As an athletic trainer, you love helping people get healthy and stay healthy! Unfortunately, sometimes things can go wrong and accidents can happen. Don’t let a twisted ankle derail you from doing what you love. Personal liability insurance can help protect you from being held responsible when a client has an injury while they are training with you. Consider taking out some insurance policies so you can participate in CrossFit and train clients without worrying much about injury and liability payments.
What is Personal Liability Insurance?
Negligence is a tricky word. How do you prove negligence? Essentially, that’s what the lawyers are going to try to prove if you are sued for negligence. That something you did, or neglected to do, caused an injury to one of your clients. Proving negligence involves a few different things:
- Proving you were required to provide instruction and care to your clients
- Determining that you breached that duty and did not perform your job
- That breach of duty is what caused the injury to your client
- That the client was indeed injured
Does that sound too confusing to try to determine? If so, that’s ok. With personal liability insurance, none of that matters. You are covered and protected. Whether you were proved to be negligent in your duties as an athletic trainer or not, you don’t have to worry about a thing. That is not to say you shouldn’t try your best to prevent injury, of course, it just means you do not have the financial burden of paying settlements to an injured party.
The Risks of CrossFit
We know CrossFit aficionados love the sport, and we do too! That does not mean there is not an element of risk and injury involved with the sport. Almost every piece of equipment in a CrossFit gym is a potential hazard. Resistance bands could snap, barbells can be dropped, and sprains and strains can happen regularly when working out with such force.
This does not mean you should not participate in the sport you love, just take out a few precautions so you are protected in the event you or a client experiences an injury while training at your facility.
Why do you need Personal Liability Insurance?
Nobody likes paying insurance premiums. That auto insurance payment doesn’t feel good when you pay it every month and you certainly hope you never need it. However, accidents happen. You just totaled your car and don’t have an extra $15,000 lying around to buy a new one. Insurance does come in handy when we need it.
As an athletic trainer, personal liability insurance is not much different from your home or auto insurance. You might not like paying the premiums, but all it takes is one client who gets an injury on your watch and you could be sued for steep medical payments. With insurance, you will be covered and will not have to pay those fees out of your pocket.
Fortunately, liability insurance is not that expensive and it will help you in the long run as an athletic trainer.
What type of Liability Insurance does an Athletic Trainer need?
There are a lot of different insurance policies you can consider. Our team can help you wade through your options, but in general consider the following types:
- Professional Liability Insurance: this type of insurance is going to protect you from claims that are a bit abstract in nature like professional negligence. For example, a trainer programs a difficult workout and then the athlete alleges injury due to poor advice. You definitely want this type of insurance because it does protect you against claims based on your alleged negligence.
- General Liability Insurance: consider this type of insurance as insurance that protects you against a more obvious accident. Your client used a barbell and the barbell broke in half and broke their toe. It is a little more obvious that the fault could rest with you and your business, and it protects you from having to make a substantial out-of-pocket payment after an injury.
- Workers Comp Insurance: don’t overlook this type of insurance if you have a lot of employees. CrossFit is an intense sport and your employees and trainers can be just as much at risk for injury as your clients. It is always best to protect yourself from this type of claim and it will make your employees feel protected as well.
By nature of the sport, you are “lifting heavy things.” Whenever we lift heavy things, we run the risk of injury. This means you, your clients, and your staff could all be injured at your facility in the act of participating in CrossFit. While some risk is acceptable, it is always best to be on the safe side and insure yourself.
How long is the Application Process?
OK — now you’re scared of negligence claims and worrying about a big lawsuit. Take a deep breath. You can be signed up with insurance in no time at all and it can go into effect immediately. It’s best to put a basic insurance plan into effect as soon as you can, and then you can work on fine-tuning the details. Insurance policies can usually be adjusted at any time, so if you need to add or remove coverage after you sign up there will be no fees to do so. It is better to get something in place and protect yourself and worry about the logistics later.
Now What?
We recognize that personal liability insurance can be a vital part of your success as an athletic trainer. Focus on what you do best — training! We can help you with your insurance needs, as we understand what insurance you need in the CrossFit industry. Reach out and contact us today for any additional information about how insurance can help set your business up for success and protect you from liabilities!
If you’re a broker looking for innovative insurance solutions for your clients, we invite you to learn more about NEXO Insurance Services. With a focus on technology, flexibility, and customer service, NEXO offers a wide range of insurance products and services designed to meet the unique needs of today’s businesses.
By partnering with NEXO, you can offer your clients the peace of mind that comes with knowing they have the right insurance coverage in place. To learn more about NEXO Insurance Services and how they can help you grow your business, visit our Agents & Broker website or contact us today.