Many yoga teachers and instructors starting their business are concerned about professional indemnity insurance. This type of insurance protects them from legal claims if a client (student) alleges financial loss or injury due to their advice or teaching.

For that Insurance companies play a big role providing Yoga business owners a professional indemnity insurance for their yoga services and consultancy. Professional indemnity insurance covers claims made by the Yoga business owners in case their clients (Yoga students or Yoga learners) have sued them for making them endure any significant financial loss due to their advice and services.

In the US Professional indemnity insurance for yoga studios is also known as professional liability insurance and also as errors & omissions (E&O).

It protects you against legal costs and claims for damages to third parties which may arise out of an act, omission or breach of professional duty in the course of your Yoga business.

If a mistake or omission occurs in the course of your work that results in financial loss or injury to a third party (your Yoga Student), then he or she may take legal action against you to recover their losses.

Therefore in such a time, Professional Indemnity insurance seeks to protect both your assets and your reputation, should this type of any claim occur.

Public liability insurance covers legal costs and compensation if someone is injured or their property is damaged due to your yoga business.

Professional indemnity insurance covers claims if a student alleges negligence, incorrect advice, or injury caused by your instruction.

Policies can be ‘claims made’ (covering claims made while the policy is active) or ‘claims occurring’ (covering incidents that happened during the policy period, even if the claim is made later).

Do you require Professional Indemnity Insurance for yoga?

Every Yoga business owner be it small or large should keep its safety in it’s own hands and take Indemnity Insurance For Yoga coverage to protect himself /herself and his/her business. Though all yoga teachers or business owners take extreme care to offer best of their services but being a human you can sometimes do mistakes as well. These mistakes can turn into a massive loss for your student or your studio.

Suppose while teaching any type of Yoga Asana (Pose) your yoga student damages his nerve, muscle or it affects any of his body parts; Or the student might challenge your incapability of your services and demand claim for it, then in this conduct scenarios might cost you hefty sum of money alongwith your valuable time and reputation, regardless of whether the allegations are founded or not. If things do go wrong you could be held responsible not only for your own actions but for those of your partners, employees or volunteers.

Therefore all Yoga professionals need to ensure they are protected against unfounded allegations as well as breaches of professional duty. Professional Indemnity insurance for yoga policy safeguards you and your business by providing cover against claims, including the cost of defending the action so you can conduct your business with the confidence that both your assets and your reputation are protected.

Infact a general liability insurance will also protect you against any third-party claims for injury or property damage, a professional liability insurance will protect you against any claims that your instruction or posture correction resulted in injury.

Who all are covered by Professional Indemnity Insurance Yoga?

A Professional Indemnity insurance policy should cover not only your business but also any principal, employee, director, partner or related entity whilst acting with the scope of their duties.

1. Yoga Teachers / Instructors

Yoga teachers or Instructors who join a Yoga studio should understand that many of the Yoga business owners want you to have your individual yoga instructor liability insurance before you can use their premises for classes.

So as a yoga teacher you should check with the studio owners whether he or she has you covered or not just because a studio where you teach has general liability insurance. Studio insurance may not extend to covering their teachers. Though often general liability insurance goes with you wherever you teach, whether it be a park, beach, a studio or a private home.

2. Yoga Students

The Indemnity Insurance For Yoga will cover you in case any one of your students gets injured during the yoga practices. Remember even if you were not negligent in your instruction and service, a yoga student can sue you in case of any injury or trauma. In recent years it was reported in US that more than 2,000 people are injured by yoga per year.

Yoga-related injuries have increased globally, with Australia seeing a rise in emergency department presentations for yoga injuries between 2009 and 2016. Researchers highlight the importance of instructor training and student safety to mitigate risks. (Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare)

3. Privacy Invasion

Privacy laws in Australia and New Zealand now require:

• Written consent from students before sharing class photos or videos on social media.
• Compliance with privacy laws (e.g., GDPR for international students) when collecting and storing client data.
• Clear opt-in permission for email marketing or using student testimonials.
• Some insurance policies cover legal costs for privacy breaches, but instructors should ensure they have proper consent in place.

4. Sexual Misconduct or Misbehavior

As Yoga is physical in nature and might require physical contact between the teacher and student teaching yoga, you are at a great risk of allegations of sexual misconduct or misbehaviour. Thus Indemnity Insurance For Yoga covers and protects you in these cases too.

Instructors should take precautions to maintain professional boundaries, particularly as yoga often involves physical adjustments. Insurance policies may include legal protection for wrongful allegations, but maintaining clear communication, informed consent, and professional ethics is essential.

How much does the Professional Indemnity Insurance cost?

There are many Indemnity Insurance For Yoga companies that provide Professional Indemnity Insurance and have their own costs. But generally insurance cover anything from a studio fire to student injuries to negligence claims.

Updated Insurance Costs (2024):

• Individual yoga teacher insurance: Starting from $169.90 per year
• Combined Professional Indemnity & Public Liability cover: $250–$400 per year, depending on coverage level.
• Average monthly premium: $28.43, based on over 1,000 instructors covered by BizCover in 2023. (bizcover.com.au)

Whether you run your own studio or teach one class per week, finding affordable coverage you can count on is important. 

Yoga Australia Insurance

Yoga Australia recommends a minimum of $20 million Public Liability and $5 million Professional Indemnity (preferably $10 million) for its members.

Additional inclusions: Policies should cover multiple modalities, student teachers, and international coverage if applicable. (yogaaustralia.org.au)

There are other important considerations, such as cover for student and locum teachers and cover for multiple modalities and coverage overseas.

It’s not that there is singly insurance that can cover Pilates and Yoga business owners. Infact, even if you are Yoga teacher or instructor you need to buy individual policies that cover particular risks. There are several Yoga teacher insurance packages that are offered by insurance companies  covering general liability and professional liability and cost around $180 to $300.

Where to get best professional Indemnity Insurance For Yoga in Australia?

There are many Insurance companies in Australia that sell their policies to Yoga teachers and Yoga Owners. These companies quote their cost on their websites and you need to compare and find which suits you the best. You can buy insurance directly with a top insurance company. Many carriers offer coverage directly to consumers through their websites.

Also you can work with a broker who can sell yoga insurance from multiple carriers. Or you can join a trade association as these organization often offer discounted insurance as a member benefit like International Yoga Teacher Association is currently offering 12 month’s cover for just $170.

Click here to compare different Insurance companies providing yoga insurance.

Some of the well known Insurance companies that provide Indemnity Insurance For Yoga are:

• AON Insurance
• Insurance House
• Smart Business Insurance
• CGU Insurance
• Gallagher way
• Express Insurance
• Coverite Insurance
• AIG Insurance
• Bovill Risk & Insurance Consultants
• Berkley Insurance Australia
• Chubb Insurance
• Isure Insurance
• Marsh
• Guild Insurance
• GSA Insurance

The 2 preferred choices of Australian Yoga teachers (Indemnity Insurance For Yoga) are:

1. AON Insurance

Aon provides tailored insurance for yoga teachers and studios, including Professional Indemnity cover options of $1 million, $5 million, $10 million, or $20 million per claim.

The policy includes Public & Products Liability cover of up to $20 million per claim and $60 million in aggregate, as well as unlimited retroactive cover and 7 years of run-off cover after ceasing business.
Policies also cover online classes and remote instruction. (aondirect.com.au)

• It covers 2 hours complimentary legal advice
• Run-off cover extends your insurance policy for up to 7 years after your business ceases, to respond to claims which arose while the business was operating.

Prices start as low as $169.90 including professional indemnity limit of liability $1,000,000. There are no restrictions on the type of classes you’re able to instruct, provided you hold the relevant qualification. They can add different types of yoga to your policy such as pregnancy yoga.

You can email them directly on au.yogapilates@aon.com or buy a policy online.

https://business-insurance.aon.com.au/insurance-for-health-professionals/yoga-teacher-insurance

2. Insurance House

Yoga insurance policies now include coverage for:

• Online classes and remote instruction
• Pre-recorded content for students
• Workshops and events
• Run-off cover for up to 7 years after business closure
• Unlimited retroactive cover for past activities.
  It’s important to confirm with your provider whether your policy includes these features. (aondirect.com.au)

The insurance company states that you may have some legal requirements relating to providing remote sessions – and they suggest you speak with your governing registered body or association for further information on how these requirements may relate to your business activities. Contact them via email ih@ihgroup.com.au.

The three packages are:

• 2M Professional Indemnity & 10M Public Liability cover starting from $222
• 5M Professional Indemnity &  10M Public Liability cover  starting from $246
• 10M Professional Indemnity & 10M Public Liability cover  starting from $293

Click here to know more

As both general liability insurance and professional indemnity insurance are important for yoga teachers and owners, the best option is to seek out a policy which has both types of coverage.

Are you eligible for the NSW Small Business Stamp Duty Exemption?

Are you a NSW based small business with turnover of less than $2 million per annum?

Note: The exemption is effective for Public Liability and Professional Indemnity policies incepting on and after Jan 1 2018. Read more.

Yoga insurance cost can vary greatly and more expensive is not always best for you. Therefore best option is to read the reviews of Yoga teachers and Yoga owners in various Yoga groups Forum or Platforms online or at various social media sites and find which insurance would be the best for you. You can obtain professional advice and carefully consider which insurance policy and company best meets your needs.

Finally whether you are a Yoga business owner or a Yoga teacher being in big or small yoga practice, Professional Indemnity Insurance is a must for you. After all you want your business to grow all smooth facing the challenges and adversities with insurance solutions.

Where to Get the Best Yoga Insurance in Australia & NZ

Best Yoga Insurance Providers (2024):

• Australia:
  • AON Insurance – Most comprehensive coverage
  • BizCover – Best for individual yoga teachers
  • GSA Insurance Brokers – Partnered with Yoga Australia
• New Zealand:
  • Marsh NZ – Specialised fitness & yoga cover
  • Rothbury Insurance – Custom coverage for yoga businesses