There seems to be no end to the growing popularity of yoga. The ancient practice continues to draw new students every day. As Americans search for ways to de-stress, connect, and become more aware, the call of yoga beckons.
So too does the call to teach yoga. Last year the Yoga Alliance registered 14,700 new yoga teachers.
If you are among the new yoga instructors with certification in hand ready to get in front of a class, hold your horses. The moment you become a yoga teacher is the moment you become a professional. And that means you have some professional risks to manage.
But don’t be shy, though. Go forth and teach! Just make sure you protect yourself with yoga instructor liability insurance.
Already on your way to teach your first class? Don’t panic. Yoga instructor liability insurance costs are low, and you can be covered in minutes with proof of insurance in hand.
Just don’t make the mistake of thinking you can’t afford yoga instructor insurance coverage. It is surprisingly inexpensive. You can afford it and you can’t afford to not have it.
Before we dive into how much yoga instructor insurance coverage is going to cost, and how much it can actually save you, let’s take a quick look at what you get when you purchase a yoga instructor professional liability insurance policy.
General Liability and Professional Liability: Elements of Yoga Instructor Liability Insurance
A Yoga instructor liability insurance policy contains two major coverages and a handful of miscellaneous benefits. The policy is made up of two major parts:
General liability covers you for just what it sounds like: general liabilities you may be found responsible for within the day to day operations of your job. This includes things like slips and falls during a class or damage to your client’s property due to a leaky pipe in the studio. General liability encompasses mishaps that may occur and that don’t have anything to do with your actual teaching.
Now, it is possible the studio where you teach has General Liability insurance, but that doesn’t mean it extends to protect you if something goes wrong on your watch.
Professional liability is the other element in your yoga instructor liability insurance policy. It’s really where the rubber meets the road. It’s going to cover you for liability that arises out of your actual teaching. This could include an injury a student suffers which they claim was due to your instruction. Or an accusation of libel from a competing yoga studio.
Fringe Benefits of Yoga Instructor Liability Insurance
While protection from being sued for injuries and property damage are the biggies, yoga instructor liability insurance is packed with tons of other benefits that every yoga teacher should have.
There is coverage to protect you against even frivolous claims. For example, suppose a student claims they injured their ankle while following your instructions in a Vinyasa class. Even if the student’s injury had nothing to do with your instruction, you still need to defend yourself against the suit.
How Can I Afford Yoga Instructor Liability Insurance?
Many professionals go without insurance because they assume it is too expensive or they won’t be able to afford it.
Not so, Yogis! Yoga instructor liability insurance is very affordable. BizInsure offers general Liability coverage for less than $29.00 a month and professional liability coverage for about $50.00 per month. Far less than a pair of LuLulemon pants.
When you look at the cost of a policy and the astronomical legal costs associated with a potential claim, it’s a solid investment when it comes to protecting your business.
Yoga instructor insurance cost is minimal. The exact cost of your policy is determined by a few underwriting factors, the limit you select and how you earn from teaching are two of these influencing factors.
The Cost of Yoga Instructor Liability Insurance
It’s hard to imagine that a profession as noble as yoga teaching can be the subject of lawsuits. No one likes to think they could one day receive a special delivery containing a tome of paperwork with their name listed at the top as a defendant. But it can happen – even in the serene space of the yoga world.
In 2014, Michael J Taylor, former President of the International Association for Yoga Therapy, spoke[1] of six major lawsuits that he personally knew of. He also stated he was “dumbfounded” by the refusal of most studios and instructors to take measures to protect themselves from risk.
Yoga is a special practice, but there is nothing about it that makes it more or less susceptible to litigation than any other profession.
These are some lawsuits that have made the headlines in recent years:
A Portland, Oregon student was injured[2] when a mirror fell from the wall and shattered on top of her, lacerating her body. When neither the yoga studio or the glass company accepted responsibility for the accident, the student filed a lawsuit against both for $400,000 in pain and suffering, $40,000 for past medical costs, $10,000 for future medical costs and $5,000 for lost wages.
In 2013, a popular New York-based instructor[3] was sued when a student fell out of his headstand pose and his foot went through a glass pane window. The student’s attorney claimed the teacher didn’t provide a safe environment to practice as the room was crowded and the student was forced to practice too close to the window.
One of the largest countenances for professional liability insurance in the yoga world is the current lawsuit[4] filed against yoga teacher and body advocate Dana Falsetti.
Falsetti is being sued for breach of information and defamation for revealing on an Instagram post a corporate acquisition between two yoga companies. The announcement had not yet been made public and Falsetti’s social media post and frank opinion on the situation landed her in some legal trouble.
The outcome is still pending, and costs are unknown, but a GoFundMe page intended to raise money for Falestti’s legal fees has surpassed its goal of $50,000.
The Benefits of Yoga Instructor Liability Insurance: Priceless
The possibility of financial loss or legal trouble can be a hard thing to get your head around. So, let’s consider some of the other more immediate benefits yoga instructor insurance offers.
1. Peace of mind
Knowing that you are protected with good yoga instructor liability insurance brings peace of mind, As a yoga teacher, you’re all about teaching people find their inner calm and happy place. Nothing brings peace of mind and reassurance than knowing that your yoga business has the right forms of protection in place.
It allows you to have a flexible workplace. Many studios will require you to have a yoga instructor professional liability policy. Having the coverage in place will make getting those gigs a lot easier.
2. Gives you an edge
Having the correct insurance policies will give you an edge over instructors that don’t when you’re bidding to teach a class.
3. Protection that follows you around the world
A yoga instructor professional liability policy will follow you anywhere your teaching takes you. So, think and dream big! Want to teach at a retreat in Hawaii, or at a summer resort in Miami Beach? Your yoga instructor liability insurance covers you from your home studio to your retreat location.
4. Protects you when you make a mistake
Knowing that you are protected if you make a professional mistake gives you the freedom to be yourself when you’re teaching. You can feel free to offer corrections to students and speak your mind in class without having to worry if your instructions will be taken the wrong way or lead to injury.
5. Protects you even when you don’t make a mistake
You don’t have to do anything wrong to be sued. If the possibility or perception of wrongdoing is present, you can end up in a lawsuit. Yoga instructor liability insurance will protect you even when you didn’t do anything wrong.
6. Protects your marketing efforts
Social media marketing is something no business can be without, but sometimes this intimate and casual communication style can lead to trouble. Yoga instructor liability insurance includes Professional liability which protects you from allegations of libel or slander if your messages are misunderstood or misconstrued.
Yoga Instructor Liability Insurance Costs are Minimal, and the Benefits are Many
As a yoga instructor, you probably don’t like to think much about risk, insurance, and business. Your thoughts most likely lean toward philosophy and sharing the benefits of yoga.
But a yoga teacher is a professional and as a professional, you face risks every day.
BizInsure helps you manage those risks by making professional liability insurance for yoga instructors easy and affordable. The whole process can be completed online, and you’ll receive coverage confirmation immediately.
The cost is minimal, but the benefits are great.
Getting a policy is simple: Click here, answer a few questions and you’re covered.
BizInsure combines cutting-edge technology and licensed agent support to provide expert advice, affordability and ease.
[1] Counterpunch.org, (2014). Counterpunch: Tell the Facts Name the Names. [online] Available at: https://www.counterpunch.org/2014/07/04/yogas-growing-threat-of-legal-liability/ [Accessed 3 Aug. 2018].
[2] Yoga Dork, (2014). Mirror Falls and Shatters, Injures Woman in Yoga Class. [Blog] Yoga Dork. Available at: http://yogadork.com/2014/05/27/mirror-falls-and-shatters-injures-woman-in-yoga-class/ [Accessed 3 Aug. 2018].
[3] Hamilton, B. (2013). Alec Baldwin’s wife Hilaria sued over bloody mishap in her yoga class. New York Post, [online]. Available at: https://nypost.com/2013/02/17/alec-baldwins-wife-hilaria-sued-over-bloody-mishap-in-her-yoga-class/[Accessed 3 Aug. 2018].
[4] Chandra, N. (2018). My heart is with Dana – but here are the Facts of the Case. [Blog] Elephant Journal. Available at: https://www.elephantjournal.com/2018/03/my-heart-is-with-dana-but-here-are-the-facts-of-the-case-namita-chandra/ [Accessed 3 Aug. 2018].
