Corporate Insurance: What is it, and do I need it?

Rightly or wrongly, there appears to be a general reluctance to class yoga as a “business”. Yoga is, after all, traditionally an internal, spiritual practice removed from materialistic or economic pursuits.

Be that as it may, if you run a yoga studio or provide yoga teacher training, you essentially run a “business” and will need corporate insurance.

Say a student gets injured in one of the yoga classes in your studio and decides to make a claim, did you know that said student can take legal action against both the individual teacher and your business?

Defending a claim alone can be extremely costly; having a policy in place leaves the management of defence costs and claim settlement in the hands of an experienced professional, allowing you to continue running your business.

What's more, as studio owners prepare for life-after-lockdown, business insurance can provide cover for allegations of negligence in the contraction of illnesses. It’s likely that requirements for social distancing will result in a limited class capacity and a minimalist schedule, compelling business owners to host more virtual sessions. Yet, while Zoom-classes may be the answer to bulking out your studio timetable, providing yoga online does require a business insurance policy.

Why? If a student claims they were injured on the grounds of inadequate instruction, your business could be held accountable. With the rise in online yoga classes and the potential difficulty of assessing correct physical alignment, such claims could become more prevalent.

The same applies to teacher training courses, and even workshops held online. Online or offline, trainers offering certificates of qualification should have business insurance in place. If your graduates come up against any claims in the future, you could be held accountable.

Yoga Alliance Professionals offers a discounted corporate insurance policy to all teacher trainers and studio members. You can find more details on the policy here.

The shift to online teaching has been a real saviour for many a yoga business during the lockdown; however, it is not without potential risks. As many yoga businesses prepare to reopen with a mixture of online and in-person classes, taking measures to protect against risk and loss of income is a must.