Before Getting Started: Understanding Insurance For Personal Trainers

One of the questions we receive most often is about how and where to obtain insurance for personal trainers. Proper insurance coverage is something that must not be ignored as it necessary to protect you and your assets in the event of an accident. *knocks on wood* Unfortunately, selecting an insurance policy isn’t something that most personal trainers are familiar with. It can be overwhelming to sift through the different types of insurance policies available, coverage limits and the trainer’s unique situation and business.

Why Is Insurance For Personal Trainers Necessary?

When pursuing a career in the field of personal training, you will find that you are constantly dealing with clients of varying levels of physical fitness abilities. Some clients are weak, some are strong. Some clients are healthy, while some are a work in progress. Some clients will be working to overcome injuries, while others are perfectly capable of running a marathon. Every exercise and physical activity has the potential to cause injury to the client if not performed correctly.  And, while the client is working with you, you are responsible for their health and safety at all times. Even under the supervision of the most observant fitness professional, the smallest misstep by a client can result in them pulling a muscle, twisting an ankle, or, breaking a bone. If you are a personal trainer that works with groups or teaches classes, it becomes even more complicated as you are responsible for keeping track of each an even greater number of individuals’ activity, performance and safety. And, while you will get the clients to sign a Liability Waiver form, responsibility of their safety lies squarely on your shoulders. This is why you should always take all precautions to protect your clients and your business, including buying personal training insurance.

What Limits/Types Of Insurance Should An Independent Personal Trainer Have

There are two types of Insurance For Personal Trainers.

• General Insurance – This type of policy covers the location/property where the training sessions are being conducted. It also covers all the equipment present within the area. A general insurance policy will generally not apply for accidents which happens while training in an outdoor location or at your clients’ premises. However, if you are the owner of the equipment or facility that caused the injury, then this insurance provides coverage.
• Professional Insurance – This is a more specific type of insurance and is a must-have for all independent trainers.  A trainer is considered as an expert in the exercise being performed by the client. If the client follows the exact steps, as instructed, and ends up injuring themselves, then professional insurance can ensure that the trainer does not have to spend money from his or her own pocket for the medical treatment of that client. It’s absolutely important that personal trainers do not make the mistake of overlooking a professional insurance policy to avoid losing money on any potential insurance claims.

Every Independent Personal Trainer Needs Insurance

There are a number of different companies that offer Insurance For Personal Trainers. The cost depends on the type of coverage and the amount of coverage. For example, if you are looking for $2 million of coverage per incident, then the amount paid for your policy (insurance “premium”) will be higher as compared with only $1 million per incident. Be sure to shop around, but most insurance policies for independent personal trainers will only cost you around $200-$300 each year, or about $20 each month. At the end of the day, this is a small price to pay for peace of mind that you, your clients and your business will all be protected against unwanted litigation.