Insurance programs for jiu jitsu gyms
Insurance Policies for BJJ & Martial Arts Schools: Your Questions, Answered.
Getting insurance is a top priority when opening up a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school. In fact, most landlords will request a copy of your liability insurance policy before you can rent from them. But, equally important, as a gym owner overseeing students who are practicing unarmed combat sports, having the right liability insurance for your jiu-jitsu gym is a must.
Liability insurance for your martial arts school will provide both you and your business partners with the peace of mind you need so you can focus instead on teaching your students. Finding the right policy should not be taken lightly. BJJ coaches and gym owners who want to protect themselves and their employees from liability exposure and legal expenses resulting from operations at your Jiu-Jitsu academy need to understand what they need in a liability insurance policy and why this coverage matters. For example, some Jiu Jitsu schools also provide additional services for sports like MMA, kickboxing, and boxing so they will want to disclose these actives on the insurance application for their gym if they want to be covered for those types of combat sports insurance programs.
Take the first step to learning what types of insurance you need for your BJJ gym by working with one of our insurance brokers at JiuJitsuInsurance.com. We have already done the hard work and narrowed down a handful of great insurance companies that provide affordable insurance for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schools and gym owners. Whether you plan to open a new BJJ school, or you have an existing BJJ business, we can help you find the right coverage for all the activities at your academy. Text Chris at 414-467-6448 to speak with one of our agents.
In the meantime, here are some things to consider when evaluating which type of insurance program you need for your jiu-jitsu gym.
What is Typically Included in a Jiu Jitsu Gym Insurance Business Package?
General Liability Insurance is the foundation for jiu-jitsu gym coverage. But, to be fully protected, you can customize your coverage with some supplemental policies that meet the specific requirements for BJJ schools.
Property insurance for the jiu-jitsu gym is definitely something a gym owner needs to consider when enrolling in an insurance package for their gym. Property insurance is generally not included in a standard liability insurance policy, but it can be added to the coverage or purchased separately as an add-on policy. This coverage provides protection for the equipment inside your gym and even the building or rental unit itself.
You’ll also want to take a look at some other supplemental insurance programs you can add to your general liability policy to further customize your protection. These include:
Accident Insurance.
Professional Liability Insurance.
For example, you may want to add coverage for in-house BJJ tournaments, seminars, camps, or field trips. You can add these when you open your gym or get them later as you start to offer additional programs that generate revenue for your academy.
Why Do I Need Insurance for My BJJ School?
Landlords, lenders, and even jiu-jitsu franchisers will ask you to provide a certificate of liability insurance coverage, mandate certain limits, and even require additional insured persons to be added to your BJJ gym’s coverage.
BJJ coaches and jiu-jitsu schools face legal liability for any injuries a student may experience during a training session or demonstration at their academy. Liability insurance, though, helps protect coaches and gym owners from the risk of personal exposure to lawsuits from a participant's injury claims.
Students are not the only liability. Lawsuits could arise from property damage as well as nonmember injuries that happen at your school.
Regardless of where the fault lies or if your participants and guests sign waivers, these lawsuits cost you time, money, and emotional stress. And, you may even be required to pay settlements. It would be unwise for any business, especially one involved with unarmed combat sports, to operate without this protection.
Additionally, some landlords will require a certain amount of property insurance coverage when you rent a space from them. It is not uncommon for a landlord to require a "Waiver of Subrogation" from their tenants to keep from being held liable for claims that occur at their building. The landlord will provide you with details regarding their insurance requirements when you rent the gym.
Understanding General Liability Coverage:
General liability coverage typically includes claims resulting from bodily injury, medical payments, as well as personal and advertising liability. Sometimes known as "commercial general liability", this type of insurance provides coverage for the instructor or the school's management staff not only in claims of physical injury but property damage as well.
While $1,000,000 per occurrence is the usual level of general liability protection, you have the option of choosing the aggregate liability level you prefer, even as high as $5,000,000 per occurrence.
To protect yourself and your jiu-jitsu gym from lawsuits that aren't covered under general liability coverage, there are still more additional considerations:
Independent contractors working at your BJJ school can be added as additional insureds so that they are covered while performing duties related to the activities provided at your gym.
If you are thinking about hosting Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, BJJ seminars, or martial arts camps or clinics, you will need to add additional coverage to your policy. These activities are not usually covered in standard liability insurance packages for martial arts schools. Reach out and speak with one of our agents before hosting an event at your gym.
We recommend additional liability coverage in case of allegations of sexual or child-related offenses against you or a member of your staff. You may be tempted to forgo this supplemental insurance protection. But accusations can happen even if you are not guilty. Claims of nonphysical abuse—verbal, emotional, or mental—are covered as well. Abuse & Molestation coverage, along with proper written procedures for dealing with abuse, is highly recommended when opening a gym.
Medical payment coverage can be added to your jiu-jitsu school’s liability insurance policy to help cover the costs associated with medical expenses for bodily injury caused by an accident, regardless of fault.
Professional liability, or “errors and omissions” (E&O) insurance, protects you and your staff against claims of negligence.
Limits of General Liability Policies:
Don't assume your policy covers sparring or other mixed martial arts-related injuries!
Many times, sparring, muay thai, boxing, or other full-contact-related activities are only covered if these activities were disclosed at the time of your application. Check the description of the operations in your insurance policy to see which martial arts activities are covered.
To be fully protected, it is important to list and disclose all of the activities and levels of contact associated with those activities when you are shopping for coverage. And be sure to review your school's insurance policy each year to make sure that all the activities you are teaching at your BJJ academy still fall under the "description of the operations" in your insurance agreement.
Understanding Property Insurance:
Property insurance is not usually included in general liability policies. Adding this supplemental policy will cover damage to the building (whether you own or rent it), the rental unit, and the equipment inside your gym from events like fires or floods. In addition to insuring the physical building, you can customize your policy to include things like:
Jiu Jitsu Mats and Gi’s.
BJJ Team Merchandise.
Wall Pads.
Grappling Dummies.
Student’s Personal Property and Equipment.
If your BJJ school cannot operate (ex: a fire in the studio which causes you to shut down), you will still need to cover your ongoing expenses like rent and payroll while the renovation is being completed. For protection against more than physical damage, you can add a policy for loss of business income. Business Interruption Insurance can be added to a BJJ gym owner’s package for just a few extra bucks per year.
How Much Does Insurance for A Jiu-Jitsu Gym Cost?
When you work with one of our insurance brokers to choose the type of coverage you need and enroll in the insurance package, we will provide you with an itemized breakdown of the cost. Insurance premiums typically include a charge for the General Liability portion of the program, with additional charges for Abuse & Molestation Coverage, Accidental Medical Coverage, and Property Insurance Civerage. These supplemental policies can be packaged together as a "martial arts insurance bundle" or purchased separately, un-bundled, from various insurance companies to obtain the best price for you.
The average jiu-jitsu business owner’s insurance package can range from $650 to $4,000 per year depending on how many students the BJJ academy has, which coverage options they choose, activities provided, and how many additional insureds are covered under the plan. Because not all insurance companies operate in every state, the location of your jiu-jitsu gym will affect which insurance companies are available as well as the cost of the coverage. One of our brokers will determine which companies are available in your area.
Finding the right coverage for high-risk combat sports like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and other mixed martial arts can be a challenge for some insurance agents. But rest assured that our brokers at JiuJitsuInsurance.com have already identified insurance companies throughout the nation that offer affordable liability insurance programs and packages. If you are a jiu-jitsu gym owner ready to open your school, give us a call or fill out the form below to get a quote.
