Yoga teachers make a living teaching health and wellness, encouraging clients to stretch their limits, both physically and emotionally. However, sometimes students stretch a little too enthusiastically and they wind up injuring themselves. There are roughly 5,000 yoga-related visits to emergency departments every year. Yoga teachers need to protect themselves with insurance.
- The 7 best yoga teacher insurance companies
- What kind of insurance does a yoga teacher need?
- How much does yoga teacher insurance cost?
- Will yoga teacher insurance protect me if I get hurt?
The 7 best yoga teacher insurance companies
- CoverWallet: Best for comparing quotes
- Next: Best for cheap coverage from a digital carrier
- Simply Business: Best for finding low-cost coverage from reputable carriers
- BeYogi: Best for students
- Alternative Balance: Best for straightforward pricing
- Alliant YogaPro: Best for online comparison
- NACAMS: Best for occurrence form policy
CoverWallet: Best for comparing quotes
CoverWallet is not an insurance company, but they partner with insurance companies so they can offer you several quotes at the same time. They partner with such companies as Liberty Mutual, Progressive, Chubb, Hiscox, Markel, and more.
This is a quote for a yoga teacher in North Carolina. As you can see, sometimes CoverWallet only offers you a quote from one company.
Next: Best for cheap coverage from a digital carrier
Next says you can save 30% on business insurance when you buy it through them. They have several packages to choose from, which contain the same policies but offer higher limits. For example, the basic package offers a $500,000 general liability policy, whereas the Pro plus coverage plan offers $2 million. You can save 10% when you bundle policies. A general liability policy includes fitness professional liability insurance, also known as Errors & Omissions (or E&O) insurance.
Online quoting is very easy—you can get a quote in less than five minutes. Furthermore, they earn a 4.7 rating out of 5, based on more than 100,000 people.
Simply Business: Best for finding low-cost coverage from reputable carriers
Simply Business isn’t a direct insurance provider. Instead, it’s a broker that helps personal trainers find the right insurance coverage at an affordable price through companies in its network. As a broker, they focus their efforts on helping you find the lowest rates for your coverage.
PROS:
- Simply Business partners with reputable insurance companies that tend to offer low-cost coverage
- It’s simple to get several quotes from different insurers through Simply Business.
- Simply Business has a complete online library to help you learn about business insurance coverage and preventing risk.
- Simply Business is owned by Travelers, a major insurer based in the United States. You can rest assured that they have strong financial backing and reputation.
CONS:
- Policy underwriting, claims, and customer service is handled by third-party insurers.
- They can only help you get quotes and buy policies from their partners. If you are interested in a company that they do not partner with, you are out of luck.
- You can’t file a claim through Simply Business. It must be done through your insurer.
BeYogi: Best for students
BeYogi offers multiple policies that will cover you for most types of claims. Your policy follows you wherever you go, so if you’re teaching at a retreat or a seminar, you’re still covered. They don’t offer online quotes per se, but they do tell you the current rate is $159 a year for part-time teachers (less than ten hours a week) and $179 for full-time instructors. If you buy a two-year policy, you’ll save $30. Students can get coverage for just $55 a year.
BeYogi has a 4.7 rating on Trustpilot, based on 875 reviews. The website also provides teaching tips for specific poses, so you’ll be better able to offer safe instruction.
Alternative Balance: Best for straightforward pricing
Alternative Balance has four membership levels, with upfront pricing, so you don’t even have to fill out a form to get a price. They are:
- Student: $189 a year
- Per Diem (working less than 10 hours a week): $239 a year
- Professional (more than 10 hours a week): $269 a year
- Employer: $299 a year
They cover many different services under one policy, so if you dabble in aromatherapy or pilates, you’re covered. Furthermore, many other types of services are available for coverage for a small fee, usually $129 a year. These would include things like aerial yoga, paddleboard yoga, or cupping.
Here is a screenshot of the coverage details:
Alliant YogaPro: Best for online comparison
Insurance through Alliant YogaPro includes both general liability and professional liability under one policy, so most situations you’ll face as a yoga teacher are covered. Coverage is backed by Lloyd’s of London, which means Alliant YogaPro has excellent financial strength.
Studio owners and individual teachers can purchase a policy through Alliant YogaPro. The only thing is they require you to pay for your policy in full. If your policy is more than $1,000 you can contact them for more information. One great thing is their visual of how they stack up to the competition:
You can get a quote online, but not instantly. You’ll need to include your Yoga Alliance Registry ID card to get a quote. You can choose from a $1M /$2M or $2M/$4M policy.
NACAMS: Best for occurrence form policy
NACAMS (National Association of Complementary and Alternative Medicines) offers coverage starting at $0.44 a day, or $14.58 a month. If you choose the two-year plan, you’ll save about $78. Students can purchase insurance for just $55 a year. Over 350 modalities are covered.
Another plus is that this is an occurrence-form policy, which means you are covered for anything that happens while the policy is in effect, regardless of when the claim is filed.
NACAMS has a 4.6 rating on Trustpilot, based on 490 reviews. There are no membership fees, and identity protection is included, up to $25,000.
What kind of insurance does a yoga teacher need?
There are about 70,000 yoga teachers in the United States. Whether you’re a studio owner, a part-time teacher or even an online teacher, you should protect yourself against the unexpected. There are different circumstances among yoga teachers: some teach part-time from home, some own studios in multiple locations.
- Professional liability insurance
- General liability insurance
- Commercial property insurance
- Worker comp insurance
Professional liability insurance for yoga teachers
You want to help your students grow and feel better. Sometimes, though, students misinterpret instructions or push themselves too far and suffer an injury. Professional liability insurance protects you if one of those students files a lawsuit against you.
If you work in a studio, you might think you’re covered through work. However, yoga studios are insured to protect the business, not you, so savvy yoga teachers carry a personal professional liability insurance policy as well.
If you own a yoga studio, you’ll need small business insurance. Learn more at the best professional liability insurance companies.
>>MORE: The Best Personal Trainer Insurance Companies
General liability insurance for yoga teachers
This protects your studio from third-party bodily injuries and third-party property damages. If one of your clients trips and falls in your studio, or has their personal property stolen while they’re at your studio, you’ll be covered. General liability insurance will protect your business if someone gets hurt during a class. It can pay medical payments, legal fees, and court courts so you don’t have to pay out of pocket. Learn more at the best general liability insurance companies and the cheapest general liability insurance companies.
Commercial property insurance for yoga teachers
If you own or rent your studio, you’ll need commercial property insurance. It protects your property from damages such as fire, water damage, vandalism, or theft. It also protects the contents of your studio, so if someone steals all of your equipment, you’ll be covered. Learn more at the best commercial property insurance companies.
Workers compensation insurance for yoga teachers
In most states, if you have employees, you’ll need workers’ compensation insurance. This protects your employees if they suffer an on-the-job injury and covers them for lost wages. Learn more at the cheapest workers comp insurance companies.
If you are a sole proprietor, most states don’t require you to have workers comp insurance. However, it is still a good idea to have workers comp coverage to protect yourself if you get injured or become ill at work. Learn more at the best workers comp insurance for sole proprietors.
How much does yoga teacher insurance cost?
The good news is that yoga teacher insurance isn’t very expensive. On average, yoga teacher insurance costs about $15-30 a month.
Below is the summary of yoga teacher insurance cost from the top 4 providers:
| Carriers | Yoga teacher insurance cost |
| Hiscox | $32/month |
| NEXT | $15.34/ month |
| Alternative Balance | $22.4/ month |
| Alliant YogaPro | $12.17/month |
Be sure to shop around with a few companies and compare several quotes before making your final decision:
Will yoga teacher insurance protect me if I get hurt?
Your yoga teacher insurance will not cover you if you, personally injure yourself during one of your own classes. If you are an employee of a yoga studio (not the owner) you might be able to file a workers compensation claim.
Does my insurance cover me if I teach at a retreat?
Professional liability insurance usually follows you, so yes, you should be covered if you choose to go to a yoga retreat and teach. Check your policy, just in case.
What insurance coverage do yoga studios need? And why?
Running a yoga studio involves interacting with a lot of clients, employing instructors, and maintaining a physical space, so various types of insurance coverage are needed to protect the business from potential liabilities. Here are some types of insurance a yoga studio may need, along with the reasons why:
- General Liability Insurance: This policy covers common risks, including client injuries and property damage. This can protect the studio if a client is injured during a yoga session, or if someone’s property is damaged while on your premises.
- Professional Liability Insurance (also known as Errors and Omissions Insurance): This policy can protect the studio if a client claims that poor instruction led to an injury. This is particularly important for yoga studios, as improper instruction can lead to serious injuries.
- Business Owner’s Policy (BOP): This insurance often combines property insurance, business interruption insurance, and liability insurance into one policy. It can cover claims resulting from fire, theft, or other disasters that might close the studio temporarily or damage the premises.
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance: If the studio employs other yoga teachers or staff, workers’ compensation insurance is typically mandatory in most states. It can cover medical costs and partial lost wages if an employee gets hurt or sick from a work-related cause.
- Product Liability Insurance: If your yoga studio sells products (like yoga mats, blocks, clothing, etc.), this policy would cover you in case one of these products caused harm to a customer and you were sued as a result.
- Cyber Liability Insurance: If your studio stores sensitive information about clients or employees digitally, like credit card numbers or personal information, cyber liability insurance can protect you in case of a data breach.
- Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI): This covers against claims by employees that their legal rights as employees of the company have been violated, such as discrimination, wrongful termination, and harassment claims.
- Commercial Auto Insurance: If the studio uses vehicles for business purposes, such as delivering equipment or traveling to clients, commercial auto insurance will cover any costs associated with an auto accident.
Each yoga studio’s insurance needs will depend on various factors, including its size, location, and the specific services it offers. It’s always a good idea to consult with an insurance agent or broker who specializes in small businesses or fitness-related businesses to make sure you have the right types and amounts of coverage.
Last Thoughts
Teaching yoga is such a rewarding career. Make sure you don’t leave yourself open to lawsuits, though, and get covered with professional liability insurance if you’re a teacher and a general liability policy if you own your own studio.
