Sports Instructor Insurance

Liability insurance for sports instructors directly supervising individuals or small groups.

Our best-in-industry program doesn’t require you to be a member of an expensive association or to become certified to qualify.

Whether you provide instruction to individuals, clubs, after-school groups or for local organizations (such as a rec center, golf course, skating rink, etc.), you’ll need Sports Instructor insurance. Our program provides coverage for you as an independent instructor of archery, tennis, golf, swimming and many other sports.

Sports instructors can be held liable for the medical costs related to injuries their students sustain, regardless of where the training takes place. Despite your best efforts at instructing your students in safety and proper techniques, accidents will occur. The medical expenses of even a minor injury can be quite costly and cause you financial hardship. A serious injury could bankrupt your business and impact your personal finances, too, if you aren’t properly insured.

General Liability protects against claims for bodily injury and property damage that arise out of premises, operations, products, and personal and advertising injury (such as slander and libel).

For example, say you instruct students in tennis on courts at a public park. One could trip in a crumbling, pitted court and injure his or her ankle. You would probably be held liable because you have a duty to inspect the premises for defects prior to participation. You could be sued for the student’s medical costs, including rehab and possibly lost wages.

Professional Liability protects against wrongful acts, such as breach of duty, neglect, and error that occur during your service as an instructor.

For example, you could be providing batting instruction for a promising high school athlete who is being recruited heavily. Suppose you change his technique and his batting average plummets, resulting in the loss of a scholarship. You could be sued for negligent instruction.

Even the cost of investigating and defending against frivolous or meritless allegations can run into the many thousands of dollars, not to mention possible lost income from the time that mounting a defense takes away from your business.

Instructors of the following sports are eligible for the program

Ineligible Instructor Categories

Exclusions

• Owners/operators/managers of sports facilities
• Abuse/Molestation
• Physical therapy
• Massage
• Sale/distribution of nutritional products/supplements
• See plan description for complete list of exclusions

Risk Management

All sports instructors should be certified in first aid, CPR and AED in order treat minor injuries and be able to begin treatment of serious injuries while waiting for a medical professionals to arrive.  Keeping these certifications current is important. An instructor was sued by an injured student who was injured. None of the instructor’s certifications were current, he had no documentation of any certification instruction. The plaintiff was awarded more than $1 million.

Risk management tips for responding to client injuries.

• You’re not an athletic trainer.  Stay within your knowledge base of injury treatment.
• Don’t ignore client pain. Be sure there is no injury before instruction begins and that future activity won’t aggravate a injury.
• Call for emergency assistance If a serious condition is suspected.
• Maintain first aid, CPA, and AED certifications. Always know where the AED and the closest telephone are located on the premises.

We offer the following free risk management resources:

•       Sample Waiver/Release
•       Sample Image Release
•       Waivers: Are They Worth the Paper They’re Written On
•       Emergency Information/Medical Consent Form
•       Before You sign the Facility Lease Agreement