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Mandy has been with Starpeak Insurance Solutions since 2018, starting in sales in the consumer department and mov...
Being a personal trainer is an active profession – you are on your feet every day, exercising clients, and using a range of equipment. There is little ‘desk work’ involved which is why many people choose to become a trainer, but it subsequently means it is a career with more risks.
If you were to sustain an injury, albeit in a gym or not, you would be unable to train, work, and make money. On your client’s part, they could sustain an injury or be involved in an incident and chose to file a claim against you or your gym.
We’ve put together a list of features you can expect to find in an insurance policy, to help you decide what sort of cover you need:
Public Liability Insurance for Personal Trainers
You may need to know – what is public liability insurance? We have liability insurance for everything – our car, house, even life itself. As personal trainers, protection against a claim is a must. This could arise from inadequate supervision or instruction, equipment malfunction, improper use of equipment, accusations of sexual harassment, and more…so it is essential to be covered!
It provides cover for injury or damage to third parties (e.g. persons other than employees) or their property; includes cover for damage to premise hire, and all legal fees related with defence settlements.
Specialist insurance for personal trainers
Do I need Professional Indemnity insurance?
As a personal trainer, your job revolves around providing expert advice and guidance to clients. But what happens if a client claims that your advice led to an injury, loss of progress, or financial loss?
Professional Indemnity Insurance protects you against claims of negligence, mistakes, or professional errors that could leave a client out of pocket. Even if you’ve done nothing wrong, the cost of defending yourself against such claims can be high. This cover ensures you’re financially protected, so you can focus on helping your clients reach their goals, without the worry of financial setbacks.
Professional Indemnity insurance for sports trainers means you are able to give advice, instruction, and tuition to your clients without worrying about any consequences.
Equipment cover
Running a business often means relying on specialist equipment, whether it’s fitness gear, sports kit, or tools of the trade. If something gets lost, damaged, or stolen, replacing it can be costly and disruptive.
That’s where equipment insurance comes in. Policies with Productivity include £500 of cover as standard, with the option to increase it up to £30,000. It covers the sports equipment you use for your work, but not electrical items like laptops or sound systems.
For example, if your weights, mats, or specialist gear were stolen from your car or gym, this insurance could help you replace them quickly, so you can get back to business.
Optional Extras
Personal Accident
Accidents happen, especially in hands-on professions where you’re constantly active. If you suffer an injury while working, you could be left unable to train, coach, or earn an income.
Personal Accident cover is designed to help in these situations, offering financial protection for serious incidents like accidental death, permanent total disablement, or temporary total disablement.
For example, if you tear a ligament during a client session and can’t work for months, this insurance could provide financial support while you recover.
Overseas Extension
If your work takes you beyond the UK, this extension ensures you’re still covered while working abroad for up to 30 days a year. Whether you’re training clients in Europe or running a fitness retreat further afield (excluding the USA), this add-on gives you peace of mind.
To qualify, you must be a UK resident, but otherwise, it’s a simple way to stay protected when your work takes you overseas. For instance, if you were leading a bootcamp in Spain and an insured incident occurred, this cover would help protect you against potential claims or financial loss.
*Answers are based on Protectivity sports business policies.
FAQ’s* on personal trainer insurance
I work at a gym that is insured, so do I still need insurance?
It depends if you are an employee or a contracted personal trainer. As an employee you should be covered by the gym owners employers’ liability insurance to provide training in the gym.
If you are employed by the gym as a freelance PT you need your own insurance.
I’m providing personal training services abroad – am I covered?
Yes, but only if you add an Overseas Extension to your policy. This allows you to work outside the UK for up to 30 days a year, with the option to choose either Europe or Worldwide (excluding the USA) cover. However, you must be a UK resident for this cover to apply.
If you’re planning to train clients abroad—whether it’s running fitness retreats in Spain or coaching sessions in Australia—this extension ensures you’re protected while working internationally.
*Answers are based on Protectivity sports business policies.
Affordable Personal Trainer Insurance from Protectivity
Personal trainer cover from as little as £3.86 a month, get a quote today!
At Protectivity, we can cover you for a wide range of training activities, from traditional PT, Aqua Aerobics to Body Balance to Sports Therapy to Kettlebell Training. Simply choose a personal trainer insurance policy and you’ll be protected as personal trainer in minutes.
You’ll find public liability insurance from £1 million included as standard, professional indemnity cover and £500 worth of equipment cover. To reinforce your policy, you can increase your cover or include optional extras, employers’ liability, personal accident and overseas extension.
Please note, you are expected to hold a certified qualification in the activity you are instructing. In the event of a claim, failure to disclose this may invalidate your insurance.
Get Personal Trainer Insurance from Protectivity
*Disclaimer – This blog has been created as general information and should not be taken as advice. Make sure you have the correct level of insurance for your requirements and always review policy documentation. Information is factually accurate at the time of publishing but may have become out of date.
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4. Social Media
Its next to impossible to ignore its daily relevance, presence and power, so if you think old school marketing will work today for your personal training business, think again! Not only can social media marketing reach a wealth of people, it’s really very easy and simple. You can create a business account on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Do you know what we said about visual impact? Instagram, in particular, is great for this…you can draw people in with ‘6-pack workout’ and desirable image, and then direct them to your website. Daily posts will promote your presence and make your business accessible to the masses.