Fitness instructor and personal trainer insurance

Tailor your personal trainer insurance with these specialist covers

• Public liability and professional indemnity insurance

  Public liability and professional indemnity insurance offers comprehensive protection against the cost of defending your fitness business against allegations of professional negligence (such as giving incorrect instruction or coaching to a client) and if unsuccessful, the cost of damages awarded against you.

  In addition, it covers the cost of defending your business (including damages awarded against you if unsuccessful) if someone is injured, or their property damaged, which arises from you going about your business. Examples of claims include:

  • You advise a client how to perform an exercise, however they fall while doing it and injure themselves. They take legal action against you, alleging you failed to properly explain the move.
  • You produce a personalised training plan for a client, however they don’t achieve the goals they were promised. They take legal action against you, alleging your training was inadequate.
  • A client trips over a weight that has been left lying around and injures their hip. They are unable to work and make a personal injury claim against you seeking compensation.
  • You help a client stretch following an exercise session, however you push the muscle too far and it tears. The client takes legal action against you for the injury suffered.

  This cover is often a requirement of gyms, village halls and other rented premises before they will allow you to begin your training sessions and is generally considered vital cover for fitness coaching professionals of all descriptions. Limits range from £1m to £5m.

• Employer’s liability insurance

  Employer’s liability insurance is a legal requirement if your business has employees. It covers your business against claims for injury or illness suffered by employees arising from their employment.

  An example of a claim would be:

  • While training a client, an employee slips on an unsecured workout mat and injures themselves. They make a personal injury claim against you seeking compensation.

  If you employ any staff, including other personal trainers, you need this cover. Cover for £10m.

• Legal expenses insurance

  Legal expenses insurance pays your legal costs and expenses for contract disputes, tax enquiries (including IR35), attending jury service, debt recovery, personal injury, as well as any award you are required to pay following an employment dispute with an employee. There is a limit of £100,000.

  If a client takes legal action against you because of an error you have made, this cover can prevent you from needing to use your own finances to cover legal expenses.

• Directors and officers insurance

  Directors and officers insurance covers the costs of defending you as a director or officer of your company against allegations of wrongful acts and any damages subsequently awarded against you. Cover is also provided in respect of the legal costs and expenses of defending actions for disqualification as a director, investigations and extradition proceedings. Limits range from £100,000 to £5m.

• Office insurance

  Office insurance covers your office buildings, office contents and computer equipment against accidental damage (including theft) whilst on your business premises. You can also choose to cover your business equipment (such as laptops and mobile phones) on a worldwide basis, and insure your business against loss of income and/or additional trading expenses following events such as damage to your property.

• Occupational personal accident insurance

  Occupational personal accident insurance provides a weekly payment if you are unable to work due to temporary total disablement (subject to a 14 day deferment period).

  In the event of loss of limbs, sight, speech, hearing, permanent total disablement or death, a lump sum would be paid out.

  Few personal trainers and fitness instructors are fortunate enough to not be injured in the course of their profession, and occupational personal accident insurance can help you maintain an income if you were unable to work following an accident while working for your business.

• Cyber and data risks insurance

  Cyber and data risks insurance pays the costs of restoring data and equipment, informing clients, meeting ransom demands and loss of your net profit following a cyber attack. It also pays your legal defence costs and damages you are legally liable to pay to other parties. If you hold confidential information about your clients, their training plans and other sensitive information about them on computers and other internet connected devices, you should give consideration to this cover.