Teaching Pilates can be fulfilling, and you may be an expert. Still, it also involves physical activity that can lead to unexpected injuries. Personal accident insurance provides financial protection in case of accidents that result in injury both during work and outside of your practice time in your social life. This cover helps manage medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and lost income during recovery. Given the physical nature of Pilates instruction, having personal accident insurance protects you against unforeseen circumstances, allowing you to focus on your practice and students without worrying about the financial impact of potential accidents.
Insurance for Pilates instructors
Just as in Pilates, where the 'Rest Position' offers a moment of relaxation and the 'Plank' provides a strong, stable core, Pilates professionals can find their own form of stability and protection through insurance. Unexpected situations can occur, and accidents may happen while leading your clients on their wellbeing journey to strength and flexibility.
Insurance acts as your dependable support, protecting you against potential legal claims. Some studios, venues, or clients may even require proof of insurance. With insurance, you can concentrate on your practice without worrying about legal, financial or potential personal accidents, ensuring a safe and peaceful teaching environment for you and your students.
Pilates instructor insurance arranged by Oxygen™ features a range of benefits, including:
- Comprehensive Pilates insurance cover from as little as £1.79 per week (or £1.36 if you are a student).1
- This includes 20% discount for members of recognised professional associations, such as the CNHC – Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council.
- £10 million of public liability insurance when you take out professional indemnity and malpractice cover (higher cover limits are available).
- Personal accident cover can be added to protect you if you have an accident or physically injured.
- No excess on the core wellbeing insurance.2
- Oxygen’s award-winning customer service.3
- Trusted by over 15,000 wellbeing and therapy customers.
- Underwritten by well-known UK-based insurer for financial security.
- 24-hour commercial assistance and legal helpline.
Plus, key optional extras, if required, can include:
- Employers liability insurance
- Cyber insurance
- Management liability insurance
- Contents insurance
- Legal expenses.
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What type of Pilates instructor insurance do you need?
It's essential to have professional liability insurance policies to protect yourself and your Pilates business from specific risks.
As a qualified Pilates instructor, you may need the following protection:
- Public liability insurance to protect against potential client injuries on your premises.
- Professional indemnity cover to safeguard you if a client files a lawsuit alleging negligence or malpractice.
- Personal accident insurance if you're unable to work through accidental injury.
- Business equipment insurance to cover the cost of replacing the tools and kit you need to do your work if they're lost or damaged. For example, your sound system or mats.
- Legal expenses insurance to cover legal costs and legal fees involved for incidents such as contract disputes, tax protection and debt recovery.
What does a Pilates instructor insurance policy typically cover?
Public and product liability
As standard, we provide £10 million in insurance for your public liability cover if you take out professional indemnity and malpractice cover (higher options are available). This ensures your protection in case of accidental bodily injury or property damage resulting from negligence, like a client or student experiencing a trip-and-fall incident within your practice space, whether at home, in your workplace, or on other premises.
Professional indemnity and malpractice
This insurance safeguards against claims related to your work as a Pilates instructor. Suppose a client alleges that your actions or guidance resulted in their injury or mental illness. In that case, you may need to defend your Pilates approach. It offers total civil liability, not just for professional negligence, giving you peace of mind. There are five levels of cover to choose from, ranging from £1.5 million to £10 million.
Personal accident
Without insurance, you may face substantial income loss if you cannot service your clients due to an accident — either sustained while you're working or outside of your professional practice. Not to mention any potential medical expenses you may incur. Personal accident insurance is an optional upgrade that provides financial support, ensuring you can cover your expenses and maintain your quality of life while you recover. There are three levels of cover available:
- £5,000 death and injury lump sum or £50 weekly benefit.
- £10,000 death and injury lump sum or £100 weekly benefit.
- £25,000 death and injury lump sum or £250 weekly benefit.
If you require higher cover limits please speak to one of our advisors who can arrange an alternative quotation.
Complaints and disciplinary hearings
You'll receive special assistance responding to a complaint made against you to your professional body or regulators. We're here to support you, including giving specialised help in preparing your response and legal representation at or leading up to disciplinary hearings
Crisis containment
Get up to £25,000 coverage for managing and mitigating crises specific to your therapeutic approaches. As a Pilates instructor, you might face situations that could harm your reputation or financial stability. This cover helps with crisis management expenses, public relations, legal support, response planning, and reputation protection.
Directors and officers liability
If you're a limited company, you'll receive up to £100,000 cover for key individuals facing allegations of personal wrongdoing – with the option to increase this up to £2 million. This protects directors, officers, partners, and other leaders in case of accusations like breach of duty, trust, negligent errors, defamation, or health and safety failure.
Transfer of client records
Get up to £5,000 cover for assistance with reallocating or securely destroying client notes and records in the event of your death or disablement resulting in your permanent incapacity to work.
What's not insured?
- Public and products liability insurance claims brought in US or Canadian courts are excluded.
- Professional indemnity insurance claims brought in US or Canadian courts are excluded. The policy can be extended to include US/Canada jurisdiction – price and options are subject to terms and conditions.
We’re always transparent about what’s included or excluded in the business insurance we arrange. Please note this list above is not exhaustive and as with all insurance – terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Please contact us for full details.
Want to talk to someone? Get a FREE business insurance check.
Not sure on what cover you need? Contact us on 0333 0609 687 for a FREE business insurance check including advice and guidance. Alternatively, get a quote in minutes and arrange your wellbeing insurance online.
Why choose Oxygen™ to arrange your protection?
As a Pilates instructor, we understand your dedication to guiding your students and clients through exercises that enhance their physical and mental wellbeing, improve flexibility, strengthen core muscles, and reduce stress. While this work is incredibly rewarding, it also comes with certain risks to you and your business. That’s why having the right insurance policy in place, offering the necessary protection, is essential.
Our cover aims to give you peace of mind, for you and your business, including:
- Protection: the professional liability insurance we arrange protects you so you can focus on supporting your clients.
- Professional advice and support: Throughout the life of your policy, we'll be on hand to help you with any queries, problems or issues you may have. We're here to support you should you need to make a claim.
- Saving you time: Getting a quote and buying your insurance online is quick. If you'd prefer to speak to a member of our experienced team, we're here to give you the help you need.
- Trusted and dependable: Award-winning Oxygen™ is part of Marsh, the world’s leading insurance broker and risk advisor. We use our size and scale to negotiate comprehensive and competitive insurance for your benefit. Working with trusted AA+-rated insurers to underwrite the cover ensures they have financial stability and are dependable in the unfortunate event of a claim.
1 How we work out example prices. Customers will pay £92.32 a year for professional indemnity of £1.5m if they are also a member of one of the recognised professional bodies that receive 20% discount from us. £1.79 per week is based on a monthly cost when paying for the policy in one annual payment. Paying monthly is usually more expensive as you'll pay interest. This is the prices from amount as customers have the option of increasing their level of cover and therefore may pay more than this.
2 No excess applies to the core therapists insurance (public liability, professional indemnity, employers liability, directors and officers), however, for any additional insurance taken certain excess may apply. Please contact us for details.
3 In 2023, Oxygen™ proudly received the Feefo Gold Trusted Service Award for excellence in customer service.
Pilates instructor insurance FAQs
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Pilates instructors need insurance to safeguard against risks while delivering their wellbeing services. It covers the defence costs for claims like poor advice, malpractice, negligence, and injury or property damage during a class.
This insurance is often needed to meet professional body membership or contractual agreements with businesses.
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Yes, Pilates instructors may need professional indemnity (PI) insurance to cover the advice given to clients during classes. PI may often be a requirement for professional body membership and contractual agreements with businesses.
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It's difficult to recommend a specific cover level for a Pilates instructor. There are various levels of cover to choose from, ranging from £1.5 million to £10 million. Your broker can advise you, but selecting the highest cover you can afford within your budget is recommended.
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The price of Pilates insurance depends on your specific situation and any additional optional cover you include. Oxygen's policy begins at £93.42 annually, but the best approach is to request a free quote to obtain an accurate cost estimate.
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The insurance Pilates instructors need depends on their situation. Typically, they'll require public and product liability and professional indemnity insurance.
Your insurance broker may suggest additional cover, such as cyber insurance, cover for contents such as computer equipment, and employers liability if you employ staff.
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We provide discounts for members of the following professional bodies:
- ABP – The Association for Business Psychology.
- AC – The Association for Coaching.
- ACC – The Association of Christian Counsellors.
- ACP – The Association of Child Psychotherapists.
- APHP – The Association for Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy.
- Barefoot Coaching.
- BACP – British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
- BABCP - British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies.
- BPC – British Psychoanalytic Council.
- BPS – British Psychological Society.
- CPD – Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
- CMC – Civil Mediation Council.
- CNHC – Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council.
- CoM – College of Mediators.
- COSCA – Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland.
- CORST – College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists.
- EMCC – European Mentoring and Coaching Council.
- FMA – The Family Mediators Association.
- GHR – General Hypnotherapy Register.
- HCPC – Health & Care Professions Council.
- ICF – International Coach Federation.
- NCH – The National Council for Hypnotherapy.
- NCS – The National Counselling Society.
- PTUK – Play Therapy United Kingdom.
- UKATA – The Association for Transactional Analysis.
- UKCP – The United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy.
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There are a range of wellness and therapy activities that can be covered by Oxygen™ Insurance, including
- Aromatherapy
- Cupping
- Health and lifestyle training
- Homoeopathy
- Hydrotherapy
- Hypnotherapy
- Massage
- Music therapy
- Naturopathy
- Nutritional therapy
- Pilates
- Reflexology
- Reiki
- Sports massage
- Thai Chi
- Yoga.
Plus, hundreds of other activities. If you’re unsure on whether a discipline is covered, please contact us.
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Equally important to the policy is the support you get in the event of a claim.
Our in-house customer service team will stand by you, supporting you throughout the process of making a claim. We're committed to being there when it matters most.
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Access your account and policy documents 24/7 through our client service portal. It's convenient and eco-friendly, reducing the need for printed policies with our digital approach.
