If you own a gym, you need liability insurance — but the market is designed to confuse you. General commercial insurers will quote you $3,000+ a year for a policy that wasn't built for fitness businesses, brokers will add their 20–30% cut on top, and nobody tells you upfront which activities are actually excluded.
We built Gym Insurance by PushPress to fix that. It starts at $33/mo ($399/year), includes both general liability and professional liability as standard, and was designed specifically for gyms — not restaurants or retail stores that happen to have a treadmill.
We're not pretending to be a neutral review site. We built this product, and we think it's the best option for most gym owners. Below, we'll compare all five providers honestly and explain exactly why.
We're PushPress — 20+ years in fitness, 10+ years building gym management software for thousands of fitness businesses across the US. We've heard the same insurance complaints from gym owners over and over: premiums that make no sense, policies that exclude the activities you actually offer, and brokers who can't explain what you're paying for.
So we built our own solution. Our policies are underwritten by Everspan and Starr Specialty Insurance (both A-rated), and designed specifically for how gyms actually operate — group classes, open gym, personal training, high-intensity programming, all of it.
This comparison is based on what we've seen working with thousands of gyms, not desk research.
Here's what matters — and what to verify is actually in your policy, not just implied:
General Liability — covers you if a member or visitor is injured at your facility and sues. Slip-and-falls, equipment accidents, property damage to a member's belongings. This is the baseline — every policy includes it — but check the per-occurrence and aggregate limits.
Professional Liability — covers you if a client claims your training, programming, or instruction caused their injury. This is the one that often gets quietly excluded. A member says your trainer gave bad advice and they got hurt? That's a professional liability claim. Confirm it's in there before you buy.
Participant Medical Payments — pays for a member's medical bills after an injury without requiring them to sue you first. Faster resolution, fewer lawsuits. Often $5,000–$25,000 per incident. This coverage keeps small incidents — a tweaked knee, a rolled ankle — from escalating into lawsuits.
Business Personal Property — covers your equipment: barbells, rigs, rowers, treadmills, computers, everything. If there's a fire, flood, or theft, this pays to replace it. Replacement cost vs. actual cash value matters — make sure you're getting replacement cost.
Workers' Compensation — required in most states if you have employees. Covers staff injuries on the job. Non-negotiable if you have coaches or trainers on payroll.
1. Does it explicitly cover your programming?
Ask your provider to confirm in writing that your specific activities are covered. If you run CrossFit, martial arts, HIIT classes, or any high-intensity programming, don't assume "gym insurance" means everything is included.
2. What are the exclusions?
Read the exclusions section before you buy anything. Look specifically for exclusions around athletic participation, contact sports, high-intensity training, and specific movements. These exclusions are the most common way gym owners get burned.
3. What's the total annual cost?
Add up the premium, any brokerage fees, membership fees, and administrative costs. The headline number isn't always the real number. See our gym insurance cost breakdown for what to expect.
4. What are the per-occurrence and aggregate limits?
Per-occurrence is the max payout per incident. Aggregate is the annual cap. $1M/$2M is standard for most gyms — check that yours isn't lower. If you have a large membership or host events, consider whether you need higher limits.
5. Is professional liability included?
This is the coverage that protects you when a member claims your training or instruction caused their injury. Many policies include general liability but exclude professional liability — or charge extra for it. Confirm it's included in the base price.
Most gym owners pay between $33 and $150 per month for gym liability insurance. With Gym Insurance by PushPress, coverage starts at $399/year. Your actual rate depends on facility size, location, number of members, and the types of training you offer. General commercial insurers like Markel and The Hartford charge $1,500–$5,500 for comparable or worse coverage. See our full gym insurance cost breakdown or get a quote for your specific situation.
There's no universal law requiring it, but in practice most gym owners need it. Commercial landlords almost always require proof of general liability coverage before signing a lease. Franchise and affiliate agreements — including CrossFit LLC — mandate liability insurance. Some states and municipalities require it for business licensing. And if you have employees, workers' compensation is legally required in nearly every state.
A comprehensive gym liability policy covers bodily injury to members or visitors (slips, falls, equipment injuries), property damage (to member belongings or neighboring spaces), training and instruction claims (bad advice, improper spotting, poorly designed programs), medical expenses (immediate on-premises injury costs regardless of fault), and legal defense costs (attorney fees, court costs, and settlements). Learn more about gym liability coverage.
Standard gym liability policies typically exclude damage to your own property and equipment (that requires a separate business personal property policy), injuries to your employees (covered by workers' compensation), intentional or criminal acts, and claims arising from services you didn't disclose to your insurer. See what's not covered for the full list.
Yes. General liability covers physical incidents at your facility — someone trips, gets hit by equipment, or their property is damaged. Professional liability covers claims that stem from your expertise and services — a trainer gives bad advice that leads to injury, a program is designed unsafely, or a fitness assessment misses a red flag. Most lawsuits against gyms involve both. Gym Insurance by PushPress bundles them together.
Yes. Liability waivers are an important layer of protection, but they don't eliminate your need for insurance. Waivers can be thrown out by courts if they're poorly worded, don't comply with state law, or involve gross negligence. They also don't cover injuries to non-members — visitors, delivery drivers, passersby — or claims from minors in many states.
General liability covers the legal defense and settlement if they sue. Participant medical payments — included with Gym Insurance by PushPress — cover their immediate medical expenses without requiring a lawsuit, which often resolves the situation before it escalates. Learn more about gym liability coverage.
With Gym Insurance by PushPress, instantly — download your certificate of insurance the moment your policy is active. Most landlords and franchise organizations require a COI before you can sign a lease or open your doors. No waiting for a broker to process the request.
For most gym owners, Gym Insurance by PushPress is the best value: starts at $33/mo, both general and professional liability included, and no broker fees or hidden costs. If you've been quoted $2,000+ from a general commercial insurer or a broker, there's a better option.
Pricing ranges reflect typical 2026 annual premiums. Your actual rate depends on facility size, location, programming, and coverage selections.
Don't let high costs or inadequate coverage hold your gym back. Protect your business and your students with insurance built for you.