To become a personal trainer you have undergone the necessary training courses and programs. In addition, you have also got the requisite accreditation from a reputed organisation. You are now ready to guide your clients through an exercise routine that aims at keeping them fit. Wait a second! You are not quite ready, you have overlooked an essential aspect, namely personal trainer insurance.

Why does a Personal Trainer need Insurance?

The answer is simple: because you could be faced with a lawsuit. Some of your clients could be the types who are determined to file a case against you, no matter how small or silly the reason. The costs of battling a lawsuit are quite horrendous, court fees, attorney fees, maybe the fees of an investigator, and plenty of related expenses. Adding to the huge dent in your savings is the mental and emotional trauma you have to go through. Furthermore, just one lawsuit can also create a bad image for your business and, subsequently, your income dips drastically. It is therefore vital to apply for insurance coverage with a creditworthy firm.

Lets suppose that you are a personal trainer in Yoga.

Some hoodlums vandalize your premises. Commercial General Liability can cover you for the damages to your premises and its facilities. The premises could be your own or one taken on rent / lease.

A client files a lawsuit claiming that she dropped a yoga block made from bamboo and her lovely toenails got chipped because you were busy with another client and not supervising her. Your insurance policy will cover this claim that bodily injury was caused because you failed to provide the requisite service.

A client files a lawsuit for slander, claiming that you called him an obese individual urgently requiring exercise. Under the Personal Injury Liability section of your policy, you are covered for such a claim, as also for claims involving libel and those of wrongful invasion of privacy.

A client files a sexual harassment lawsuit. Lets suppose your client is attempting a yoga posture and she is in an arched position on the mat. You support her lower with your hands, so that it is not a strain for her. The next day, you are faced with a lawsuit claiming that you were sliding your hands up and down her back for no reason. Similar such claims are often made against a personal trainer, given the fact that there could be a lot of body contact between you and your client in the nature of your work. Hence, this is one definitely important aspect to be covered by your insurance policy.

A client files a lawsuit against the quality of the product being used. It could be a yoga ball or even something as simple as an exercise rope. Products Liability insurance will cover claims arising from such a lawsuit.

A client files a lawsuit claiming that he tripped over the yoga cushions that you had put on the floor, fallen and injured his back. Such and similar trip and fall claims will be covered by your insurance policy.

The above-mentioned types of lawsuits are only a few possibilities that could arise during your personal training sessions. Further, some policies also provide coverage for other aspects, such as if you are conducting the training sessions in a club that is not covered by insurance. You may have to pay a higher premium if the club has a very large number of facilities (such as those with exercise equipment exceeding 50 units). Some policies also provide occupational accident coverage, which covers costs involved in an accident that could occur while you are doing your job.

How much is the Coverage of a Personal Trainer Insurance policy ?

Naturally, the coverage will differ from one insurance firm to another. Here?s a general idea, though:

Basic Liability Insurance Coverage: $1,000,000 per occurrence / $3,000,000 aggregate limit

Product Liability Insurance: $1,000,000 aggregate limit

Sexual Abuse Liability Insurance: $100,000 per occurrence / $300,000 aggregate limit

Fire Legal Liability Insurance: $100,000

If you are a certified personal trainer, you will have to pay lesser premiums (some policies have premiums of as low as $200) while as a non-certified trainer, you will be paying nearly double that amount.

Note: The above-mentioned amounts do not reflect actual rates. They are just likely estimates.

Do I need to be a member of a particular association in order to be eligible for coverage?

Does the policy cover all aspects of my personal training sessions?

Within how many days of my making a claim application will I get reimbursed?

Are my attorney's fees covered?

Are medical expenses covered?

What exactly are the aspects not covered by the policy?

Will I get cover for a claim made before the policy comes into effect?

Will I get cover for a claim made after the date of the policy ends?

Can I get additional coverage for my employees?

Yoga has been mentioned only as an example. You could be a personal trainer in aerobics or specializing in personal training exercises for children. The policy you apply for will depend on the type of personal training you will be giving your clients. Personal training sessions involving water-based programs or those that include cardio exercises will have their own specific coverage.

On the other hand, there are some programs that could be ineligible for coverage. For example, if you are a personal trainer of a college athletic team or you provide weight management programs, your application for personal trainer insurance could be rejected.

Of course, it should be kept in mind that the author of this article is no insurance expert! The reader is advised to consult a professional in the field. You will likely be told to apply for personal trainer insurance with a firm that has the requisite license and is financially sound. So keep these points in mind when seeking coverage for your business.