What risks do personal trainers face every day?
You already know that personal training is more than just a job–it’s your business. But, as its owner, you need to understand how professional liability can impact your services. Below are three aspects of your business that get directly affected by insurance claims made against it:
Revenue
Defending against claims and lawsuits is costly, no matter your industry. However, as a personal trainer, legal fees can devastate your business. The damage is done even if you’re cleared of any wrongdoing. Fortunately, a professional liability policy will not only absorb any settlement costs but will pay the cost of defending you in court.
Productivity
Anytime a claim or legal suit is brought against a company, it can take a ridiculous amount of time to resolve. The longer an action drags out, the more time you lose pursuing your career goals as a trainer. In addition, you will have to attend multiple hearings and spend time gathering evidence, completing documentation requests, and possibly going to trial.
By having a professional liability policy, your insurer will provide the necessary legal support to help you avoid losing valuable productivity due to pending litigation against you.
Brand Reputation
As a professional trainer, your reputation is the crown jewel that attracts new business and earns you crucial recommendations from clients. Any accusations of negligence on your part can permanently harm your brand and destroy everything you’ve worked so hard to build.
Professional liability coverage ensures those who want to bring frivolous suits against you think twice before doing so. Your insurer will make it very clear you take your profession seriously and are capable of defending your good name.
Why your employer’s insurance isn’t sufficient
Many gyms have some level of professional liability coverage, but don’t assume such a policy ultimately has your back. When determining if you need your business insurance or not, ask your employer what policy limits they have and if those limits.
For example, if you work for a gym with E&O coverage for its staff, but the limits are shared, the policy pools everyone’s claims together toward a single cap instead of a per-incident limit. If a single case maxed out this value, then there aren’t any funds left should one of your clients sue you.
It would be best if you also investigated the covered scope of services under the gym’s policy. Some of your activities may be excluded depending on the training you offer. This puts the entire burden of a claim on your shoulders.
Insurance options to protect your personal training business
Anything can happen during your training sessions, whether working directly with your client or not. Equipment failures, slips and falls in the gym, locker room theft, or injuries caused by your training advice can lead to costly financial injury claims.
When deciding on what insurance you need as a personal trainer, consider the two coverages below at a minimum:
General Liability
Third-party claims are costly, and general liability helps your training company defend against them. For example, whether a client slips on your property while working out or one of your employees damages a vehicle in your lot while leaving to pick up supplies, this insurance protects against these incidents.
Professional Liability
As mentioned earlier, professional liability coverage defends you against suits alleging financial damages due to your services. A frequent example is someone sustaining injuries after following your exercise advice.
Whether you work as an employed gym trainer or provide independent training services, carrying E&O insurance isn’t mandatory–but you should have it. If you’re hesitant about buying a policy because of professional liability costs, remember that uninsured damages will cost thousands more than five years of insurance premiums. And you could lose your personal training business forever due to the expenses involved and reputational harm.
Protect the future of your personal training business
Liabilities are the biggest threat to the future of any business, but personal trainers face unique perils that require adequate insurance coverage. Purchasing a professional liability policy can determine whether your career survives a client claim or not. If you wait until you need protection to buy it, you’re already too late and could pay outrageous legal fees and settlement costs to save your good name. On the other hand, having the best coverage from the moment you start your training enterprise means you can have peace of mind knowing your insurer has your back.
