Since more medical professionals and insurance companies recognize the health benefits of exercise, more clients are turning to personal trainers for assistance with getting fitter. Are these training sessions covered under medical insurance policies?
Personal trainers rely on professional and general liability policies to cover their risks. While each policy varies in terms of cost and coverage, most provide some of the same primary protections.
Professional Liability Insurance
Professional liability insurance provides personal trainers with protection against claims that they made a mistake during training sessions, such as when their client falls off a treadmill or is injured while using equipment provided. This policy may cover costs such as medical bills and legal fees that result from such events.
NerdWallet suggests purchasing personal trainer insurance through either a broker, online marketplace, or insurer directly. When looking for policies with A+ financial strength ratings and low complaint rates with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), NerdWallet recommends searching for policies with these qualities.
Some insurers provide personal trainers with packages of general liability, workers’ compensation, commercial property and more in one convenient package. Next offers such an offer for just $132 annually which covers general and professional liability as well as extras like stolen equipment coverage and personal accident protection for trainers. You can customize this bundle based on the coverage limits necessary and add any additional insureds as desired.
General Liability Insurance
Some personal trainers include general liability insurance as part of their employer’s pay and benefits package, so if this is the case for you it would be prudent to ask more of them about its specifics before making your decision about personal trainer insurance or purchasing additional coverage to supplement what your employer already provides.
General liability coverage for personal trainers provides protection from third-party bodily injury claims, property damage to client properties such as gyms or homes, defamation or copyright infringement claims and advertising injury caused by defamation or copyright infringement. One company offering such coverage starts from just $11 per month payable either monthly or annually: ACE offers such policies starting with their “ACE Personal Trainer General Liability Insurance Plan.
“Workers” compensation insurance is another essential coverage option for personal trainers, providing protection from medical expenses and lost wages incurred while working with clients. Some states mandate businesses carry this form of insurance; the Hartford offers workers’ comp for fitness professionals as well as general and professional liability policies, and even provides business owners’ policies.
Business Owner’s Policy (BOP)
A Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) is an insurance bundle designed to meet the needs of small and mid-sized businesses. Insurance providers take several factors into consideration before providing coverage; including type and size of business, whether clients will train in-home or at the gym and desired liability limits before providing BOP approval.
BOPs may include business interruption coverage to protect you in case your fitness studio needs to temporarily close down, and/or inland marine coverage which insures equipment you transport between client locations – similar to renter’s insurance policies commonly held by apartment tenants.
Personal trainers should consider purchasing workers’ compensation, business auto and employment practices liability policies as well as accounts receivable coverage (to cover unpaid invoice losses). Some policies may be available through BOP packages while others will likely need to be purchased separately or through another commercial insurance package.
Workers’ Compensation
No matter whether or not you operate as a sole proprietor or employ staff, workers’ compensation insurance is an indispensable protection plan. It protects both yourself and clients in case they’re injured during training sessions or any other service related to your offerings, plus it is mandated by most states.
Some health insurance companies reimburse clients for personal trainer sessions; however, to qualify for reimbursement there must be strict criteria met such as providing documentation and pricing schedules as well as meeting rigorous peerreview application standards to join an existing network.
Medicare Part B does not cover personal fitness training services, however some Medicare Advantage plans offer gym membership with training as an added benefit supplement. Depending on your business needs, additional policies such as public liability and business property coverage might be wise investments; commercial auto policies might also come in handy; finally cyber insurance should always be considered if email or transferring money is part of your operation.
Can Personal Trainers Teach Group Classes? We thought our article might interest you.