Secure the safety net of yoga teacher liability insurance
Article by Nacams Team
Working as a professional kinesiologist often means helping clients learn how to best move and be in their own bodies. Many people who approach teacher for assistance may have actually been through an injury or other physical trauma, or may be suffering from chronic pain or discomfort of some kind. For these folks, the professional yoga teacher may be working to help them gain a new awareness around optimal movement.
Whether you are who works with rehabilitation cases and disability management or one who assists those clients simply seeking out greater well-being and increased freedom of movement–or perhaps a combination of all of the above–it is key to possess yoga teacher liability insurance.
The primary reason that professional yoga teachers need for yoga teacher liability insurance is due to the fact that these movement educators are running a business. Clients book appointments and trade money for yoga teaching services. Similar to any other business–from a clothing shop to a medical clinic–those who run yoga practices should possess yoga teacher liability insurance.
Beyond this primary reason for enrolling in a yoga teacher liability insurance program, there is a secondary reason why professional yoga teachers are wise to seek out such this insurance safety net of sorts. One could infer that, due to the fact that professional yoga teacher are physically working with clients, some of whom may already be suffering from pre-existing injuries or medical conditions, there could be a greater chance of some kind of claim being filed.
For example, imagine you happen to be consulting with a client about the ergonomics of her office space, due to the fact that she has been experiencing chronic and fairly severe low back pain, and she believes it is because she sits a desk all day that is not ergonomically suitable.
You may consult with her and help this client achieve a more ergonomic office, but her low back pain could continue to grow worse. If this client were to believe it was your professional advice and suggestions that caused the increase in low back pain, she may decide to sue you for the damages.
In such a scenario, your yoga insurance would provide protection, through the malpractice portion of your policy. Malpractice insurance, also known as professional liability insurance, is there to cover you in case a client claims damage or injury due to a lack of skill or competence on your part as the professional practitioner.
Of course, it may be difficult to imagine such a scenario ever taking place in your practice with one of your clients, but the fact is that such situations are possible, even if they are rare. This is one of the main reasons why yoga teacher liability insurance exists–to protect professional kinesiologists against those rare, but possible, occurrences that could wipe out one’s finances and possibly his or her career if uninsured.
Think of your kinesiologist liability insurance as similar to automobile insurance, except instead of protecting you financially from the repercussions of an accident on the roads, it protects you financially from the repercussions of an accident or unexpected scenario at work.
Consider starting your yoga insurance research with Yoga Journal Insurance. “Yoga Journal” was started in May 1975 by the California Yoga Teachers Association, which included William Staniger, Chairman (aka William Golden since 1982), Rama Vernon, President, Janis Paulsen, Secretary/Treasurer, and board members Ike and Judith Lasater, Rose Garfinkle, and Jean Girardot. William Staniger was Yoga Journal’s founding editor.
About the Author
The National Association of Complementary and Alternative Therapy (NACAMS) is a national insurance provider offering CAM professionals comprehensive liability insurance and practice support. While providing the best value to the practicing CAM professional, NACAMS liability insurance package is the most comprehensive in the CAM industry. By focusing our liability insurance exclusively on the complimentary and alternative medicine professional we are able to provide a personalized experience and a comprehensive plan of member benefits.
