Martial arts, with all the different styles and disciplines to choose from, are a great way to keep fit and learn invaluable skills. However, as is the case with most sports, the nature of martial arts is that you take a risk when practising and teaching.
If you’re a teacher looking to cover themselves in case something happens in one of your classes, we’ve compiled this guide to insurance for martial arts to help.
‘Martial arts insurance’ isn’t a product you can buy, but a business insurance policy can cover a martial arts teacher, which is something you should instead consider. Such cover will help protect your business and your livelihood in a multitude of circumstances.
There are a variety of business insurance products available to choose from, but martial arts teachers might want to consider public liability insurance and professional indemnity in particular.
In technical terms, public liability insurance* covers your business when it causes injury, loss or damage to someone as a result of its negligence, leading to a claim being made against it. So, for martial arts businesses, you could be covered if, for example, one of your students trips over the training equipment you left lying around, or if your equipment isn’t secured correctly and damages a student’s belongings.
Professional indemnity insurance,* on the other hand, will cover you for advice or mistakes you make in the course of providing your professional service that cause harm or loss, resulting in the bringing of a claim. What this means for you as a martial arts teacher is that you could be covered for claims made against you due to your teaching activities. For example, if you give a student an incorrect instruction and they’re injured as a result.
As well as these products, you can also consider many others, such as a contents insurance policy* to cover your equipment (as well as, potentially, possessions of students undertaking a class) and personal accident insurance* for if you’re injured and can’t earn an income for a time.
It’s important to understand the difference between professional indemnity and public liability insurance as the two types of cover can often cause confusion. While both covers protect your business against legal action, they both offer different forms of protection.
Professional indemnity insurance* protects you against losses claimed by a third party caused by alleged or actual negligence in your professional services or advice. Your professional indemnity insurance may also cover the associated compensation owed to a third party as well as your defence costs (which can include legal costs, investigator costs and expert fees).
Public liability insurance* is designed to help protect you and your business in the event a third party (e.g. customer, supplier or a member of the public) is injured or sustain property damage as a result of your negligent business activities.
Running a business can be perilous enough, but when you operate in a field that potentially poses a high risk (like martial arts, especially if you’re a teacher with a class of untrained students), you don’t want to be caught short if something goes wrong. Since many martial arts businesses are owned by sole traders who just want to teach their craft, a claim made against you for injury or damage can potentially be devastating.
Taking out a business insurance policy for your martial arts school can help you when the unexpected happens, whether it’s a student’s broken bone, a hole in the wall from an overenthusiastic kick or your own injury preventing you from working.
Furthermore, when holding martial arts classes in places like gyms or public places, you may be required to have insurance.
The cost of insurance for a martial arts business is different for each policyholder because no two businesses are the same. Premiums are based on a number of considerations, including (but not limited to) how many people you employ and your annual revenue. Since these factors tend to be unique to each business, your premium will likely be too.
If you’d like an indication of how much you might pay for a policy from some of Australia’s top insurers, you can complete a quote through our business insurance comparison service.
There is no ‘best’ business insurance for martial arts because the perfect policy for you might not suit someone else. Some things you might want to look out for when choosing your insurance include:
If you want some general advice either give us a call or compare business insurance online with us.
If you’re on the lookout for business insurance for your martial arts school, then comparing is a great way to go. By reviewing your options, you can see what coverage is offered, how much it’ll cost and any features or extras available.
And we can help you do this! Our business insurance comparison service shows you a range of policies side-by-side so that you can purchase with confidence. Simples!
*As with any insurance, your cover is subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions outlined in your policy document. The information provided on this webpage is general only and should not be relied upon as advice.
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