The Hartford doesn’t offer swim instructor 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 Swim Instructor Insurance?
Swim instructor insurance is another name for small business insurance. It’s a package made up of different types of business insurance coverages to help protect you from the risks you face. For example, you might be coaching at your own backyard pool, someone else’s pool or at public facilities. Common types of insurance that could be part of a swim instructor insurance policy include:
- Business Owner’s Policy (BOP)
- Professional liability insurance
- General liability insurance
Although The Hartford doesn’t offer insurance for swim instructors, Tivly can help you get the coverage you’re looking for.
Why Might You Need Swim Instructor Insurance?
Swim instructor insurance is a collection of coverages designed to protect your business from the unexpected things that can happen in and around the water, like:
- Property damage: You drop your laptop on the pool deck while reviewing lesson plans and crack the screen.
- Auto accident: You're rear-ended on the way to a private lesson, and your car ends up in the shop.
- Equipment theft: Your training gear is stolen from the locker room, and you need to replace it right away.
Swim Instructor Insurance Coverages
When it comes to protecting your swim school or training business, you’ll want to ensure you have protection that matches your potential risks. Many swim instructors start with a Business Owner’s Policy (BOP) because of the peace of mind it can provide. It combines three types of coverage to help protect you from everyday risks:
General liability helps protect your swim lesson business from claims that it caused bodily injury or property damage to others. For example, if a student gets hurt while diving into a pool under your supervision, this coverage can pay their medical bills and your legal fees if you get sued.
Commercial property insurance helps protect the owned or rented building you operate from, as well as the tools, equipment and supplies that you rely on. These can include your:
- Flotation devices
- Kick boards
- Swim paddles
- Pool noodles
- Resistance bands
Business income insurance helps replace your lost income if you can’t operate because of covered property damage.
It’s important to remember that a BOP doesn’t cover every kind of claim you may face as a swim instructor. You’ll need to get other types of coverage to create well-rounded protection, which may include:
Workers’ compensation insurance to give your employees benefits if they get a work-related injury or illness. For example, a team member strains their shoulder while helping a child out of the pool and needs time off for physical therapy.
Commercial auto insurance to help protect you and your employees on the road when using company-owned vehicles for work. For example, if you’re using your company van to go to a swim meet and rear-end another car, this coverage can help cover property damage claims.
How Much Does Swim Instructor Insurance Cost?
The cost of swim instructor insurance varies because every business faces 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
Although The Hartford doesn’t offer coverage for swim instructors, here are the average costs our small business customers paid for common types of coverages, which you can use to help estimate your insurance cost:**
- BOP: $1,687 a year, or about $141 a month
- Stand-alone general liability insurance: $810 a year, or about $68 a month
- Workers’ compensation insurance: $1,032 a year, or $86 a month
- Professional liability insurance: $744 a year, or $62 a month2
To find out your specific swim instruction business insurance costs, get a free online quote through Tivly.
General Liability Insurance
"My hand weights fell out of my bag and cracked a client’s patio tiles. I had to pay for the repair."
General liability insurance helps cover claims that your business caused bodily injury or property damage to someone else.
Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI)
"I was sued for retaliatory firing when I had to downsize my coaching team.”
Employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) helps protect your business from employment-related claims, like wrongful termination, discrimination and harassment.
Workers’ compensation insurance
"One of my teachers pulled their hamstring while leading a class. She needed to go to physical therapy and had to take a couple of weeks off.”
Workers’ compensation insurance gives your team benefits to help them recover from work-related injuries or illnesses. It can help cover their medical bills and replace lost wages.
Professional Liability Insurance
“A student sued one of my instructors and my business for negligence when she developed a shoulder injury during a lesson. She claimed she was taught the wrong technique.”
Professional liability insurance helps protect your swim school or business from claims that it made a mistake in the professional services given. It can help pay attorney fees or other court-related costs.
Business Income Insurance
"There was a fire in another section of the athletic facility where our pool is located. The fire and smoke damaged the HVAC and pool filtering systems. We had to close down for repairs and couldn’t hold any lessons or classes.”
Business income insurance helps replace your lost wages if you can’t operate because of covered property damage. This coverage can help pay for your ongoing operating costs, like payroll and utility bills.
Commercial Property Insurance
"Someone broke into our pool storage facility and stole our kick boards, life vests and floats. We had to reschedule most of our swim classes until we got replacements.”
Commercial property insurance helps protect the tools, equipment, inventory and supplies that you rely on to operate.
Get a Quote for Swim Instructor Insurance Options
Make sure you’re ready for whatever comes your way, in or out of the pool. Get a quote through Tivly.
Last Updated: September 26, 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 Insurance Information Institute, "Facts + Statistics: Product Liability"
4 U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, “2023 Annual Performance Report”
5 National Fire Protection Association, “Fire Loss in the United States”
** 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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