Understanding Liability Waivers for Yoga Teacher Insurance: Do They Protect You?

As a yoga teacher, having students sign a liability waiver can provide some level of protection against claims or lawsuits. Using one before a student participates in a yoga class means that the student agrees you (the yoga teacher) are not responsible if they get injured during your class.

However, a liability waiver doesn’t offer full protection if it is not thorough. Understanding the difference can help make sure you and your yoga business are fully protected.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Liability waivers are legal agreements where students acknowledge the risks of yoga and agree not to hold the teacher responsible for injuries during class.
• Waivers help reduce lawsuits, but they only offer partial protection and may not cover serious claims like gross negligence or unclear/unfair terms.
• A waiver’s coverage is limited to the specific activities listed; if an injury occurs outside those, the teacher may still be liable.
• Waivers do not cover legal costs or offer any financial support if a teacher is sued—they simply aim to reduce risk.
• Insurance offers financial protection, covering legal fees, settlements, medical bills, and property damage claims.
• Insurance is more comprehensive, protecting teachers from significant financial loss, even if a waiver doesn’t hold up in court.
• Using both a waiver and insurance together provides the best protection: the waiver reduces legal risk, and insurance covers financial liabilities.
• beYogi insurance policies include general liability, professional liability, identity theft protection, and product-related damage coverage—offering full peace of mind for yoga teachers.
  
  

What Is a Yoga Liability Waiver?

A yoga liability waiver is a legal agreement between a student and a yoga teacher and or yoga business. In this agreement, the student acknowledges that participating in yoga may be risky and waives the right to hold the teacher responsible for any injuries that may occur.

Also known as a liability release, the waiver usually informs the student about every activity they may participate in during your class and the possible risks involved. Ideally, students should sign the liability release form before their first class.

While we do offer a free liability waiver template, we recommend that teachers seek out a lawyer to review their waiver before using it.

What Liability Waivers Can’t Do

Liability waivers can offer some protection, but they are not foolproof. Most waivers do cover ordinary negligence, like a general lack of care, but most don’t cover gross negligence, which is an extreme lack of care. For example, if a student sprains their knee because the teacher forces them into an advanced pose, a waiver won’t protect against such negligence. But that’s not all.

Waivers might not be enforceable if the judge deems them unfair or unclear. They also have a narrow scope, covering only the specific activities mentioned in the release form. If a student gets injured outside this scope, the teacher could still be held responsible, meaning they will be responsible for the legal bills & potential costs associated with the lawsuit.

Liability Waivers vs Insurance

Liability waivers don’t have the same purpose as insurance. Here’s how the two stack up:

Liability Waivers

• They get students to acknowledge the risks involved in yoga, which can reduce the likelihood of some lawsuits.
• They’re basically free, so they’re a good starting point.
• They don’t always cover everything, especially if you’re accused of being careless or doing something on purpose.
• They won’t help with legal bills if you do get sued.

Insurance

• It covers your legal fees, settlements, or judgments if someone sues you.
• Helps cover costs associated with medical bills as well as damages to a client's property.
• It protects your pocket and/or your business from taking a major financial hit.
• Although you pay an annual premium, it’s more cost-effective in the long run. Plus, it gives you peace of mind.

Using both waivers and insurance together gives you the best multi-layered protection. You receive legal protection through the waiver and financial support from the insurance. That way, you can focus on teaching yoga without worrying about what might happen if something goes wrong.

Why You Need Both Waivers and Insurance

If you teach yoga in any capacity, a well-written liability waiver is a solid first line of defense. That said, it shouldn’t replace liability insurance. Instead, it should complement it to give you full protection. Think of insurance as the 2nd line of defense if a claim gets filed. 

Since students acknowledge the possible risks involved in taking your classes when they sign a release form, it can reduce the likelihood of lawsuits. But because waivers don’t cover all scenarios, you need more comprehensive protection. And even if a waiver is upheld in court, you still need to pay legal fees and other costs associated with defending yourself.

That’s where liability insurance comes in. It provides financial protection if you’re sued. It can cover legal fees or settlements, so you don’t have to pay out of pocket. With beYogi, you can get an insurance policy that offers you comprehensive protection as a yoga teacher.

Protect Yourself With beYogi Insurance

As a yoga teacher, liability waivers are good, but to have full protection if something goes wrong, you need insurance.

Our policies at beYogi include general liability insurance, which protects you against slip-and-fall claims, and professional liability insurance, which covers negligence claims related to your instruction. Additionally, we offer identity theft protection and coverage for claims related to damages caused by products used during your services.

Combine your liability waiver with our all-inclusive insurance policy today so you can teach confidently, knowing that both legal and financial risks are covered.