools to better assist fitness instructors in dealing with these issues. We call this Business Legal Protect, and it’s part of your subscription.
Business Legal Protect provides qualified advice and assistance with:
- Legal and tax matters concerning your business
- Criminal prosecution
- Contract disputes
- Unpaid invoices (over £200)
For example:
- HMRC investigates your tax affairs
- You need legal help chasing a significant unpaid invoice
- You wish to take a business partner or client to court over a breach of contract
Fitness instructors we insure
Suited offers comprehensive insurance policies that cater to the needs of a wide range of fitness instructors, including:
- Aerobics instructors
- Barre instructors
- Bootcamp instructors
- CrossFit trainers
- Cycling instructors
- Functional training instructors
- Group fitness instructors
- Gymnastics instructors
- HIIT trainers
- Mind-Body instructors
- Personal trainers
- Pilates instructors
- Strength and conditioning trainers
- Water aerobics instructors
- Yoga instructors
- Zumba instructors
- and more..
Shopping for fitness instructing liability insurance
Whether or not you decide to use Suited fitness instructing insurance to protect your fitness business, it’s worth keeping the following in mind:
Cheap fitness instructor insurance
When selecting fitness instructor insurance, do not solely concentrate on the cost. Verify the accessibility of the provider. At Suited, we promptly respond to inquiries and provide various means to reach us.
The reputation of the insurer is important
Insurance needs to be there when you need it most. The payout reputation of an insurer is essential. Suited uses financially sound insurers with an A+ rating.
Many providers charge fees to amend or cancel
Low initial prices often hide additional charges to pay monthly, amend or cancel your policy. At Suited, we charge no extra fees, and you can cancel anytime with no more to pay.
Some policy wordings are restrictive or have a high excess
Some providers will offer attractive prices, but it is at the expense of cover given. Suited professional indemnity and public liability have £0 excess.
