Yoga Teacher Insurance: Get the Best Coverage in 2021

Have you ever farted in a yoga class? Or, god forbid, ‘queefed’ in a class?

Both are MORBIDLY embarrassing events!

In yoga class, if someone has gas, they have gas. There’s no insurance for that.

But, if you’re a yoga teacher teaching that class, you had better cover your zen hiney with yoga teacher insurance, or else…

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Though it’s an ancient physical discipline, the practice of Yoga is more popular than ever in the modern-day.

Don’t believe me? Then I’ll just let the numbers do the talking!

• In 2012 there were 20.4 million adults practicing yoga in the United States.
• By 2016 that number jumped up by a whopping 80%, to 36.7 million!
• As of 2020, there are 100,000 yoga instructors from the United States.
• The global Yoga industry is worth $80 billion!

While Yoga therapy is an amazing way to improve health, practice good fitness habits, and relieve stress, like any other physical activity, there is always a risk of injury. Practitioners and instructors alike can suffer from back injuries, muscle strains, minor sprains, and more.

No matter how experienced you are or what your Yoga style is, these injuries can and often do occur during typical Yoga instruction sessions; because of this, it is imperative that Yoga instructors protect themselves and their livelihoods with Yoga instructor liability insurance.

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Yoga Teacher Insurance: The Basics

Like any other insurance, Yoga teacher insurance protects Yoga teachers and Yoga instructors against accidents and Yoga-related injuries sustained in studios and beyond. Yoga teacher liability insurance coverage will vary widely depending on the professional needs of a Yoga instructor.

It’s not just for your most common Yoga injuries either. You’d be surprised at how much a Yoga instructor might have to worry about in their line of work!

Insurance for Yoga teachers is an important investment all instructors need to obtain to safely and successfully teach their craft to eager Yogis. To ensure proper protection, you should find the best Yoga instructor insurance from reputable Yoga insurance companies for your unique situation and act ahead of time to keep yourself safe.

Remember, you can’t purchase insurance after a client has filed litigation against you. You have to be prepared ahead of time with Yoga teacher insurance!

What Will It Do For Me?

We’re getting to that. But first, more about the embarrassing stuff. Someone queefed? At least a queef doesn’t smell! However, it always makes a sound. It is usually so embarrassing that your customers don’t return to the class!

On the contrary, if you’re teaching that class, you have to show up for your next class. And guess what? If you comically pointed out something about the fart/queef in the gas class, the offender could sue for psychological damage/ embarrassment! (Good lord)

Wouldn’t it would be nice if you could get fart insurance or embarrassment insurance! We don’t think there is anything like that out there.

We did find this funny insurance fart website, though, for your amusement. (You can find just about anything on the internet.)

Ok, onto why you need yoga teacher insurance:

Why Do You Need Yoga Teacher Insurance?

Insurance will protect you from things such as lawsuits. A client may claim that you hurt them in some way. Not a big surprise, right? We live in a litigious society.

Some claims have weight. Some do not.

You should get yourself covered either way. Simply leaving yourself exposed is not an option. You could lose your business or your bank account if you don’t protect yourself.

Aside from the risk of exercise-related injury, Yoga teacher insurance coverage protects against property damage and lawsuits stemming from advice given by Yoga teachers to students. There are different types of insurance that Yoga teachers might need legal defense to protect themselves from civil settlements and hefty fees.

Given the litigious nature of modern society, it’s not a far leap of the imagination to envision a disgruntled Yogi suing their Yoga teacher for any number of transgressions, real or imagined.

No matter how much you try to provide a safe environment for your clients where they won’t get hurt, you can’t prevent every mishap or misunderstanding.

You could be faced with instances of invasion of privacy claims and the potential lawsuits that might arise from them. If you posted a picture of a student online as advertisements of your services and they tried to sue you, liability insurance would cover the costs.

You or one of your Yoga instructors could be accused of professional misconduct or behavior. Given the intimate and physical nature of Yoga instruction, if a client sues because they feel harassed or inappropriately interacted with, liability insurance would cover the costs of the suit.

Some of these claims could be legitimate grievances, or they could be get-rich-quick schemes; either way, they can pose a great risk to your business and your finances. Considering the legal fees associated with possible lawsuits, the cost of Yoga teacher insurance is much less costly than paying exorbitant prices for legal representation in civil court.

It doesn’t matter if you run a handful of Yoga studios, gyms or you are just a new Yoga teacher trying to get their business off the ground, Yoga teacher insurance is a must-have. You can focus on developing and growing your business and don’t have to worry about pushing your clients to their absolute best performance levels.

Just be sure you find the right coverage for you! There are different types of coverage from many different insurance companies, but you’ll need one that offers specifically catered coverage for the right price point.

We are here to tell you a little about the types of insurance for yoga teachers and yoga studio insurance you need and how it will protect you.

Types of Yoga Teacher Liability Coverage

What kind of insurance does a Yoga teacher need, anyways? There are a handful of different Yoga teacher insurance policies to choose from, depending on what needs a Yoga instructor might have.

• Professional liability insurance is a Yoga insurance policy that protects against claims of negligence.
• General liability insurance protects you from property damage with equipment coverage and third-party injuries.
• A Business Owner’s Policy is a combination of liability coverage and commercial property protection.
• Workers’ compensation policies can cover a Yoga instructor’s medical expenses when an employee is injured on the job.

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Here’s a Good Reason To Have Professional Liability Insurance

In 2009 in Boulder, Colorado a man sued his yoga studio for bodily harm. His claim is that the yoga instructor “unexpectedly and without permission” adjusted his position while in class.

Robert Heit says that the manipulation caused injuries that have resulted in a permanent disability. (See “should physical manipulations ever be performed in yoga?)

The article states: “Among Heit’s injuries, according to the lawsuit, a torn medial meniscus — a fibrocartilage band spanning the knee joint — that required surgery.” Yeowch!

“Conducting yoga classes where unsolicited physical manipulation is permitted during yoga class poses a danger of injury to patrons and students,” Heit also states in the suit.

He says that the studio “failed to exercise reasonable care in that (the studio) failed to warn or instruct against the hazardous condition or activity of unsolicited physical manipulation during the activity of yoga,” the suit claims.

As a result of the studio’s failure, Heit claims he suffered “severe personal injuries, causing him extreme physical, mental and emotional pain and suffering.” He is suing the yoga studio, “Yoga Workshop” for damages. (Not a good day for the studio!)

Their website is still up so we imagine so far they are still in business.

Still, we were unable to find any evidence online of what happened in this case. What we DO know is that if the studio or the instructor did not have professional liability yoga teacher insurance, they are up sh*t creek. (No matter whether the case held weight or not.)

Here’s Another BIG Case Where Yoga Teacher Insurance Was Essential:

…and at the time of this writing, it is still an ongoing case. It might not be covered by professional liability, but it’s one of the most common complaints: Sexual harassment. Actually, rape in this case. This case involves one of the biggest yoga founders in the world. In 2010, Bickram Yoga founder Bikram Choudhury was accused of rape.

Six women have now brought civil cases against Choudhury for sexual assault, gender violence offenses and more. Regardless of whether the allegations are true or not, he has already been ordered to pay out $6.4 million in punitive damages in the first of a series of lawsuits.

Choudhury is in very hot water! It is unclear whether he had insurance. Surely he must, being such a big organization. This case is ongoing.

What Does Professional Liability Yoga Instructor Insurance Cover?

Professional liability coverage for Yoga instructors includes claims against those common Yoga injuries to joints, muscles, and the back. It protects against claims of negligence or accident. It is sometimes referred to as errors and omissions insurance.

Professional Yoga liability insurance protects you or your business from another person or business claims of bodily injury caused by your negligence or a mishap.

Most claims against yoga studios happen because of:

• Muscle injuries
• Joint injuries
• Back injuries

Professional liability insurance protects you or your business from another person or business’s claims of bodily injury, caused by your negligence or a mishap.

If someone trips over a bag and hurts themselves in your studio, that would not be covered by professional liability insurance. General liability would cover such an instance. (It’s a little confusing, even to us. Be sure to talk to your agent about it so you totally understand the differences.)

Professional liability insurance covers your ass if someone gets hurt because you didn’t do your job properly. If you were negligent, or you get accused of being negligent, you may be covered by this insurance. You need to get your ass covered for any of their medical expenses and associated claims.

What Does General Liability Yoga Instructor Insurance Cover?

Here’s the deal: General liability is the most basic yoga teacher insurance you need. This yoga instructor insurance protects your business from another person or business’s claims of bodily injury, associated medical costs and damage to property.

General liability coverage is a little different in that it saves you in the event of a customer or another business claiming bodily injury or damage to property against you and your place business. 

For instance, if a client slips and falls in a bathroom shower and proceeds to sue for damages and suffering, claiming that there was no mat and the shower floor was slippery. A Yoga teacher’s general liability insurance policy would cover any associated costs.

What it DOESN’T cover is if you fail to do something properly in the scope of your job/service. This is otherwise known as negligence.

Say your instructor failed to relay some very relevant medical information to another instructor about a client. That client gets hurt as a result. They could sue you for negligence. In such a case you would need professional liability insurance.

Let’s say you had a class of 20 people. After the class, one client slips and falls in your bathroom shower. She claims that the tile should have had a mat because it was extremely slippery. She sues you for damages and pain and suffering.

In a case such as this, your yoga liability insurance (general) would cover the costs.

Yoga Insurance Policy Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have some burning questions about Yoga teacher insurance? If so, read on below to find out what others are asking about it!

What is the Best Insurance for Yoga Teachers in 2021?

Yoga teacher insurance is crucial for the protection of your livelihood. Without it, you are a walking target for real or made-up mishaps. Mishaps turn into lawsuits. Nobody likes getting sued but it could easily happen to you.

Go uncovered and you could lose everything you have.

In order to best protect yourself as a Yoga instructor, you’ll want to find liability insurance that meets your needs and keeps you feeling secure. Luckily for you, Hiscox small business insurance is here to do just that.

Get your yoga instructor liability insurance below.

Why Hiscox For My Yoga Teacher Liability Insurance?

There are several reasons we picked Hiscox and nobody else.

• Customization: The agents at Hiscox are very good at finding out what your specific needs are based on where you work, what kind of insurance your employer has or what you need as your own business.
• They are a middle man. You will get the best quotes from only the best in your industry.
• Coverage no matter where you are. You can be training in Thailand, and you will still be covered.
• Speedy response rate.
• Their website is very simple and easy to maneuver.

Contact them today to get your FREE no-obligation quote for inexpensive yoga teacher insurance so your yoga behind gets protected!

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