As a freelance or self employed personal trainer and fitness instructor, you’ll need insurance but what type? What liability insurance do personal trainers really need?

Types of insurance for small businesses
There are two basic types of insurance you’ll want if you are to set yourself up as a personal trainer small business and many industry associations and professional organisations will require you to have one of both types of insurance before joining or working with them. If you employ staff in your small business there is also a third insurance policy you’ll need.

Public liability insurance
The first and most common form of insurance is public liability insurance which protects UK personal trainers and fitness instructors for damages and claims in the event of third party bodily injury or third party property damage and legal action. A typical incident might be a set of your weights falling on someone or maybe rolling out of your car into another vechicle and damaging it for example – this would put a dent not just in their car but your livelyhood if you have to payout for repairs or their healthcare bills.

Public liability insurance for personal trainers with cover of around £2million can be purchased from around £80.

Insurance for millions of millions of pounds may sound a lot and excessive but remember that this insurance is to protect you should a someone have an accident or suffer personal injuries or damage when on your property or involved with you in someway and file a claim against you. When you conside legal costs for one or more people, potential medical costs, damage to vechicles etc the scale of the damages to you can easily spiral far, far, far beyond what you might imagine.

Professional Indemnity Insurance
Additionally, you might want to take out professional indemnity insurance. This is an entirely different form of cover to that available with liability policies and covers you for breaches of professional duty, eg negligent acts, errors or omissions.  Although not as common as liability insurance in the personal training sector it’s strongly recommended.

Professional indemnity insurance is more expensive, with cover for £1million available from approximately £100 although policies are also available which include liability and indemnity cover which can reduce the cost.

Fitness Business Employee Liability Insurance
Lastly, and not necessary if you’re working on your own but required by law for small businesses in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland if you employ staff in your fitness business is Employer’s Liability insurance. This will protect you should your employee’s become ill or are injured through the fault of the employer. Both the employee and the NHS can make claims against you in such an event.

Employee Liability insurance must be for a minimum of £5million.

Personal Trainer & Fitness Instructor Specialist Insurers
There are a number of insurers who specialise in insurance policies for personal trainers at very competitive prices, SportsCover Direct for example offer liability and professional indemity policies for personal trainers and fitness professionals with prices starting from £56.31 and also have a free .

Finally, you might also want to consider insuring your equipment. Normal home contents insurance won’t cover you as the equipment will be outside of your home and also used for a business so a dedicated insurance will be need. www.professional-fitness.co.uk offer sports equipment insurance.

Other articles you should read:

> How to become a personal trainer

> What qualifications do personal trainers need?

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