Fitness Instructor & Personal Trainer Insurance in Ontario

Insurance isn’t legally required by the province, but it’s often mandatory in practice. If you rent studio space, work in a condo gym, or train clients in commercial settings, landlords and gym owners almost always require proof of liability coverage. Even if you’re self-employed and working from home or outdoors, insurance protects you from costly claims and should be considered essential.

Most Ontario trainers should consider the following:

• Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions): Covers you if a client claims they were injured due to your instruction or programming.

• General Liability: Protects you if someone is physically hurt or property is damaged during a session—especially important if you train in public or rented spaces.

• Contents Coverage (optional): Helps replace gear like kettlebells, mats, or tablets if damaged or stolen. Training virtually? You still need professional liability—clients can still file claims even if you never meet in person.

Yes—but only if you have the right coverage. Outdoor training adds unique risks, like slips on icy sidewalks or trips on uneven terrain. With APOLLO, your general liability insurance follows you wherever you go in the province—whether it’s a public park, a backyard, or a community sports field.

Pro tip: Some Ontario municipalities require trainers to carry insurance and register before using public park space for paid sessions.

You’re still liable—even if you’re miles apart. If a client in Ottawa claims they injured themselves following your workout instructions over Zoom, they could still take legal action. That’s where professional liability insurance comes in, helping cover legal fees and any awarded damages.

You likely need your own. Most commercial gyms in Ontario require personal trainers—especially independent contractors—to carry their own policy. The gym’s insurance usually only covers employees or the facility itself, not external trainers. You’ll likely need to submit a Certificate of Insurance (COI) and name the gym as an "additional insured."

Yes! If you're self-employed or operate as a sole proprietor or incorporated trainer, your insurance premiums are typically tax-deductible as a business expense. That means you get peace of mind and a little back at tax time.

Yes! With APOLLO, you can get a quote, buy a policy, and download your Certificate of Insurance in under 5 minutes—completely online. Whether you need to submit it for a lease, a commercial gym, or an outdoor permit, we’ve got you covered.

The principles are the same, but some of the coverages differ slightly.

There is a higher general liability risk with a premise. If you are operating a gym, for example, and are leasing space, you are liable for all activities that happen on the premises, including any slips and falls, or claims of harassment, which will trigger a General Liability insurance policy to cover.

Commercial landlords require tenants to have at minimum a general liability insurance policy to operate in their leased space. Individual personal trainers or fitness instructors will also want to get a General Liability insurance policy — but it is included with their Professional Liability insurance package.

If you are operating as a gym or studio you will also want to ensure that any improvements you make as a tenant are covered by the right insurance policy. That’s why tenants’ improvements insurance applies only to fitness premises, and not to individual personal trainers or fitness instructors.

Whether you are a fitness instructor with a premise, or you are an individual trainer, you will need Professional Liability insurance to defend against claims of professional negligence.

Any technique, procedure or piece of equipment used incorrectly could result in serious injury to your clients. Some exercises can also be risky. Even something as innocuous as a deep squat could lead to injuries for people with prior knee problems you might not have been aware of.

  You’ve built up a good reputation and your clients trust you, but it only takes one incident to put everything in jeopardy. If one of them feels that you were negligent or failed to properly render professional services, they can sue you.

Even if you’ve taken all the right steps to make sure everything is done correctly and as safely as possible as a fitness professional, the cost of legal fees alone could impair your ability to continue doing business. And don’t forget that the allegations don’t have to be true. Frivolous lawsuits are expensive too. To protect against this risk, make sure you have professional liability coverage in place.