Personal trainer insurance comes in handy for every freelance trainer who works in multiple gyms. It is even a great option for those who teach virtual classes. With over 445,640 injuries related to exercise and exercise equipment in 2022, it is essential that personal trainers protect themselves from clients claiming bodily injury, professional mistakes, and property damage.
With the training session landscape changing in recent years, trainers face more industry risks today than ever. So how can personal trainers protect themselves?
The best way to do this is to get the best insurance policy that meets the changing needs of your personal training business. Personal trainers should generally have at least a general liability and professional liability insurance.
How much does personal trainer insurance cost? Join us to learn how you can find personal trainer insurance and save money at the same time. We will highlight all the information personal trainers need about insurance packages and cost.
Who Needs a Personal Trainer Insurance
Insurance is a must for every personal trainer who works independently or at a commercial gym. Mind that the gym’s liability policy will most probably cover only employees, so you will need to protect yourself. In some cases, gym owners ask independent trainers for certificates of insurance before letting them work in their facility. Before you accept a job with an employer, check if their personal trainer liability insurance covers you as well.
Fitness fans trust trainers to guide them through a safe and effective workout, but unforeseen injuries can occur and can lead to legal issues. It is always better to be prepared and protected than having to deal with covering high legal expenses and potential damages.
Personal Trainer Insurance Cost
When choosing an insurance company for your personal trainer business, cost is one of the key considerations you need to keep in mind. At the same time,keep in mind that policies may be similar in the coverage they provide. This is why it is important to do a thorough research of the insurance market, compare coverage options and third-party ratings and, most of all, pay attention to customer satisfaction indicators.
The liability insurance cost for personal trainers depends on how many policies you’ll get and the amount of coverage needed. Keep in mind that the more coverage you add, the cost will increase. In general, trainers in need of General Liability coverage can expect to pay somewhere between $200 and $1200 per year.
| Insurance Type | Estimated Annual Premium | Coverage Limits | Deductibles |
| General Liability | $200 – $1,200 | $1M / occurrence$2M aggregate | $0 |
| Business Owner’s Policy | $500 – $1,200 | Property varies$1M / occurrence $2M aggregate for liability | $500 for property |
| Professional Liability | $500 – $1,800 | $1M / occurrence $2M aggregate | $100 – $1,000 |
| Commercial Property | $200 – $800 | Variable based on property value | $500 – $1,000 |
What Policies Cover
Before choosing personal trainer insurance, understand what each of the offered policies cover. Here is an overview of what you should look into.
General Liability Policy
This policy is often referred to as a personal trainer liability insurance because it covers a broad category of risks. It includes property damage, third-party bodily injury, and reputational harm. It’s a policy that helps to pay for the medical bills of the injured party, repair costs or legal fees, should the injured party decide to sue you.
Examples of situations covered by the general liability insurance include a client tipping over a dumbbell and breaking a toe, or getting sued by an artist for using their playlist and not paying royalties.
Professional Liability Insurance Policy
This is a policy that covers the costs of legal defense and any settlements if a client claims injury or financial losses as a direct result of your service. Examples of commonly covered incidents include failure to deliver courses that you have sold to them, or errors like instructing clients to lift weight they’re not ready for. This is also known as the errors and omissions insurance.
Commercial Property Insurance Policy
Should your business’s physical assets suffer damages, this is the insurance policy that will cover the damages. It’s used to repair and replace your equipment or furniture up to the insurance amount, minus your deductible. Keep in mind that this is in case the damage has occurred during a fire, vandalism, theft, or windstorm.
Business Owners Policy
This policy combines commercial property and general liability to cover the most common risks of a business. It is both an affordable and convenient combination. If you are a personal trainer with your own studio, the business owners policy is the best choice. It also includes business interruption due to property damages, stopping the business operation.
Factors to Consider When Determining the Cost
There are many factors to keep in mind when considering a personal trainer insurance cost. In addition to the number of policies and coverage amounts, several general factors may influence each coverage type’s cost.
Worker’s Compensation Policy
This is a required coverage in almost every state if you are a business with a certain number of employees. It covers medical bills and lost wages when an employee is injured or ill on the job. At the same time, it protects employers from being sued by their employees. The premiums of worker compensation are influenced by:
- Number of employees
- Claims history
- The state where employees work
- Annual payroll across employees
- Type off work employees perform
General Liability Policy
General liability insurance is used to pay legal fees and judgments if you are sued for a non-professional negligent act resulting in injury or poverty damage. Factors influencing the general liability insurance premium are the following:
- Facility size, location, and condition
- Annual revenue
- Past claims history
- Number of employees
- Years of experience as a trainer
Professional Liability Policy
Professional liability policy is recommended for personal trainers. It comes in handy when there is a need to pay for legal fees and judgments when clients allege financial loss as a result of the trainer’s professional advice. The cost of this policy is impacted by the following:
- Years of experience as a trainer
- Location
- Claims history
- Number of employees
- Chosen coverage limits and deductibles
Business Owners Policy
There are personal trainers who may want to purchase a whole package of coverages. This is known as the business owners policy and includes general liability insurance and commercial property coverage. The factors that can impact the cost of this policy are:
- Facility, location, and age
- Value of business property
- Possible coverage endorsements added
- Choice of actual cash value or replacement value
Understanding Personal Trainer Insurance Costs vs. Benefits
We’ve already established that insurance is both necessary and vital, but at the same time, we know that it may only be used a handful of times. At this point, you might find it unnecessary to get a personal trainer insurance policy but all it takes is one claim against you and you’ll be stuck in an incredible personal financial hardship.
Apart from the financial protection, knowing that your members deserve the best for trusting you is priceless. Although it may seem like a financial burden at the moment, personal trainer insurance policies are the best option for both you and your loyal clients.
Tips to Save Money on Personal Trainer Insurance
Although having a personal trainer insurance policy is essential, it doesn’t mean that it should break the budget. To help you find ways to save money when purchasing your personal trainer insurance, here are some tips you can consider:
- Ask for and compare quotes: To ensure you have done your due diligence, ask companies to send you quotes you will compare. You’ll notice that some companies offer cheaper coverage for personal trainers. The choice, however, should not be based solely on the cheapest price offered. Concentrate on getting the best cage you need.
- Select a high deductible: High deductibles result in lower premiums but not all insurers will offer you a choice of deductibles. It’s worth knowing that out-of-pocket expenses will be greater if you need to file a claim and don’t choose deductibles.
- Combine the policies: For those trainers who need multiple coverages the best way to save money is by bundling the policies with the same company. Mind that some insurance companies offer discounts to clients who purchase more than one type of coverage with them.
- Pay upfront: Paying your coverage annually may incur insurers offering a discount.
- Reduce losses: Taking precautions means reducing the risk of filing a claim which, in turn, increases premiums. This is why you should take care to reduce the losses. Insurance companies may offer discounts if you train your employees and safety measures.
The Most Affordable Personal Trainer Insurance Cost
Having personal trainer insurance means being committed to protecting your business and your clients. Choosing a personal trainer policy means researching and finding reliable insurance companies that offer the most affordable personal trainer insurance cost.
API Fitness ProPlan is the only plan you’ll ever need. At API Fitness we offer an annual premium of $110 with $1M per occurrence and up to $3M gross aggregate.
If you are a personal trainer, contact us today, and let’s discuss what we can do for you.
