Teaching Pilates is a rewarding and satisfying career for many moms (and dads) that may be looking to re-enter the workforce.

As a Pilates instructor, you show people of all ages how to ease pain and strengthen their bodies using the Pilates method.

For stay at home parents, you may work from a home studio or at a local gym or fitness center. You may be a new instructor or have many years of experience and several certifications.

No matter the details of your Pilates instruction, you aren’t ready for true success until you protect yourself with liability insurance.

It may be hard to believe that as a Pilates instructor, you are open to lawsuits. You may think this is the health and wellness profession. “I help my clients feel better, they won’t sue me”, but lawsuits happen in every profession, including Pilates.

Lawsuits start as a claim where you may have caused injury or damage. As a professional instructor, you are particularly vulnerable to such claims. A student may expect compensation if they believe they were somehow injured, or their property was damaged as a result of your instruction or your general business operations.

Do I Need Liability Insurance?

Liability insurance protects you and your business from lawsuits that arise out of your negligence or any errors you make in your instruction. It also protects you if you damage someone’s property or someone is injured on your property.

Keep in mind that even if you haven’t done anything wrong, you can get sued, a lawsuit can be based just on the perception of wrongdoing. And whether or not you have done something wrong, you will need to defend yourself and your reputation if a claim is made.  

The question to ask yourself is if you were to end up at the center of a lawsuit, could you afford the cost of a legal defense? Or – even worse – if you are ordered to pay a settlement, can you afford to do so?

If someone slipped at your Pilates studio and injured their back, could you afford to pay for their medical care and injuries?

What Type of Liability Insurance do Pilates Instructors Need?

To enjoy complete protection from accidents and lawsuits, Pilates instructors should carry both General Liability Insurance and Professional Liability Insurance. General Liability insurance protects you and your business from “General Liabilities” while Professional Liability protects you and your business from claims or lawsuits arising from your professional duties and work.

To be well insured, Pilates instructors should purchase both types of coverage.

What Is General Liability Insurance for Pilates Instructors?

As stated, General liability (also known as Commercial General Liability or CGL) protects your Pilates business from claims that arise due to your general business operations, involving property damage, bodily injury, and subsequent medical payments.

In summary, General Liability will protect you from:

• Claims that you damaged someone’s property

• Allegations of Personal injury or Advertising Injury, including libel

• Injuries others incur a result from your Pilates operations on your premises or other locations

What Is Professional Liability (E&O) Insurance for Pilates Instructors?

Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions) insurance is different from General Liability because it’s meant to protect your business from claims that arise out of your actual teaching or advice.

A General Liability policy will exclude coverage for professional services, so you must have Professional Liability insurance to be protected.

Professional lawsuits can arise if a customer believes you misrepresented your services, didn’t provide important advice or information or if you just behaved poorly as a professional.

Your Professional Liability insurance would respond in cases of:

• Allegations of mistakes in your professional Pilates instruction
• Injuries and medical expenses that arise from your teaching or advice.

One of the great benefits of Professional liability insurance is that if you find yourself the target of a lawsuit, you simply file a claim and the insurance company appoints an attorney to defend you.

Having your own legal representation in a lawsuit can make all the difference!

Should You Buy General Liability or Professional Liability?

To be properly insured for their service, Pilates Instructors should purchase both types of liability insurance. This will ensure you are covered for things like:

• Providing instruction at a student’s home

• Teaching students at your home studio

• Using social media to market your services

• Participating in special events such as teaching at a retreat or seminar

What Are the Limits of Liability?

Every insurance policy has limits. A policy limit is the maximum amount the policy will pay in the event of a claim.

For Pilates liability insurance, there are two liability limits included in each policy: a Per Occurrence limit and a General Aggregate.

• Per Occurrence Limit: The Per Occurrence limit is the maximum your liability insurance will pay for a single claim.

• A common Professional Liability occurrence limit is $1,000,000. Although limits are available from $500,000 to $2,000,000
• The most common General Liability Insurance Per Occurrence limit is also $1,000,000. Though limits can range from $300,000 to $1,000,000.

The Aggregate limit on your liability policies is the maximum amount of money the insurance company will pay for all claims during the policy term.

• Professional Liability aggregate limits range from $500,000 to $2,000,000.
• General Liability aggregate limits range from $600,000 to $2,000,000.

How Much Does Pilates Liability Insurance Cost?

Great liability coverage can be yours for less than what you pay for your favorite beverage.

Click here to purchase Pilates instructor liability insurance quickly and easily. Coverage confirmation is available immediately.