Many professions require specialized forms of insurance, and as a personal trainer, your career comes with a certain degree of professional liability that others may not experience.
Being a personal trainer is a rewarding career, but it can lead to increased insurance risks because there are many ways for your clients to get hurt, and you can't watch everybody at every moment. On any given day, you might have people who push themselves harder than they should, ignore the warning signs that their bodies provide, or refuse to take the advice you’ve given them. Many of these problems aren't your fault, especially if you keep clients informed of best health practices without exceeding the scope of your responsibilities. However, aggressive clients may still sue for negligence if they injure themselves under your supervision.
Personal trainer insurance can act as a buffer between you and the claims that injured parties may make. T.A. Swain Insurance Group LLC agents can help you keep important aspects of your career and this coverage in mind when considering insurance as a personal trainer.
Personal Trainer Insurance Coverage Options
There are two major components of personal trainer insurance, both of which are needed for truly comprehensive coverage.
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Professional Liability Insurance covers lawsuits ranging from injuries caused by improperly maintained equipment to claims of misconduct. For professional trainers, the most common problems stem from interacting with a customer's belongings, or from saying or writing something that a client finds offensive. Be sure to ask an agent about how much liability insurance you're likely to need, since different trainers often need different amounts, depending on their clientele and style of personal training (training for the elderly or high-intensity training, for instance).
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Miscellaneous Personal Trainer Insurance helps cover claims for bodily injuries that come from either incorrectly providing or failing to provide a promised service. Claims of this type can reach several hundred thousand dollars or more, so it's important to have enough coverage to pay off your claims if you ever end up needing to use this insurance.
Personal Trainer Insurance Requirements
As a personal trainer, you may be asked to provide evidence of certification in your field before a policy will be offered. Experienced trainers—particularly those who have avoided claims in the past—may be eligible for a discounted rate on their policy.
1. "The Role of a Personal Trainer | Resources." Accessed April 11, 2016. https://www.nfpt.com/the-role-of-a-personal-trainer.
2. "Woman Wins $300k Due to Personal Trainer’s Negligence ..." Accessed April 11, 2016. http://blog.lawyer.com/index.php/2012-04-23-woman-wins-300k-due-to-personal-trainers-negligence/.