If you own a martial arts gym, you might have found it harder to get insurance coverage for your gym from traditional insurance providers. Getting your insurance through a gym-specialized provider is an easier way to know that you're getting the right coverage for your entire business.

Our policies can cover a wide variety of martial arts gyms. Here are some examples of martial arts training styles and activities we cover on our standard program and offer for the best martial arts insurance price:

• Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
• Taekwondo
• Karate
• Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA)
• Kickboxing
• MMA
• Muay Thai

Some training and amenities are automatically covered, but include small exceptions:

• Open Mat hours are covered if the gym is staffed, or you can add 24-hour gym coverage if it's not staffed
• Kids training is allowed, but kids must be 2 years old or older
• Cold plunge and saunas are covered, but not swimming pools
• Special events, capped at 100 participants
• Childcare services, so long as you're not a licensed daycare

You also have the option to add certain, 'riskier' training styles to your policy for an additional fee. Here are some activities that are available to add to your policy:

• 24-hour unsupervised gym access
• Tanning beds
• Boxing or ring / cage instruction or fighting
• Batting cages

Rather than excluding certain gym types, we exclude certain training activities on our standard policies. Here are some activities that cannot be covered on your martial arts insurance policy:

• Tournaments or competitions for full contact or submission MMA, Muay Thai, Kali, Escrima, Savate, Sayoc Kali, Dim mak, Haganah, cage events, extreme or ultimate fighting
• Parkour
• IV therapy
• Cryotherapy
• Physical therapy
• Gun ranges and archery ranges

-> Learn more about Martial Arts insurance policies here

CrossFit Affiliates used to struggle finding gym insurance that covered the specific exercises that are common in CrossFit training. Fortunately, this has changed as insurance providers have realized that CrossFit gyms are typically safe and low-risk. This gives CrossFit gyms and other non-affiliated Functional Fitness gyms more flexibility to compare and select the best CrossFit and Functional Fitness insurance policy, putting the power in the hands of the gym owner.

Our policies cover standard functional fitness training such as cardio, weightlifting, gymnastics-style exercises, and rope climbs. We also automatically cover Open Gym hours (when the gym is staffed), or you can add 24-hour gym coverage if the gym is unstaffed.

Some training and amenities are automatically covered, but include small exceptions:

• Kids training is allowed, but kids must be 2 years old or older
• Cold plunge and saunas are covered, but not swimming pools
• Special events, capped at 100 participants
• Childcare services, so long as you're not a licensed daycare
• Dogs are allowed at your gym/box, so long as they're not involved in the training (e.g. goat yoga classes)
• Homemade gym equipment can be used in your gym, but your gym owners' policy won't cover your liability for equipment you manufacture and resell

You also have the option to add certain, 'riskier' training styles to your policy for an additional fee. Here are some activities that are available to add to your policy:

• 24-hour unsupervised gym access
• Tanning beds
• Batting cages

Rather than excluding certain gym types, we exclude certain training activities on our standard policies. Here are some activities that cannot be covered on your gym insurance policy:

• Parkour
• IV therapy
• Cryotherapy
• Physical therapy
• Gun ranges and archery ranges

Take note: CrossFit Affiliates have specific insurance requirements mandated by CrossFit LLC. You have minimum liability limits, and must add CrossFit LLC as an Additional Insured. Our insurance policies meet all requirements:

• General liability limits: $1M per occurrence / $3M aggregate
• Professional liability limits: $1M aggregate
• Ability to add Additional Insureds as Primary & Non-Contributory
• Free, unlimited Certificates of Insurance

-> Learn more about our CrossFit Insurance policies here

If you're teaching kids (anyone under 18) at your gym, then you'll want to be super clear on whether your insurance policy covers training for minors or not. Your gym insurance policy should clearly state if there are any restrictions on coverage based on age of the participants.

• Our Gym Insurance+ policies cover you to train anyone from ages 2 years old and up. Our only exclusions are for infant classes (e.g. Mommy and Me classes).
• We also include coverage for childcare services on our policies, so long as you're not operating a licensed daycare.
• Take note: Waivers are extra important if you're training kids. Learn more about gym waivers here.

Yoga and pilates studios are generally considered lower-risk gyms by insurance providers. Nearly all activities are covered, with some small exceptions.

• Kids training is allowed, but kids must be 2 years old or older (classes with infants, including 'Mommy and Me' baby classes are not covered)
• Cold plunge and saunas are covered, but not swimming pools
• Special events, capped at 100 participants
• Childcare services, so long as you're not a licensed daycare
• Dogs are allowed at your gym/box, so long as they're not involved in the training (e.g. goat yoga classes)

Your General Liability (GL) policy is designed to protect your gym if someone is injured and claims you were responsible. For example, if they make a demand for compensation or file a lawsuit. In those situations, GL can help cover legal defense costs, settlements, and damages (up to your policy limits).

Common examples of injury-related claims that may fall under General Liability include:

• Slip-and-fall accidents (wet floors, poor lighting, uneven surfaces)
• Trip hazards (loose equipment, cords, torn mats, cluttered walkways)
• Equipment-related injuries (broken benches, unsafe racks, improper maintenance)
• Supervision or instruction allegations (claims that coaching or class oversight contributed to the injury)
• Visitor injuries (prospects, parents, vendors, delivery drivers on-site)

In short: GL is the coverage that protects your business when an injury turns into a claim.

General Liability doesn't only apply to injury claims. It can also protect your gym from a wide range of everyday "business risk" situations that come up just from operating a physical location and working with the public.

Here are some of the most common categories:

1) Property damage to others

If your gym accidentally damages someone else's property, GL may respond. Example:

• A member's phone or laptop gets damaged due to a leak or unsafe area
• A staff member knocks over or breaks a customer's property
• Your operations accidentally damage a landlord's property (depending on the scenario and lease requirements)

2) "Personal and advertising injury" claims

This is the GL bucket that can cover non-physical harm, like certain communication-related claims. Examples may include:

• A claim of libel or slander (e.g. a dispute with a former member or competitor)
• Certain "wrongful eviction" style allegations
• A claim that your advertising or marketing caused reputational harm

3) Incidents involving guests and the general public

Even if someone isn't a member, your gym is still responsible for maintaining a safe environment. GL can help protect your gym if:

• A parent gets injured while watching class
• A vendor or delivery driver is hurt on-site
• A prospect tours the gym and has an accident

4) Claims arising from your day-to-day operations

GL is often the coverage that steps in when something goes wrong during "normal business activities," including:

• A class gets overcrowded and someone gets injured and blames the gym's setup
• A member alleges your staff's actions created a hazardous situation
• A member claims the facility wasn't properly maintained (flooring, lighting, equipment spacing)

5) Legal defense (even if the claim is questionable)

One of the biggest values of GL coverage is that it can help provide a legal defense if your gym is pulled into a claim. Even if you believe you did nothing wrong, legal costs add up fast.

General Liability is designed to protect your business when someone claims they were injured due to an unsafe condition at your facility (like a slip-and-fall or faulty equipment). But gyms also face a different kind of risk: claims tied to coaching, training, or instruction.

That’s where Professional Liability can help.

Professional Liability is intended to cover claims alleging that a trainer, coach, or staff member made an error in instruction, supervision, or guidance that contributed to an injury. Common examples include:

• A member alleges they were taught improper form and suffered a serious injury
• A coach is accused of pushing someone beyond their safe limits
• A client claims they weren’t properly screened for readiness (injury history, limitations, pregnancy, etc.)
• A class participant says the instructor didn’t provide appropriate modifications
• A trainer is accused of inadequate supervision during a session or group class
• A member claims your staff failed to respond appropriately after they reported pain or discomfort

In short: Professional Liability helps protect your gym when the allegation is about “how the training was delivered,” not just the condition of the premises.

General Liability helps protect your gym when someone else claims you caused harm (like a member injury or property damage). But it does not cover damage to your own stuff.

That’s where Property coverage comes in.

Property coverage is designed to help repair or replace your gym’s physical assets if they’re damaged by a covered event, such as:

• Fire or smoke damage
• Water damage from plumbing issues (like a burst pipe)
• Theft and vandalism
• Wind or storm-related damage
• Certain types of accidental damage

In a gym, this often includes things like:

• Strength and cardio equipment
• Turf, mats, and flooring
• Mirrors, TVs, computers, and POS systems
• Furniture and fixtures (front desk, lockers, signage, etc.)
• Inventory you sell (supplements, apparel, retail items)

If you rent your space, Property coverage is also important because you may be responsible for:

• Tenant improvements (build-outs, flooring, mirrors, bathrooms, etc.)
• Business personal property (everything inside your space that you own)

Bottom line: Property coverage protects the physical things you've invested in so one incident doesn't derail your business.

Property coverage helps repair or replace your physical space and equipment after a covered loss, but there's another big risk gym owners face: lost revenue while you're closed.

Business Interruption coverage (sometimes called Business Income) can help replace lost income and support ongoing expenses if your gym has to temporarily shut down due to a covered property event, such as a fire or major water damage.

This can help with things like:

• Lost membership revenue while you're unable to operate normally
• Ongoing fixed expenses (rent, payroll, utilities, etc.)
• Additional costs you take on to keep the business running (for example, temporarily relocating, renting equipment, or setting up a short-term training space)

Bottom line: Business Interruption coverage helps keep cash flow stable while you recover, so a temporary closure doesn't turn into a long-term setback.

It's very common for gyms to be asked to add another organization to their policy as an Additional Insured. The most common requests we see are from:

• Landlords / property managers
• Affiliation or governing organizations (e.g. CrossFit LLC)

Adding an Additional Insured means that the other partner is included under your General Liability policy for claims connected to your gym's operations at the covered location.

In plain English: if your gym is sued and the landlord or affiliation group is named in the lawsuit, adding them as an Additional Insured helps ensure they're protected under your policy for that situation.

‍

Why landlords request this

Landlords want to reduce the chance they end up paying legal fees or getting pulled into claims caused by a tenant's business. It's usually a standard lease requirement.

‍

Why CrossFit (or other affiliation groups) request this

Affiliation groups often require it as part of the affiliation agreement because they want protection if someone alleges their brand, standards, or involvement contributed to an incident at your gym.

‍

What this does and doesn't mean

• It does extend liability protection to the Additional Insured for claims related to your gym's operations
• It does not give them ownership of your policy
• It does not cover their unrelated operations (only what's connected to your gym)
  

Your General Liability (GL) policy is designed to protect your gym if someone is injured and claims you were responsible. For example, if they make a demand for compensation or file a lawsuit. In those situations, GL can help cover legal defense costs, settlements, and damages (up to your policy limits).

Common examples of injury-related claims that may fall under General Liability include:

• Slip-and-fall accidents (wet floors, poor lighting, uneven surfaces)
• Trip hazards (loose equipment, cords, torn mats, cluttered walkways)
• Equipment-related injuries (broken benches, unsafe racks, improper maintenance)
• Supervision or instruction allegations (claims that coaching or class oversight contributed to the injury)
• Visitor injuries (prospects, parents, vendors, delivery drivers on-site)

In short: GL is the coverage that protects your business when an injury turns into a claim.