How 24 Hour Gyms Differ When It Comes to Insurance

When you own or manage a gym, you know that you need liability insurance at a bare minimum. A 24-hour gym also needs insurance but faces additional challenges. You probably opened a 24-hour gym to attract more customers and accommodate your customer base that doesn't work a traditional schedule. 

You weighed the pros and cons and decided that you could grow your business and increase your revenue by opening around the clock. If your gym is like most other 24-hour operations in the business, you don't keep the gym staffed in the wee hours. Your customers access the gym with a special key or code. 

Without an attendant on duty at all times when there are customers in the building, most insurance companies are hesitant to offer you liability insurance. You might find it hard to convince an insurance company to cover your business, and when you do, there are conditions.

Require a Liability Waiver from Each Member

When there isn't an attendant available, you're relying on your members to act responsibly both with equipment and their personal safety. Most of your gym members will arrive, use the equipment the correct way, and leave. 

However, the insurance companies worry about the members that don't behave themselves or take needless risks. For this reason, if you find an insurance company willing to cover your 24-hour gym, they might require a liability waiver from each of your gym members.

A liability form is a simple legal document that states that a gym member won't hold the gym or its insurance company liable if anything happens to them while they're in the building or using the equipment. It's standard for most gyms, anyway. 

Since your gym is open 24 hours a day, and some of that time, there isn't an attendant on duty, you're going to need to add a statement to the liability waiver. It needs to state that the member understands that there are times when there aren't any staff members on-site and that they're entering the gym and using the equipment at their own risk. 

Of course, insurance companies understand, and you need to as well, that a liability waiver doesn't always stop a member from trying to sue you for an injury or other issue. This means that you need to make sure that your equipment is well-maintained and upgraded as needed. 

You also need to ensure the safety of gym members when they're in your building from outside forces. This might include frequently changing the code to the door lock or devising a method of assuring the return of keys when a member quits. 

Post the Safety Procedures

As a gym owner or manager, safety is one of your biggest concerns. From using equipment to a break-in when a staff member isn't on duty, safety needs to be a priority and can help minimize your liability risk. 

In order to ensure that all of your staff members and gym members understand the safety procedures, the insurance company might require you to post them in a highly visible location. This is a good idea even if the insurance company doesn't require it. 

Some things to include in the safety procedures are:

• Reminder to always wear the right type of clothing while working out

• Reminder to stretch before and after engaging in exercise

• Reminder to warm up properly before exercise to avoid injury or muscle cramps

• During non-staffed hours, members need to limit their max load to 75 percent to avoid injuries

• Members should not attempt new moves or workout routines without staff present

• Members should not work out on equipment they've never used before when staff isn't present

• Remind them to be considerate of other members working out at the same time

• Leave space between yourself and other members so everyone has enough room to exercise safely. 

• Clean and return all the equipment back to its appropriate rack

• When entering and exiting the gym, make sure the door is closed and locked properly

• Keep your cell phone with you at all times in case there's an emergency

• Refer to the Emergency Response Guide, if there's an emergency

Some of this information is common sense, but it's essential to provide it to limit your liability in the case of an accident or other event.

Post the Emergency Response Guide

When an emergency occurs, things become panicked, and someone might need to focus on what needs to be done. An Emergency Response Guide can help them do this. 

An Emergency Response Guide needs to cover a few of the most likely emergencies that staff and members might face with quick actions to take. It doesn't need to be a detailed guide. The guide should hit the highlights and use bullet points for the actions that the person needs to take. 

Your insurance company might require you to post this guide, but it's a good idea to post even if they don't. In an actual emergency, the guide can make a real difference and help people make smarter choices. 

Some things to include and actions to take on the guide are:

1. Fire:

• Stay close to the ground to avoid smoke
• Fire extinguisher located under the front desk (or wherever you store the one in your gym). Use it if possible
• Leave building immediately
• Dial 911

2. Severe Weather:

• Close the doors
• Shut off the lights
• Go to the bathrooms and shelter in place
• Remain there until the weather passes

3. Emergency Situation:

• Call 911
• Provide the operator with essential information
  • Who
  • What
  • Where
  • Why
  • How
• In a medical situation, use the first aid kit located (place the location of the first aid kit)

4. Violent Situation:

• Find a space place
• Call 911
• Keep as much distance between yourself and the threat as is possible
• Place obstacles between yourself and the threat to slow any advances
• Find an exit
• If you need to act, be aggressive and committed to the action

It's a good idea to place this in any easy-to-see location.

When you run a 24-hour gym, you might need to take a few extra steps to qualify for liability insurance. At Nexo Fitness Solutions, we understand your struggle and can help.