Training in a Home Gym and Homeowner’s Insurance
My wife trains about 12 clients per week out of our home gym. She has purchased separate liability coverage for her personal training so that is not the issue. When I recently tried to move my regular homeowner’s insurance I found that training out of the home is a big problem. Even though the regular homeowner’s policies provide no coverage for a home-based business, every company I have talked to will not insure our home because of the risk from the increased traffic from the clients and their concern that they will be sued anyway if there is an accident.
Of course one solution is to not tell the insurance company but there are problems with that approach. If you train out of your home, have you found any solutions to this problem?
The biggest problem with not telling the insurance company is that if you have an issue you may find your policy voided.
May I suggest that a good first step is to have a discussion with a lawyer? There are a whole host of issues, from local zoning, to tax issues. Do you have a separate entrance, how much of the use of that space is dedicated to work, etc… The money spent for a consult will help at least to know how to move forward.
I did work out of my own apartment for a brief time, when I was first teaching, but that was 25 or so years ago, and I was doing yoga, which makes a difference, as the use of equipment has additional risks. Renting a separate space is financially challenging when you are first starting out, until you have enough business to justify the cost. There may be some alternatives though. One place I found allowed me to use the apartment fitness room in return for providing services for the tenants. But whatever you do, make sure you are legally covered.
Please update if you find a company that is flexible with this. It would be nice to be able to recommend, as I have known people in this position before.
Hi Brian,
Your wife is not the only one who has come across this issue. Below are answers to similar questions to yours which were posted in the past:
https://www.ideafit.com/answers/in-home-fitness-business-and-homeowners-i…
https://www.ideafit.com/answers/looking-for-business-home-property-insura…
I hope this helps.
Best,
Harris
Hi Brian. Certainly there’s got to be some homeowners’ insurance company out there that will allow an owner to have a home-based business so long as they provide their own separate liability insurance. I can’t imagine that with all of the home-based businesses out there (e.g. dentist offices, psychiatrist, accountants etc) that this is such a novel request. I would keep searching, and be clear with the insurer that you have established your own separate liability coverage for your wife’s business.
You may also want to try contacting an insurance agent with this question.
I hope that this helps.
LaRue, CSCS
www.lecfitness.com
Hello Brian,
Some great advice given already.
Here may be a helpful link:
http://www.insureuonline.org/smallbusiness/topic_home_based.htm
Wishing You Great Success!
Michael
Thanks for numerous answers. Unfortunately, most did not answer the question asked. As I noted, most insurers will not cover this risk. This isn’t an issue a lawyer can help with since they cannot make an insurer provide coverage. It isn’t a question of what liability coverage or business insurance (the type that Fitness and Wellness and others write) we need or what corporate structure we need. We are aware that my wife COULD train out of another location, but that is not what we desire for her part-time clients who don’t want to go to a gym. It is a question as to whether any other trainers have located companies that ARE willing to write homeowners coverage in this situation.
I have checked with insurance brokers and so far that has not provided anything of value. The only answer I saw in all of the various questions was to contact the K&K insurance brokerage which I will do.
So if there are any personal trainers who train in the home and have been able to obtain HOMEOWNER’S INSURANCE with an insurance company who is aware that you train out of your home, I would like to hear from you!!
Thanks