There are several types of business insurance you should seriously consider if you run a personal fitness and training business. These include:
Professional indemnity insurance
Professional indemnity insurance covers you against claims that the advice, recommendations or service you provided were either wrong or negligent. This type of insurance can offer you protection against many types of claims, including:
- Allegations your unique exercise routine was not suitable, did not achieve the desired result or was ineffective
- Claims your fitness routine caused personal injury
- Claims your dietary or fitness advice was negligent, misleading or contrary to professional standards in your industry
Cover starts at $250,000 and goes up to $5 million or more. This is a compulsory type of insurance for entry to many professional associations and to gain certain accreditations. It’s also often a requirement to work at many gyms or to hire personal fitness or training studios for workout sessions.
What it covers
- Payment of compensation if there’s a successful claim against you
- Payment of court-awarded damages to the litigant
- Cover for your legal defence costs
- Cover for the cost of disciplinary proceedings or investigations
- Cover for bodily harm, injury or illness it is alleged your service to your client may have caused
Public liability insurance
Public liability insurance is also essential for anyone who works with the public, including holding fitness or exercise classes outdoors on council land. It will cover you against claims that your fitness business activity caused injury to a member of the public or damaged their property.
This insurance is available for amounts of up to $5 million, $10 million and $20 million, although $2 million in cover is often the minimum required amount by councils to hold exercise or fitness classes in open public spaces.
What it covers:
- Third-party personal injury claims
- Damage to a third party’s property
- Legal fees to defend yourself against any personal injury claims
Contents/portable equipment insurance (with general business insurance)
Business contents insurance may also be worthwhile if you have expensive fitness equipment to protect. This may either be portable equipment such as kettle balls and barbells, or fixed exercise machines which may be installed in a gym or exercise studio. This type of insurance can also cover any perishable stock you may sell such as vitamins and supplements.
Commercial vehicles aren’t included in general business insurance, so you may need separate commercial vehicle protection for your work vehicle.
What it covers:
- Fire, storms, theft and vandalism which cause damage to your business assets
- Cover for electronic equipment such as laptops and EFTPOS terminals as well as your other portable fitness equipment
- Collision or overturning of a vehicle carrying your equipment