Yoga uses a series of stretches and movements in order to improve a person’s health, wellbeing, flexibility, and strength. The yoga teacher is responsible for teaching these stretches and breathing exercises in order to improve the success of the yoga students, teaching them how to use methods of breathing and moving for relaxation, strength and flexibility. There are a variety of type of yoga dedicated to different methods of healing including restorative, prenatal, power, hot, and Hatha. While yoga is a relatively safe exercise, a yoga teacher still needs to have proper yoga teacher insurance. Not only do some yoga studios or fitness centers require their yoga teachers to be insured for employment, but the teacher should be protected against certain claims. Risks associated with being a yoga teacher are related to students getting injured during class for a variety of reasons.
Yoga Teacher Professional Liability Insurance
As a yoga teacher, you are responsible for teaching your students how to properly stretch and perform various movements to keep the practice of yoga safe, yet effective. However, it is not uncommon for a student to become injured during class, often from pushing themselves too hard or an accident of some kind. As a type of yoga teacher insurance, professional liability insurance will protect you from such injuries, so that you are not financially responsible for them. For example, if you are teaching a class with more advanced yoga techniques that a beginning student takes, hoping to take on the challenge, and become injured during one of the stretches, they can turn around and sue you for damages. In this case, professional liability insurance steps in and prevents you from financial burden.
Yoga Teacher General Liability Insurance
Liability insurance offers protection for yoga teachers looking to protect their financial assets from lawsuits or litigations as a result of their yoga class. For example, if during your class a student trips over a yoga mat that was left on the floor, as the teacher you can be charged for any bodily injuries the student incurred from the fall. Other injuries can also occur while you are teaching various moves, such as a floor exercise that results in a student spraining an ankle or getting a neck injury.
Do independent contractor yoga teachers need yoga teacher insurance?
If you choose to work as an independent contractor by teaching yoga at your own studio, or at another studio or gym, you will need yoga teacher insurance. Many gyms and yoga studios hire their instructor as independent contractors and therefore do not insure you. When you’re an independent contractor, you are responsible for your own liability insurance. Many gyms and yoga studios will not hire a yoga teacher as an independent contractor unless they can provide proof of liability insurance.
You have worked hard to earn your accreditation in yoga instruction and have found a passion for teaching yoga. Further protect yourself and financial situation by having proper liability insurance. Accidents happen and many times you cannot prevent them, but you can be prepared for them with adequate yoga teacher insurance.
