In the last few years, home gym equipment sales have soared. Not only that, but the fitness industry has begun to change drastically. In fact, many personal fitness professionals have started to offer online and home-based classes to individuals and small groups.
As a personal trainer and gym owner, you likely take every precaution to ensure that your fitness facility is a safe space to work out in. However, there is always a risk that an accident or event that is out of your control may occur. That’s why it’s essential to have insurance to protect your personal training business, regardless of whether you’re operating out of a commercial building, clients’ homes, or your own living space.
This article will answer some frequently asked questions regarding insurance for home-gym-based businesses.
Within your gym, there are likely several services offered and plenty of different equipment that’s available for use. A gym insurance policy protects your business against specific risks associated with fitness services.
Personal trainers need insurance to protect their business from accidents and events that are beyond their control, such as bodily injury or property damage.
Some possible events that insurance covers may include, but are not limited to:
A claim of negligence against your business
Clients being injured while misusing heavy and/or dangerous equipment
An insured event, such as a flood or fire, damaging expensive equipment
Related read: Do You Need Insurance to Train Clients Outside?
While a gym insurance package policy is recommended for any business that provides physical training or fitness services, there are some instances in which services cannot be covered.
For example, it cannot provide coverage for instructors and trainers who are working with minors or professional athletes. It’s important to speak to your insurance provider to confirm if your gym is covered.
Gym insurance can be as unique as you and your small business. There are several different insurance policies that you will need to consider when getting insurance for your home gym, including the below.
Related: How to Protect Your Fitness Career With Fitness Insurance
Commercial general liability insurance protects you and your business against claims resulting from an incident related to you, but where you were not directly involved.
This covers accidents that may occur in your gym, as well as lawsuits that can arise from such accidents. For example, you would be protected in the event that a client slips and falls on a wet floor during a training session with you.
Related: Why Fitness Instructors Should Consider General Liability Insurance
Professional liability insurance, also known as errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, protects you and your business against claims from clients alleging negligence, misconduct, or failure to deliver services as advertised.
These may occur as a result of directly providing services. For example, you would be protected in the event that you were supervising a client and/or told a client to do an exercise and they became injured.
This insurance policy protects you and your business against claims alleging third-party property damage or bodily injury caused by a product you manufacture, sell, or distribute. This may include items such as supplements and equipment that you sell.
Commercial property insurance protects your gym location and the contents within it from insured risks that occur and are out of your control. This may include instances of theft, fire, and flooding.
Moreover, commercial property insurance often offers business interruption coverage, also known as business income coverage. This would reimburse you for your net income lost due to an insured event that occurs in your gym.
However, it’s important to note that business interruption coverage does not include income lost due to an infectious disease, pandemic, or government-mandated closure.
If you operate your personal training business out of where you live, your home insurance policy will help cover the costs of any necessary repairs. For example, in the event that a weight is dropped and causes damage to your floor, your insurance can help cover the cost of repairs.
This kind of coverage is essential in order to ensure that your home gym does not negatively affect the value of your house or condo.
There are many factors that can influence the cost of your gym insurance policy. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to your:
Operation size
Location
Professional experience
Past insurance claims
Training and education
Start your online application with APOLLO today and get custom coverage that’s suited to you and your unique needs.
Get the protection you need in minutes with custom Personal Trainer Insurance from APOLLO.
Originally published August 29, 2022, updated August 25, 2023
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