The Hartford doesn’t offer self defense liability insurance online, but a local agency or Tivly may be able to help you find the coverage you need. The following content includes information from various sources and can change over time.
What Is Self-Defense Liability Insurance?
Self-defense liability insurance is another name for a type of small business insurance. It’s designed to help protect your business from claims that it caused bodily injury or property damage to someone else. Liability insurance is just one of the many types of business insurance coverage you may need to help protect you from everyday risks. Common types of coverages that can be included in a self-defense insurance package include:
- Business Owner’s Policy (BOP)
- Professional liability insurance
- Workers’ compensation insurance
Why Might You Need Self-Defense Liability Insurance?
No matter how careful you are, accidents can happen, and misunderstandings can lead to costly claims. Whether you're working with beginners or advanced students, injuries or disputes could put your finances on the line.
Self-defense liability insurance helps shield you from these risks. It offers protection that can help you focus on training your students without worrying about legal or financial setbacks.
Self-defense liability insurance can help protect your business if:
- A student claims you used excessive force during a demonstration, leading to a lawsuit for bodily injury.
- A client trips over equipment in your studio or rented space, resulting in a liability claim for medical expenses.
- A training tool breaks while a student is using it, causing an injury that leads to a lawsuit.
Self-Defense Liability Insurance Coverages
When it comes to protecting your self-defense business, you’ll want to ensure you have coverage that matches your potential risks. Common types of self-defense liability coverage include:
General liability insurance to help protect your business from claims that it caused bodily injury or property damage to others.
Professional liability insurance to help protect your business from claims that it made a mistake in the professional services given.
Business Owner’s Policy (BOP), which combines three types of coverage to help protect you from everyday risks. It includes general liability insurance, commercial property insurance and business income insurance.
Remember, liability insurance won’t cover every type of risk you may face as a self-defense instructor. You’ll need to get other types of insurance to create well-rounded protection for your business, including:
Workers’ compensation insurance to give your employees benefits to help them recover from a work-related injury or illness.
Commercial auto insurance to help protect you or your employees on the road when driving a company-owned vehicle for business. If you or one of your employees uses a company car for work and gets into an accident, this coverage can help pay for the costs.
How Much Does Self-Defense Liability Insurance Cost?
The cost of self-defense liability insurance varies because every business has unique risks. Insurance companies consider several factors when determining your coverage cost, including:
- Number of employees
- Location of your business
- Type of coverage
- Your claims history
- The limits you select for your coverage
While The Hartford doesn’t offer coverage for businesses specializing in self-defense, here are the average costs our small business owners pay for common types of liability insurance:**
- BOP: $1,687 a year, or about $141 a month
- Stand-alone general liability insurance: $810 a year, or about $68 a month
- Professional liability insurance: $744 a year, or $62 a month2
To find out your specific self-defense business insurance costs, get a free online quote today from Tivly.
General Liability Insurance
“A student accidentally got hurt while practicing a move in class. They ended up suing me to pay for their medical bills.”
General liability insurance helps cover claims that your self-defense business hurt somebody else. It can help cover their medical bills or your legal costs if you get sued.
Employment Practices Liability Insurance
“I had to let an instructor go because of attendance issues. I was shocked to find out he sued me for wrongful termination.”
Employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) helps protect you from employment-related claims, like wrongful termination or discrimination.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
“One of my assistants twisted his knee during a demo and had to take a few weeks off.”
Workers’ compensation insurance gives your team benefits to help them recover from work-related injuries or illnesses. It can help pay their medical bills and replace lost wages if they can’t work.
Commercial Auto Insurance
“I got into a fender-bender on the way to pick up equipment for a class in the business van.”
Commercial auto insurance can help protect you on the road if you’re driving a business-owned vehicle for work.
Commercial Property Insurance
“A pipe burst in our studio overnight and flooded the whole place. The floor was ruined, and we had to close for repairs.”
Commercial property insurance helps protect your business' equipment, furniture and inventory from loss or damage caused by events like storms, fires or vandalism.
Business Income Insurance
“A fire broke out in the office next door that spread and caused smoke damage in our studio. We had to cancel classes and sessions while repairs were made.”
Business income insurance helps replace your lost income if you can’t operate temporarily because of covered property damage.
Get Self-Defense Liability Insurance Options
You prepare your clients for unexpected challenges. Now it’s time to protect yourself. Find the right coverage today with a quote from Tivly.
Last Updated: October 2, 2025
2 What you pay for professional liability insurance will vary by product, limits chosen and risk class or hazard group associated with your business.
3 Counterpart, “2024 Small Business Insights Report”
4 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Employer-Reported Workplace Injuries and Illnesses in 2023"
5 Risk & Insurance, “Water Damage Is a Leading Cause of Commercial Real Estate Claims. How Sensor Technologies Help Mitigate These Claims”
** Costs, premiums, and coverages mentioned are estimates and are not guaranteed. Actual cost, premium, and coverage are determined at the time of quote or issue and are specific to an individual risk. Premiums are based on information provided to The Hartford, including, but not limited to, underwriting and rating criteria. All examples included on this website or in an advertisement are intended for informational purposes only and are not an offer or a guarantee of premium or coverage. Coverage and products described are subject to the terms and conditions found in the policy contract. Any educational information provided about available coverages does not modify the policy language or imply that any claim is covered. Products are not available in all states or for all businesses.
The Hartford does not currently have a product available to provide the coverage described on this page. You are being referred to Tivly in an effort to connect you with a carrier who may provide this coverage. This link will redirect you to a third-party website, owned and operated by an independent party ("Tivly"). Any link you make to or from the Tivly website will be at your own risk. Any use of the Tivly website will be subject to and any information you provide will be governed by the terms of the Tivly website, including those relating to confidentiality, data privacy and security. The Hartford and its affiliates (collectively "The Hartford") do not endorse or approve and make no warranties, representations or undertakings relating to the content of the Tivly website. The Hartford assumes no liability for loss, damage and any other consequence resulting directly or indirectly from your access to the Tivly website or any information that you may provide on the Tivly website.
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