A third of UK yoga teachers at risk of injury payouts due to lack of insurance cover, new study reveals
A significant number of yoga instructors across the UK are operating without adequate insurance coverage, leaving them vulnerable to potential claims and highlighting a critical gap in professional practice.
New research from Insure4Sport reveals that a third of practicing yoga teachers lack a personal policy to cover their teaching activities.
The survey, which polled 100 UK yoga teachers, found that 15 per cent have no insurance whatsoever. A further 17 per cent rely solely on their employer’s or studio’s policy, which often does not extend to freelance instructors, while 1 per cent admitted they were unsure of their coverage status.
This means a substantial one-third of the profession is without dedicated protection. Alarmingly, almost four in 10 (39 per cent) confessed to having taught a class without any cover at some point in their career.
These findings carry serious implications not only for individual teachers but also for the wider industry, including studios, venues, and training providers. Yoga teaching remains an unregulated profession in the UK, with no legal requirement for specific qualifications.
The length and content of training courses vary considerably, and many instructors work on a freelance basis across multiple venues. Given that classes frequently involve hands-on adjustments and physical postures, the risk of strain or injury is a tangible concern.
Among those surveyed who lacked their own insurance, 39 per cent cited infrequent teaching as a reason, believing it didn’t justify the cost. A quarter (24 per cent) were simply unaware they needed a personal policy, and 21 per cent mistakenly assumed a venue’s insurance would cover them – a common misconception for freelance professionals.
The issue appears to stem partly from initial training. Only a third of teachers surveyed (33 per cent) reported that their course covered insurance and liability in detail. The majority received only a brief mention, no coverage at all, or could not recall the topic being raised, indicating a clear opportunity for training providers to integrate this crucial information more consistently.
The potential for incidents is not theoretical; 14 per cent of teachers surveyed reported that a student had been injured, or nearly injured, in one of their classes. Furthermore, three in 10 admitted they would not feel fully confident of being financially protected if a claim were made against them tomorrow.
Sean Carney, Chief Underwriting Officer at Insure4Sport, commented: “We regularly see claims from yoga teachers where something has gone wrong during a class, and they’ve been found liable for the payout. In some cases, these run into tens of thousands of pounds, and those without cover are left to meet that cost personally.
“Too many teachers don’t fully appreciate the scale of the risk – yet closing this gap isn’t something that should sit with individual teachers alone. Venues, training providers and industry bodies all have a part to play in making insurance a standard part of professional practice, not an afterthought.”
