Common Myths About Yoga Instructor Insurance (And the Truth)

Yoga insurance protects an instructor from unwanted lawsuits or accidents and enhances professional credibility; however, there are common misconceptions surrounding liability insurance. Let’s dive into these myths and uncover the truth.  

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Yoga liability insurance is affordable, with options as low as $14.08/month and flexible plans available, contrary to the myth that it's expensive.
• No copays are required for yoga insurance; you pay an annual premium that covers legal fees, medical expenses, and other damages.
• Insurance doesn't cover absolutely everything, so it's important to review policies for extras like identity theft protection and occurrence-form coverage.
• Yoga teachers do get sued, even if an injury wasn’t directly their fault, making insurance crucial for financial and reputational protection.
• Individual instructors need insurance too, not just studios; some employers even require teachers to carry their own policies.
• Liability waivers are essential for minimizing legal risk but should be used alongside, not instead of, insurance.
• Good risk management practices reduce risks but are not foolproof; insurance acts as a critical financial safety net.
• Occurrence-form coverage protects you even after you stop teaching, covering claims related to incidents that happened while you were insured.
• Peace of mind is worth the investment, as affordable, comprehensive insurance can cover up to $3 million annually for yoga professionals.
  
  

Myth One: Comprehensive Yoga Liability Insurance Is Expensive 

Some yoga teachers might choose not to purchase yoga liability insurance, thinking it's too expensive. While liability insurance for a business owner can get pricey, individual liability insurance isn’t quite the same. Comprehensive yoga instructor insurance, even for part-time yoga teachers, can be affordable if you know where to look. 

At beYogi, an annual policy can be as low as $14.08 per month, paid annually, and covers over 500 modalities, including yoga therapy, Acro, massage, and more. Unlike other insurance companies that use an à la carte model—where costs add up as you add more coverage—beYogi offers simple, all-inclusive coverage at an affordable once-per-year price. If price is what keeps you from buying a policy, we encourage you to explore more options. 

Most companies also offer different policy types to help resolve any price tag anxiety. These flexible options can look like monthly payments, longer-term policies, auto-renewals, and more. If you know you will be teaching for more than 12 months, you can save even more by purchasing beYogi’s 2-year policy from us- locking in a rate of $167/YR (MSRP $179)

Ultimately, yoga insurance is a minimal price to pay compared to the costs associated with lawsuits, including medical bills and legal fees. When choosing a policy, make sure to look into the membership benefits the company offers. You could be saving money in other areas, such as equipment, business needs, and even online therapy. 

When you choose to purchase yoga instructor insurance, your financial assets are protected. You'll be able to spend more time focusing on your practice and less time worrying about the unknown.

Myth Two: There's a Copay Involved In Yoga Liability Insurance

Unlike traditional insurance types, yoga insurance policies typically don’t come with copays. As an instructor, you will normally pay an annual premium for comprehensive insurance coverage. The insurance company can help cover fees, medical expenses, and other damages resulting from a lawsuit. 

Before purchasing insurance, review the terms to fully understand what is covered. Don't finalize the purchase until you're certain your services are covered under the “yoga” umbrella. Some companies do not offer protection for common yoga types like ACRO or SUP yoga (beYogi does). 

At beYogi, yoga instructors pay a low price for their policy and receive comprehensive coverage, including both general and professional liability insurance. The policy also covers identity theft protection and personal injury protection.  

Myth Three: Liability Insurance Covers Everything

You should always read through the coverage offered before purchasing yoga teacher insurance. Some policies don't include an identity protection plan or provide the industry-preferred, occurrence-based coverage. 

Without identity protection, you could be at risk of losing your hard-earned assets to identity theft. Identity theft crime is more common than ever, and the increasing need for online protection is something to thoroughly consider as a need in addition to liability.  Unfortunate but common examples include credit card fraud, social media account takeover, and medical identity theft. 

Occurrence-form coverage can save you years after you stop teaching. Let us explain: this type of liability insurance policy means you are covered for incidents that occur during the policy period, even if the claim isn’t filed until the following year. So if someone waits to file after you stop teaching and the injury occurred while you were insured with an occurrence form policy, your insurance from that time period would kick in. 

Always review the listed coverages of your yoga insurance policy to ensure you're well-informed. 

Myth Four: Yoga Teachers Don't Get Sued

No matter how careful you are, your students can still get hurt. And due to our litigious society, you could get sued even if the injury occurred without fault of your own. An injured customer could request compensation in the form of medical bills being paid off, legal fees being covered, or damages, which can be financially devastating if you don't have the backing of a liability insurance policy.

When a student is injured during a yoga class, they can file a claim against you and/or the yoga studio where you work.  Not only can this be a financial burden, but it could also put your reputation at stake. This is why using yoga liability waivers and buying an insurance policy are crucial to the longevity of your yoga career.

Myth Five: Only Yoga Studios Need Insurance

Students who incur severe injuries during a yoga class may decide to sue the yoga studio and the yoga instructor. Therefore, a studio needs to invest in its own business owners' insurance to obtain coverage and prevent business closure due to financial losses. 

Because yoga instructors can also be sued, they should choose a comprehensive insurance policy for better protection beyond the partial protection they may or may not receive from their employer. 

Note that some yoga studios may require yoga instructors to purchase individual insurance policies or may require teachers to obtain insurance to protect themselves against lawsuits. 

Myth Six: I Don't Need To Use A Liability Waiver

Some yoga instructors skip using yoga liability waivers altogether. However, a yoga waiver and a consent form can help reduce the potential for long, drawn-out court cases. The waiver should clearly state that the student understands the risks of participating in a yoga class and is giving up their right to sue in exchange for participating. For some added peace of mind, consider having an attorney review or revise your yoga liability waiver. 

While yoga liability waivers can help instructors, they are not a substitute for yoga liability insurance. Using them in combination offers better, multi-layered protection.  

Myth Seven: Using Good Risk Management Practices Is Enough

By implementing good risk management practices, yoga instructors can minimize accidents or injuries during sessions. Good practices include maintaining a safe and clean yoga studio, distributing yoga liability waivers to students, staying up to date with your continuing education, getting to know your students, and keeping class sizes small. While risk management practices help, it's not always enough. 

While waivers offer some protection for instructors, they aren’t foolproof. If there is a lawsuit, you want to have a solid insurance policy to support you. Medical expenses from an accident or injury can quickly add up and ultimately cost you thousands. 

With yoga liability insurance, you won’t be left alone to foot the bill. Your insurance provider will help handle those costs. 

Peace Of Mind Over Mythful Thinking

beYogi provides insurance coverage for part-time or full-time yoga teachers as well as students in training. Our insurance policies are affordable and all-inclusive; you can get up to $3 million annually in general and professional liability insurance. 

Now that we have uncovered the truth about some of the more common myths surrounding yoga insurance, we hope you can see the value in purchasing a policy today for immediate coverage.