| Hi, I am a new member and was hoping I could get some help. I recently became certified to teach basic hatha yoga, my certification lasts 2 years and I will be doing continuing ed as well. I have applied to a few schools, and put an ad up so I can do privates from my home. I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice on teaching from my home. Should I get insurance? Or have them fill out a waiver before we start, I have already had some inquiries, but I want to do it right. Any help would be appreciated - thanks. |
| Yes, you should ALWAYS carry a personal liability policy when you are teaching, whether from your home or not. But, I would think, especially when allowing strangers into your house. You never know if some dishonest person may come in and think "This is a nice house! I will tell my lawyer that her yoga hurt my back, then it will be MY house!"
There are a couple of major insurers for yoga (& fitness) instructors, one of the most popular is Fitness and Wellness. You can usually get a discounted rate if you join a teachers association, such as Namasta, CYTA, Kripalu, Himalayan Institute, etc. Membership in these associations also generally include discounts on yoga supplies and continuing education, sometimes even a magazine subscription. CYTA (www.yogateachersassoc.org) owns Yoga Journal and the Himalayan Institute (www.himalayaninstitute.org) owns Yoga International, so I belong to both!
I wound up purchasing the insurance through the CYTA membership, and the premium is $180/year (which is not bad considering one student's injury could cause bankruptcy) plus the membership dues of $55. Depending upon where you were trained, you may also be able to get additional discounts through any professional associations your school may have. |