Like any full-time fitness professional, fitness students who spend any time working directly with clients are vulnerable to professional liability claims against them, too. And if a client you are training, or have trained in the past, believes they’ve been wronged or injured due to your negligence during training you provided, they may choose to file a lawsuit against you. It won’t matter to them what professional status you hold, or the fact that you’re a student—their goal is to right the wrong they feel has been done to them.
Being named in a lawsuit can have many unfavorable consequences. Most notably is the cost associated with defending a claim of negligence. Even if a claim turns out to be groundless, you’ll still have attorney fees to pay, not to mention court fees and other expenses. And if a claim is legitimate, the costs will include the amount of any settlement that a judge obligates you pay to the claimant—all of which can add up to thousands of dollars. These are expenses most of us simply don’t expect to face and are often not prepared for, especially students.
Professional Liability Insurance for students is designed to protect your personal finances and academic career from the financial harm a simple mistake, whether legitimate or groundless, can lead to. By purchasing a Professional Liability Insurance policy for yourself, you’re taking extra care to protect your personal interests if the unexpected happens and you’re named in a lawsuit. The insurance is there to shoulder the burden of the exorbitant costs (up to the $1,000,000 policy limit), and you’ll be represented by carefully-chosen defense counsel.
The most important caveat to remember when purchasing Student Professional Liability Insurance is that you must be working under the direct supervision of a licensed or certified Fitness Professional (such as in a designated student program or internship) in order for coverage to apply. A student policy will not provide coverage if you perform training on your own away from the facility in which you are supervised.
Why should students choose Lockton Fitness Professional Liability coverage?
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- Great low rate for students—starting at just $18 for an annual policy*
- Coverage is available for numerous Fitness disciplines
- Limits of $1,000,000 per claim/$3,000,000 aggregate
- No deductible applies
- Policy can be purchased online with a credit card or e-check
- Proof of coverage certificate is sent via email as soon as your payment is received—perfect for students who need to provide evidence of insurance to apply for an internship
- Once you’ve earned your license/certification, your policy protects you no matter where you provide training
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Students aren’t exempt from the liabilities that come with providing training and instruction. Start your career on the right foot by purchasing a Professional Liability Insurance policy that will work for you long-term. To learn more about the Professional Liability Insurance offered by Lockton Fitness, visit the Coverage Overview page. Additional information to help you make sense of Professional Liability coverage is also available on the Helpful Info page.
*The current $18 annual premium for student coverage is the first year rate and will increase to $20 at renewal.
