Do I Need Liability Insurance To Teach Yoga?
Accidents happen. There’s no getting around this reality, and as a yoga instructor you’ve probably been practicing long enough to have either sustained an injury yourself or known someone who was injured during a session. While these accidents may seem preventable in hindsight, how the human body reacts to physical activity is not always predictable. At the same time, we live in a highly litigious society and a student may try to bring legal action against you for medical bills even if you feel you did nothing wrong. For this reason, having professional liability insurance can help ensure that you don’t go out-of-pocket for legal expenses in the event that you happen to get sued. Beyond protecting you financially, most studios require that you carry a certain level of coverage before they will hire you on.
Similar to the insurance on your car, professional liability insurance covers you in the event that something goes wrong. Like car insurance, plans can vary significantly in coverage options, deductibles and premiums. Coverage typically includes bodily injury, but can also include things like property damage (which might occur if one of your students damages some of the equipment at the studio) or libel and slander protection (which might come up if you inadvertently use copyrighted material in your social media posts). Some plans also cover you in the event that equipment is stolen from the studio.
Plans also differ in the extent of coverage, so make sure that you choose a level that is appropriate for you. A typical plan might offer $2 million in bodily injury coverage per occurrence with an annual aggregate limit of $4 million. The plan may also require a deductible in exchange for lower premiums, so you will need to decide how much you are comfortable paying before coverage kicks in.
Now, it is important to consider a few limitations of professional liability insurance. First, you need to make sure that the type of yoga that you teach and place(s) you will be teaching are covered. For example, if your plan limits you to studios and and an injury happens at an outdoor space, you would be liable.
In terms of cost, liability insurance for yoga instructors generally falls between the range of $150 to $400 per year. While the type of coverage you need will largely determine your premium, it is always helpful to shop around. If you are enrolled in a Yoga Teacher Training, some plans offer discounted rates for students — even as low as $25 per month for the first year — which might save you a great deal. There are also additional benefits that often come with the policy, such as teaching resources and discounts on products, that may help offset the cost of the premium.
At the end of the day, even if you have a solid liability waiver, professional liability insurance is a must for every instructor. There are an estimated 5,000 yoga injuries per year and while we all hope that an accident never happens in one of your classes, being prepared in the off-chance that it does can help give you greater piece of mind knowing that you will be protected.