Waiver forms for personal training are used to protect a trainer from liability in the unfortunate case that a client is injured while training. These forms must typically be completed by the client before training services are rendered. Personal training waiver forms are typically basic and only require standard information from the client such as their name, date, and signature. Personal training waiver forms can last for a set number of sessions or can be effective indefinitely.
Personal training waiver forms are used by personal trainers working with individual clients. This form will be used to protect the personal trainer from liability in case a client is injured or suffers financial or physical damages during their interaction with the fitness trainer. This form typically must be completed before the client begins sessions with the trainer, whether they are held at the client's home, the trainer's home, or a fitness center or gym.
These forms are typically basic, and the client will only need to include some information, such as their name, the date they will start their training, and the date they are completing the form. A trainer can have a single standard form available with the same information for all their different clients. This form must be signed and dated by the client in order for it to be legally binding. It can have an expiration date, such as one year or for 8 sessions, or it can persist indefinitely.
According to the CDC, each day more than 10,000 people receive treatment for sports and exercise-related injury. Seniors, in particular, account for more than 53,000 these injuries each year. Given the ubiquity of personal injury, it is imperative that personal trainers protect themselves against unforeseen legal repercussion. Requiring your clients sign a specialized waiver form when they utilize your personal training services is one way to do so. This guide, therefore, covers why trainers need a waiver, how to create one, and what sorts of insurance policies gym owners should consider purchasing.
Many trainers believe the notion that because their clients are signing a liability waiver or release form, they are automatically protected from any liability. This, however, is false. There are a number of ways in which personal trainers fail to properly safeguard themselves from legal action. The most common of those include:
Here are the most common reasons why clients sue their trainers:
Gyms and other exercise centers face legal risk in three areas:
Gym insurance is a good idea, and may even be required. Your insurance needs vary depending on the size and scope of your gym.
Here is a rundown of common insurance policies for fitness centers:
Here are some additional types of liability insurance that may be necessary, depending on your needs:
Many personal trainers operate small fitness centers and therefore may want to have a business owner’s policy for their business (BOP). A BOP covers general liability insurance, property insurance, loss of business income coverage--if you are shut down for a period of time, this will insure you during the closure for income.
Ultimately, if you own a fitness center, you should do what is necessary to protect your business. This includes:
Personal training waivers are an essential component of the exercise profession. They ensure clients are aware of the risks of their exercise program and that trainers are legally protected in the event of injury. We hope this guide provides you with all the information you need to operate your gym or work as a trainer in a more informed and transparent fashion.
Our team at FormSwift wanted to determine the best states to work as a personal trainer based on liability risk. We used an Amino 2017 Study to determine the most proportionately common physical injury diagnosis in each state. We then weighted the following factors evenly into a total score to create a ranking from best to worst states: How related the most common injury in each state is to personal training, based on an NCBI report documenting the top five personal training injuries, the annual median wage for fitness trainers, the number of fitness trainers employed in the state, median household income, and the chance of an employee filing a lawsuit against a business in the state, based on a 2015 Hiscox study.
