You’re a personal trainer. You dedicate your life to helping people live their most athletic and healthiest lives. You want to help people better themselves. In short, you are a source of encouragement. While this career can be super rewarding and fulfilling, at the same time, you know problems can arise. And you want to protect yourself, your clients, and your business.
You’ve heard about getting insured as a professional fitness instructor, but you’re not sure if it’s just another bill to pay each month. You might be thinking: is it worth it? And the answer is: definitely.
Here’s why fitness professionals should invest in business insurance; and some of the consequences if you don’t.
Inadequate Supervision
We hope it never happens. But it does. Someone training with you gets injured due to a lack of supervision. This is why you must pay attention to your client at all times. Close observation ensures that clients are completing exercises with correct form. If a client is operating equipment correctly they’ll gain strength and stay safe. If not, the routine will likely get injured.
I’m sure you already know this. It was probably part of your training. It doesn’t hurt to reiterate it.
Sometimes even fitness instructors get tired. You might be working with a client who needs extra help, and you may zone out for just a second. But it’s not worth it. You came into this profession because you want to help people. So, keep careful watch of all clients no matter the circumstance. Otherwise, you’ll be looking at a hefty lawsuit from them when they get injured.
Equipment Malfunction & Damage
Sometimes, things are simply out of our control. For example, there could be a problem with the gym’s equipment. However, it’s your job to be prepared for these malfunctions. Issues with machinery and equipment need to be carefully monitored. You don’t want someone to use a compromised piece of equipment only to get hurt a moment later. The client could easily get injured and you’ll be at fault for any incident that occurs. That’s why it’s important to have business insurance for fitness instructors.
Injuries
Despite your best efforts to train clients based on their needs, sometimes a client will veer from your guidance and do their own thing. This is when a lot of injuries happen. Whether it’s taking on too much weight with a machine or being hasty with form, it’s happened to every fitness professional. And people will get hurt.
The most basic ways to minimize client injuries are:
- To invest time in safety training for every new client.
- Post signs throughout the facility/studio about proper handling and use of equipment.
- Establish a rapid response system for when injuries occur.
In the case someone does get hurt: a general liability insurance policy will cover costs of an injury or potential lawsuit.
There’s also the issue of personal injury. The risk of on-the-job injury is always present in your line of work. For instance, you may be helping a client who’s struggling with equipment and you trip over the carpet or a weight may fall on your foot. If you teach classes, these risks only increase. In the event of this injury, workers compensation insurance can cover the medical expenses related to treating the injured party. You can even receive wages if you’re unable to work during the time.
The perks of being a fitness professional are great. You’re fulfilled by meaningful work and you’re helping people become their best selves. Just make sure you take all necessary precautions with insurance coverage in this line of work. You don’t want to learn the hard way that you should be insured. For more information on business insurances visit: MyKeyManInsurance.com.
