We've done the research so you don't have to. An honest breakdown from gym owners who've been on both sides of a bad insurance claim.
Gym liability insurance from $33 a month. Built for how gyms actually run, not how a general commercial business runs. Most owners pay $399 to $1,800 a year for the full package: general liability and professional liability included as standard, no broker fees, no program access charges layered on top.
Gym owners have lived through two phases of getting this wrong. First, traditional carriers priced gyms like a higher-risk business than they actually are, and bundled coverage gyms didn't need. Then specialty groups acknowledged the category but stacked program access and brokerage fees on top of an already-elevated premium. Honest pricing is the third option. That's the gap Gym Insurance by PushPress built to close.
Quick disclosure before you read on: one of the providers on this list is us. We've kept the comparison below as honest as we know how, and you can decide for yourself.
We're gym owners. We needed insurance that priced our gyms like gyms, not like a general commercial business and not like a maximum-risk specialty case. Nobody was selling that, so we built it.
20+ years in fitness. Data from thousands of gyms. No broker fees. A-rated carriers (Everspan, Starr Indemnity). Reinsured by global names you'd recognize.
This comparison is based on what we've actually seen working with thousands of gyms, not desk research.
| Provider | Best for | Typical annual cost* | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gym Insurance by PushPress Best overall | Most gym owners. Best overall value. | $399 to $1,800 | Not ideal for one-day event-only coverage |
| Next Insurance | Solo trainers and low-risk studios | $600 to $2,400 | Athletic participation exclusions on many policies |
| Hiscox | Low-risk facilities that don't involve contact sports | $1,000 to $3,600 | Generic commercial policy, not gym-specific |
| The Hartford | Established gym owners who want a name-brand carrier | $1,500 to $3,500 | Expensive, slow quotes, generic coverage |
| Markel Insurance | Building owners who need general commercial coverage | $3,200 to $5,500 | Often excludes high-intensity training and sparring |
*Prices accurate as of February 2026. Coverage and pricing can change. Verify directly with the provider before making a decision.
We built this product because PushPress works with thousands of gyms and the insurance options they had didn't reflect how gyms actually run. Premiums that didn't match the real risk profile. Policies that quietly excluded high-intensity programming. Brokers who couldn't explain what they were selling. We had the operator data and the carrier relationships to build something different.
Why it costs less. No broker in the middle. We went direct to the underwriter with 10+ years of gym operations data, which means tighter risk modeling and no 20 to 30 percent broker commission baked into your premium. The same data lets the policy explicitly cover the activities that define real gyms: group classes, open gym, personal training, high-intensity programming, competitions, and 24-hour access.
The "what's the catch?" answer. There isn't one. We don't pay broker commissions because we built this for ourselves first. You can get a quote in under 5 minutes, and most owners are covered the same day. See our full cost breakdown for what affects your rate.
Not ideal if you only need single-day tournament or one-off event coverage. K&K Insurance is built specifically for that.
Next Insurance is one of the most visible online insurers for small businesses. The quote process is fast, the pricing looks competitive at first glance, and they're easy to find. The catch shows up when you read the exclusions.
The structural issue. Next writes policies for hundreds of business types like restaurants, contractors, consultants, and gyms. Their policies are built for the broadest possible set of small businesses, not for fitness specifically. Many of their fitness policies include athletic participation exclusions that void coverage for injuries during classes, sparring, or high-intensity training. The exclusion is also the most common reason gym owners find out their policy is useless only after a claim.
The honest take. Next can be a fit for solo personal trainers, small yoga studios, or low-risk facilities that don't run contact sports or high-intensity group training. For everyone else, the policy is cheaper than it looks because it doesn't cover the things most likely to generate a claim. Confirm in writing that your specific activities are covered before you sign anything.
Not ideal if you run group classes, martial arts, CrossFit, or any high-intensity programming.
Hiscox is a respected commercial insurer that serves small businesses across many industries. Online quotes, fast turnaround, solid AM Best rating. The issue isn't the company. The issue is that their fitness policies are essentially the same general commercial policies they sell to accountants and marketing agencies, with a "fitness" label.
The structural issue. Hiscox doesn't underwrite with gym-specific data, so their pricing reflects general commercial assumptions. That tends to mean two things: you're either overpaying for a low-risk studio that should cost less, or underinsured for a real working gym where the exclusions will leave you exposed. Sometimes both at once.
The honest take. Hiscox can work for low-risk fitness studios. Think Pilates, basic personal training, or a boutique studio without high-intensity programming. For everything else, the exclusions section is where you'll get burned. If you offer CrossFit, martial arts, or any high-intensity programming, ask the underwriter in writing whether those activities are covered, and read the response carefully.
Not ideal if your gym runs group classes with heavy weights, contact sports, or high-intensity training.
The Hartford is one of the largest commercial insurers in the US, around since 1810. If you've ever searched "business insurance," you've seen their ads. They offer the full commercial suite: general liability, property, business owners policy, workers' compensation, and commercial auto.
The structural issue. The Hartford is built to insure businesses of every kind, which means their policies aren't designed for fitness specifically. The quote process is slower than digital-first providers (often requires a call with an agent), the pricing reflects their overhead as a massive carrier, and the policy terms reflect general commercial risk rather than what actually happens at a gym.
The honest take. The Hartford is a safe, boring choice, and that's not always bad. If you're a large, established gym with complex needs (multiple locations, commercial vehicles, significant property), they can bundle everything under one carrier. You'll pay a premium for the brand recognition, and the coverage isn't materially better than a fitness-specific policy at half the price.
Not ideal if you're a single-location gym looking for fitness-specific coverage at a fair price.
Markel is a large commercial insurance company that writes policies for a wide range of businesses, including some fitness facilities. They're a legitimate insurer. Their policies are designed for general commercial risk, not for the specifics of running a gym.
The structural issue. Markel's policies are often written with exclusions for contact sports, high-intensity training, and competitive activities. That means the activities that define most gyms (group classes with heavy weights, CrossFit WODs, martial arts) may not be covered. You won't always see this on the quote. It's buried in the exclusions section of the full policy, and it's where most gym owners find out their coverage doesn't apply.
The honest take. Markel can be a fit for building owners who need general commercial coverage and happen to operate a low-intensity fitness facility (no contact sports, no high-intensity programming). For most working gyms at $3,000+ a year, the exclusions make the policy essentially useless regardless of how good the headline coverage looks.
Not ideal if you run any contact sports, high-intensity training, or group fitness classes.
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. Baseline, but check the per-occurrence and aggregate limits.
Learn more →Covers you if a client claims your training, programming, or instruction caused their injury. Often quietly excluded by general policies. Confirm it's in there before you buy.
Learn more →Pays for a member's medical bills after an injury without requiring them to sue you first. Faster resolution, fewer lawsuits. Usually $5,000 to $25,000 per incident.
Learn more →Covers your equipment: barbells, rigs, rowers, treadmills, computers. If there's a fire, flood, or theft, this pays to replace it. Replacement cost vs. actual cash value matters.
Learn more →Required in most states if you have employees. Covers staff injuries on the job. Non-negotiable if you have coaches or trainers on payroll.
Learn more →How each provider stacks up on what's actually in the policy. The at-a-glance table above is the headline. This is the fine print.
| Attribute | Gym Insurance by PushPress | Next Insurance | Hiscox | The Hartford | Markel Insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General liability | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Professional liability | ✓ | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on |
| Participant medical payments | $10K standard / $25K optional | Not standard | Not standard | Not standard | Not standard |
| Business personal property | Replacement cost | ACV | ACV | Replacement cost | Replacement cost |
| Workers' comp options | Easily added | Separate carrier | Separate carrier | Through broker | Through broker |
| Admitted carrier | ✓ Everspan / Starr | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Online quoting | Under 5 minutes | Under 10 minutes | ✓ | Through broker | Through broker |
| Instant COI | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 1-3 business days | 1-3 business days |
| Broker / commission fees | None | None | Included in premium | 20-30% commission | 20-30% commission |
| Replacement cost on equipment | ✓ | ACV by default | ACV by default | ✓ | ✓ |
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 to $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.
Most commercial landlords require $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate in general liability coverage, plus the right to be named as an additional insured. Many also ask for 30-day notice of cancellation language on the certificate of insurance. Gym Insurance by PushPress offers $1M/$3M as standard, which exceeds what most leases ask for. If your lease requires higher limits than that, get in touch and we can talk through your options. You can download your certificate of insurance the moment your policy is active.
Yes. Adding a landlord, franchise (like CrossFit, LLC), charter school, SBA lender, or any other interested party as an additional insured is standard on every Gym Insurance by PushPress policy. No extra fee. The endorsement and the updated certificate of insurance issue instantly through your policy dashboard, so you don't have to wait 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.