Your policy is called a General and Professional Liability policy. The policy is designed to protect you if someone slips and falls within the premises of the facility and if someone claims they were hurt in some way because of your care as a fitness instructor. The coverage provides for both defense and indemnity, which means the coverage will cover legal costs to defend you, and if there is an award or settlement, the cost of the award will be paid for by the carrier, subject to your policy limits of liability. The policy also includes special defense-only coverage for claims of sexual harassment, and even covers e-health in the event you are engaging with your clients remotely. Be sure to read your policy carefully for all the details of how your coverage works.

As a Fitness Instructor, the development and implementation of a Fitness Program to assist your clients in reaching their fitness objectives is your goal. This policy provides you with the peace of mind to do just that without having to worry about claims that may arise. Such potential claims include client injuries, purposefully or accidentally, and attempts of defamation of your character to hurt and discredit your reputation. Another unique development aspect of this policy is we have complied a list of pre-approved certifications with the NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies). If you have completed one of these certifications, we can expedite the application process for coverage.

The National Commission for Certifying Agencies is an independent agency that sets the standards for professional certification programs via NCCA accreditation. Here is the list of pre-approved fitness certifications by the NCCA for our program: APPTE, ACTION, ACSM, ACE, AEA, AFAA, CSCCa, Fitness Mentors, IFPA, ISSA, NASM, NCCPT, NCEP, NCSF, NESTA, NFPT, NSCA, and Pilates Method Alliance.

The Limits of Liability are $1,000,000 per Claim and $3,000,000 General Aggregate. The Per-Claim limit is the total amount the insurance company will pay on a single claim. The General Aggregate limit is the total amount the insurance company will pay for all claims occurring during the entirety of a policy term. This coverage level is widely used in health professions and is typically required for participation on panels or reimbursement under health plans.

Your policy, as indicated on the Declarations Page, is provided on a Claims-Made basis. Claims-Made policies allow a claim to be reported during an active policy period as far back as the retroactive date as long as coverage has remained continuous with no interruptions. Once coverage expires, an unlimited Extended Reporting Period can be purchased within 30 days of the policy expiration date, which allows you to report a claim that occurred between the retro-date and the policy expiration date.

There are five common incidents that could evolve into potential claims: Bad form while clients perform exercises; Weight load too much during exercises; Clients not physically healthy enough to perform exercises; Machine workout accidents (including treadmills, step mills, etc.); and inadequate rest between exercises.

The Fitness policy has an annual cost of $110.

Yes. In addition to your General and Professional Liability protection with API Fitness, you should consider adding supplemental Business Personal Property coverage. The additional cost is $101.63 per year, which provides property coverage with a limit of $10,000. The Supplemental Business Personal Property option provides coverage to your equipment that is not a fixture of the building. If you need even more extensive coverage we can also offer you a Business Owner’s Policy, or BOP. Prices for this type of coverage varies based on the specific needs of your business.

We make it easy to get coverage for both. You simply obtain one policy for your primary profession and then add supplemental coverage for other professions at just $25 per profession. Your primary profession is considered to be Fitness Instructor, unless you hold a higher acuity level of medical licensing, such as an R.N., a D.C., or an L.Ac. If that is the case, you have to first qualify for coverage and pay for the profession considered to have the greatest professional liability exposure.

If you have any questions or need to make changes relating to your insurance coverage, please contact our toll-free customer service line at 800-860-8330.

The most common request for an Additional Insured comes from landlords who want to be added to your policy to ensure that you have adequate protection. You can add your landlord, or other entity that requests coverage, for just $10. If you have your own entity for your practice, such as a Professional Corporation or LLC, you can add those for free. If you have any further questions on Additional Insureds, please contact our toll-free customer service line at 800-860-8330.

The first thing you should do is pick up the phone and call us. Our carrier’s claims team will speak with you and guide you in completing paperwork to document the concerns. Oftentimes, issues don’t wind up becoming claims. However, if there is a claim, the claim team will work closely with you to try to resolve any disputes. Our carrier has spent over 30 years fighting for professionals in the alternative health field, and they are committed to fight for you. In the end, if there is a settlement needed, the carrier will always seek your agreement before settling any matter.

Your policy follows you wherever you go in the United States. As long as it is legal to practice your profession where you happen to be, your coverage automatically travels with you.