Group exercise instructors – have you taken out insurance?

So, you’re a fully-fledged group fitness instructor, you’ve got your venue sorted out, drawn up a class timetable and workplans, advertised your classes on social media and uploaded them on classfinder.  You’ve bought extra technical clothing and invested in some new equipment.

Phew! – you’re good to go, right?  Not quite.  We appreciate there’s probably still 101 things to do, but have you given any thought to taking out insurance?

That’s fine, I’ll be covered by the venue’s insurance.

Sadly not, you do need to have your own insurance package.

No problem, I’ll add it to my household insurance.

No, you need a specialised insurance package that will ideally cover you for £10m public liability, professional liability and product liability.

£10m! That’s huge, why would I need that much?

Yes, it does sound a lot but we know that costs can quickly spiral.  For example, a client could take legal action over the quality of your delivery or if they are injured during a training session arising out of your alleged negligence.  The professional liability part of the insurance package would cover any legal costs in defending such allegations, or, worst case scenario, would cover any compensation payments.

Research has shown that almost half (47 per cent) of small businesses worry about giving bad advice and a quarter (24 per cent) worry that a client will claim for compensation related to this, so the right insurance policy will certainly give you peace of mind.

So any policy offering £10m cover would do the job?

Insurance can be confusing, so it’s important to speak to the right people and do your research.  You need to ensure that your insurance covers your particular qualifications and classes.

Ok, but what about my equipment, laptop, etc?

Good thinking. Yes, you should take out a package that  covers those items.  Many fitness instructors move between different venues and unfortunately it is all too easy for vital equipment to be damaged or stolen.

Suppose I get injured while I’m working?

Well, we hope that doesn’t happen, but it’s a good idea to look for a package that includes cover for personal property and personal injury.

What about the venue itself, although I don’t anticipate my classes being that wild!?

No, of course not, but accidents can happen so the public liability insurance element can cover any damage caused to the venue during a class, which could run into thousands of pounds.

How do I find out what the best package and level of cover would be for my particular needs?

Funny you should ask that.  As the national governing body for group exercise, EMD UK  has the experience to advise or provide more information for fitness instructors.  We have a range of support packages available so there should be one to suit you.

Is there anything else included with the insurance?

Although we call them insurance packages, they are actually valuable instructor support packages.   Benefits include discounted PPL, discounted CIMSPA membership, multiple supplier discounts from partners, access to practical resources such as risk assessments and professional, business and marketing resources, along with support from a dedicated Instructor Support Officer.

How do I find out more?

For further advice or information, do give us a call on 01403 266000 or email us at support@emduk.org.