Does Yoga Insurance Cover You If You Teach Online? Not Always.

As so many yoga teachers are beginning to teach online in the wake of the Coronavirus Pandemic, more and more teachers are asking me whether or not their yoga insurance covers them while teaching online.

In an interview with my yoga insurance company, BeYogi, I asked this very question…and have an answer for you!

According to BeYogi, you are covered teaching online when you are teaching LIVE, and recently they extended this coverage to pre-recorded videos as well.

So take a deep breath and read on to learn ways you can protect yourself in addition to purchasing yoga insurance.

1. Use Waivers

Waivers are a great way to not only give yourself some added protection but also a good place to site refund policies in addition to learning about your students and building your mailing list. There are many sites that provide liability waivers specific to the Country and State you are teaching in. You can offer waivers to your students in person or online.

2. Use Disclaimers

Many YouTubers include disclaimers either at the beginning of their video or at the bottom of the youtube description.

My friend Kassandra, for example, puts the disclaimer at the beginning of her YouTube videos:

This totally works and legally covers you. I’m not a HUGE fan of this method since it cuts into the video and can impact overall watch time, which is an important metric for being successful with a YouTube channel.

Instead, I like to put my disclaimer in the description box:

3. Set up as a LLC or Corporation

Set up your professional activity as a Limited Liability Company or Corporation.  This might carry some slightly higher costs in the form of registration and taxes, but it more comprehensively protects you from a variety of legal perils. In the event you are sued or sent a demand letter, it’s more likely that only your business would be held liable and not you personally.

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When you register for insurance BeYogi advises that first register yourself, covering you as an individual and then add your company. This action would segregate the insurance and prevent someone from going after both you personally and your company.

If you don’t have a company yet but plan to create one, adding your company to your insurance policy is as simple as picking up the phone and calling your agent.

Yoga insurance is important to have regardless of whether you are teaching in person or online and all Insurance companies do not offer the same coverage, so before buying, be certain you understand exactly what is covered.