Personal trainer insurance
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Protect your business with personal trainer insurance.
From errors made in creating a customized fitness plan for a client to an injury to one of your employees, personal trainers have to be prepared for the potential financial impact from a wide range of risks. At biBerk, we provide personal trainer insurance at savings of up to 20%. Just complete a simple form online or speak with our licensed insurance experts to get a fast, free quote. Plus, you can purchase policies, manage them, and use our proven claims process online for ultimate convenience. Keep reading to learn about small business insurance for fitness professionals.
What does personal trainer insurance cover?
Insurance types for fitness professionals
There are two primary types of insurance for personal trainers and fitness coaches. Professional liability insurance for personal trainers protects you from lawsuits by clients. Workers’ compensation insurance helps cover healthcare costs if your employee gets hurt at work. Let’s say you’re a gym or studio owner. Having insurance is essential for protecting your business, as it can prevent you from having to pay large expenses from client lawsuits out of your revenues and savings. Plus, being adequately insured can give you confidence to run your business without worrying about “what if” scenarios. And protecting your employees, which keeps you in compliance with your state’s regulations, also protects your career continuity.
Independent personal trainer insurance
The same is true if you’re an independent personal trainer working solo. You might not have employee-related risks, but you can still be sued by clients. Carrying professional liability insurance protects your livelihood while also helping to elevate your professional credibility. And as a solo operator, you’ll like that getting and maintaining coverage doesn’t require a significant time commitment. You can get the financial protection you need quickly so you can stay focused on your clients. More information on professional liability and workers’ comp is below.
What is liability insurance for personal trainers?
As a fitness business owner, you face many risks. For example, you have a responsibility to meet certain standards and adhere to best practices for your industry. If a client feels that you provided bad advice or instruction, they could claim that you didn’t meet those standards and sue you. Professional liability insurance for personal trainers (also called errors and omission, or E&O insurance) protects you if a client accuses your business of making a mistake (an error) or failing to do something (an omission)—even if that claim is baseless. So, liability insurance for personal trainers is crucial coverage.
What is Workers’ Compensation Insurance for Personal Trainers?
If you have personal trainers who work for your business, you need protection for them in case they’re injured or get sick on the job. Workers’ compensation insurance (sometimes called workman’s comp) serves that purpose and is mandatory for most employers. And then there are other risks, like the possibility of damaging a client’s property when you’re helping them work out in their home or a competitor’s claim that you committed slander, libel, or copyright infringement, such as in your advertisements or marketing materials. A general liability policy can cover these and other issues.
Any type of fitness business needs personal trainer liability insurance, including:
Fitness instructors
Group fitness instructors
Gym instructors
Human performance trainers
Personal coaches
Physical trainers
Private trainers
Professional athlete trainers
Strength coaches
Wellness coaches
More on professional liability insurance for personal trainers
Fitness instructor liability insurance from biBerk is a type of personal trainer insurance that helps protect your business if you make a mistake (error) or fail to perform a service (omission). Professional indemnity insurance, another name for professional liability or E&O insurance, can also cover related defense costs, even those associated with groundless claims. Claims can include the following scenarios:
Unfulfilled Duties
This happens when you’re expected to take certain actions but fail to do so. For instance, you’re supposed to provide a client with a customized fitness plan but you do not.
Negligence
Negligence is the failure to use proper care in performing a task. An example would be that you make a mistake in helping a professional athlete client with an exercise and they suffer a torn ligament.
Errors
In this case, you’re being held responsible for a mistake you made that caused your client a financial loss, such as recommending the wrong exercise, which results in a debilitating injury.
In each instance, professional liability (E&O) insurance covers the costs for legal defense and damages. Plus, biBerk provides an attorney to represent you. biBerk can also cover client damages—including punitive damages, if permitted by law in your state.
Punitive damages can be very high, as they are assessed by courts on top of other damages. This is an effort to punish those allegedly at fault even further. If your state allows these damages to be covered by an insurance policy, biBerk covers up to the policy limit.
What does fitness instructor insurance cost?
If you’re wondering about insurance costs for trainers, it’s important to understand that your fitness instructor insurance premiums are calculated based on a number of factors. These include your location, business size, and claims history. You can get fast, free, self-service quotes online for the personal trainer insurance policies you need to determine your specific fitness instructor insurance cost.
Breaking down your insurance costs as a personal trainer
Understanding your coverage costs can be especially important if you’re a newly certified or aspiring personal trainer. It’s important to start strong in this competitive industry, and buying insurance provides your business with a solid foundation. Financial protection can also give you confidence and peace of mind, making it easier to be in sync with your clients and meeting their needs. An advantage of working with biBerk is that we have plenty of helpful resources you can consult as you look to start and grow your business.
How to get personal trainer insurance online
Having fitness instructor insurance from a reliable business insurance provider is essential, and buying coverage online from biBerk is simple. You can get quotes, make your purchase, and download a Certificate of Insurance (COI) from our website whenever it’s convenient for you. Our process doesn’t include long phone calls or meetings with our team members. But, of course, they’re happy to answer any questions you have.
What’s not covered by personal trainer insurance?
Fitness instructor insurance policies like professional liability, workers’ compensation, and general liability are fairly comprehensive. However, there are certain things they don’t cover. For instance, a professional liability policy doesn’t cover situations where a client is simply unhappy with the work you did. For coverage to apply, the claim must be the result of an error or omission. With a workers’ comp policy, injuries that occur while the person is under the influence of drugs or alcohol typically aren’t covered. And a general liability policy won’t cover damage to a client’s property if that damage is intentional. It’s important that you carefully review your policies to understand what they do, and do not, cover.
Am I required to have personal trainer insurance?
Whether or not you’re required to carry personal trainer insurance depends largely on the specific type of work you do and the risks that come with it. Although not always required by law, having liability insurance for fitness instructors is critical as it can protect your business if the unexpected occurs.
What professions need personal trainer insurance?
Professions that may benefit from this type of insurance include fitness instructors, personal coaches, and private trainers. Between 33% and 50% of small businesses are engaged in lawsuits in any given year, and the cost can easily add up to $10,000 or more. If you get hit with a lawsuit, you’ll be glad you’re covered.
Why biBerk for personal trainer insurance?
We're the experts when it comes to small business.
Save time.
Get a quote entirely online or speak with one of our insurance experts right away for help getting a quote, buying a policy, or answering any questions you may have.
Save money.
We insure your small business directly, without a middleman or insurance broker, so we pass that savings on to you—up to 20% less than policies with other insurance companies.
Experienced.
We're part of the Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group with millions of satisfied customers, more than 75 years of insurance experience, and $52.2 billion in paid claims in 2023.
Frequently asked questions
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Is personal trainer insurance required by law?
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Your state and local authorities are the best sources of information on insurance requirements for businesses like yours. However, even if insurance isn’t required by law, it’s to your advantage to have it. Failing to carry insurance can lead to significant costs from lawsuits having to come out of your pocket. And, workers’ compensation is almost always required for companies with employees. Non-compliance can lead to fines and other negative consequences.
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How much does personal trainer liability insurance cost?
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Your cost for personal trainer liability insurance will depend on multiple factors, including the size of your business and others. You can get instant online quotes on our website wherever you have a few minutes.
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Does personal trainer insurance cover online or virtual training sessions?
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It may cover that type of training. The best way to know for sure is to talk with one of our licensed insurance experts.
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Do I need insurance if I train clients in their homes or at public parks?
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Yes, you do. You face business risks wherever and whenever you interact with clients.
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What type of insurance do fitness instructors and coaches need?
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Professional liability insurance is essential for people in this industry, and workers’ compensation is required by states for nearly all businesses with employees.
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Can I get personal trainer insurance if I’m self-employed?
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Yes, you can.
Get a quote today.
See why biBerk is easier and more convenient for personal trainer insurance when you obtain your free quote online. Have questions? Our licensed insurance experts are happy to answer them.