Jivamukti Yoga Liability Insurance
Guard Your Jivamukti Yoga Career with Unrivaled Liability Insurance
Jivamukti Yoga combines the physical aspects of Vinyasa Yoga with the ethical and spiritual aspects of the ancient yogic scriptures. Founders, Shannon Gannon and David life, developed the discipline in order to place the original yogic teachings in a contemporary context “without dumbing them down.”[i]
There are five fundamental tenets on which the foundation of Jivamukti Yoga rests:
- Ahimsa—signifies nonviolence and the philosophy that hurting another being is equivalent to hurting oneself; followers practice veganism or vegetarianism.
- Bhakti—refers to religious piety, viewing yoga as the path of systemized devotion that leads to self-realization.
- Dhyana—translates to meditation, and is one of the eight limbs of yoga, according to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra.
- Nada—concentrates on deep listening and chanting during yoga, approaching sound as a potential medium for spiritual enlightenment.
- Shastra—refers to scripture, centering on the study of ancient yogic texts[ii]
Jivamukti teachers believe that practicing the asana does more than merely improve the practitioner’s fitness; they believe it improves the practitioner’s relationship to all other beings, thereby leading to unity and enlightenment. The Jivamukti Yoga method is comprised of six different classes: Open Class, Basic Class, Spiritual Warrior, Beginner Vinyasa, Mediation and In-Class Private. Many of them utilize one uniform warm-up sequence, known as the Magic Ten.[iii]
Jivamukti Yoga Teacher Insurance
While yoga teachers make every effort to teach their students about body awareness & safe movement, accidents still happen. It is imperative that your yoga liability insurance provides the two most important kinds of coverage: professional and general liability.
Most Popular
Pro 1 Year
Just $0.49/Day
$179
Annual rate of $164.50
Pro 2 Year
Just $0.45/Day
$329
Save 66%
STUDENT 1 Year
One Time Only*
$60
*Student Policy Notice: to be eligible for the student policy, you must be currently enrolled in your first certification program. Pro tip: students can buy the $60 student insurance policy from NACAMS on the last day of their program, and that policy is good for the next 364 days, even if you are providing services full-time!
History of Jivamukti Yoga
Sharon Gannon and her partner, David Life, founded the Jivamukti Yoga method in 1984, only a year after their own meeting. They proceeded to travel to India and practice yoga under the legendary gurus, Swami Nirmalananda, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati. Gannon and Life, then, returned to New York to open the first Jivamukti Yoga Society.[iv]
The emphasis on extending nonviolence to all beings, including animals, is an element unique to the Jivamukti method. Gannon and Life accentuated the importance of this tenet in 1999, when they founded the Animal Mukti Free Spay & Neuter Clinic, the first free animal clinic in New York City. They further manifested their compassion for animals by establishing the Wild Woodstock Jivamukti Forest Sanctuary, in an effort to shelter flora and fauna in upstate New York.[v]
Among their many accomplishments, Gannon and Life are also the well-known authors of Jivamukti Yoga, Practices for Liberating Body & Soul, The Art of Yoga, and their latest book, Yoga Assists.
Health Benefits
The physical benefits of practicing Jivamukti Yoga are similar to other vigorous styles of yoga: improved circulation, strength, posture, flexibility, etc. More important, however, are the benefits resulting from the lifestyle changes associated with the discipline. People who practice the Jivamukti method are essentially practicing compassion and devotion; and as they strengthen the connection between their mind and body, they may also strengthen their connection to the earth. These lifestyle changes promote general happiness and wellbeing, and can thereby stimulate numerous health benefits.
Jivamukti Yoga Teacher Training
In order to attain the certification necessary to teach Jivamukti Yoga, instructors must complete one of the two extensive training programs:
- 300-Hour Teacher Training—month-long, residential training program taught by senior instructors; the curriculum covers the history and philosophy of yoga, the Sanskrit language and anatomy, along with practice teaching and a variety of exams.
- 800-Hour Mentorship—a continuation of the 300-hour certification, this program consists of 500 hours of combined apprenticeship and self-study.
NACAMS Liability Coverage Details
General Liability Insurance
This type of insurance, also known as “slip and fall” insurance, covers you if someone slips and suffers an injury. This type of accident can happen anytime, anywhere, and any business that allows a customer on the property is a candidate for such a claim.
Professional Liability Insurance
If a student claims you gave incorrect instructions or over-corrected a student’s posture in a pose – then professional aka malpractice insurance would protect you.
Professional liability insurance can save you thousands in medical and legal fees.
Liability risks yoga insurance can shield you from include:
Yoga teachers, no matter how long they have been teaching, may unintentionally cause harm or injury to clients. In such instances, they could be held accountable for professional negligence or malpractice. Professional and general liability insurance can help cover legal expenses and potential settlements in these situations.
There's a risk of clients slipping, tripping, or falling, which can result in injuries. Liability insurance offers general liability coverage to protect against legal and financial repercussions if a client is injured during such incidents while under your care
If a client suffers adverse effects from treatments or product recommendations, such as essential oils or incense. This coverage can help manage the legal and financial implications of such incidents.
If your personal information is compromised, leading to fraudulent activities or financial loss, this coverage provides financial assistance and support to restore your identity and mitigate damage
If a teacher's statements about a student is perceived as defamatory by a client, fellow student, or instructor, liability insurance can provide protection against potential legal claims.
Yoga Styles
In addition to the yoga teaching, NACAMS also provides protection for wellness practitioners who offer services like sound healing, massage therapy, yoga therapy, crystal healing and more. Explore all of our covered yoga disciplines.
Rated Excellent On Trustpilot
We are proud that NACAMS is rated a 4.6/5 (Excellent) on Truspilot. Read some of our reviews below!
It’s very easy to buy a protection policy online as a self-employee from NACAMS (covers 50 states). It’s so important to have one. You don’t know what will happen when you don’t have any protection for your jobs.
Ha Kim, Member Since 2025
Yoga Teacher State Requirements
Whether you're a seasoned teacher or just starting your journey, understanding your state's specific guidelines for yoga instruction and liability coverage is crucial. Currently there are no states that require yoga licensing. In terms of certification requirements, there are no universal standards meaning two certified teachers from separate YTTs can have different skill sets.
Our state-by-state insights break down everything in regards to insurance requirements & recommendations, helping you stay protected while focusing on what you love—teaching yoga.
Yoga Insurance FAQs
Do you have questions about yoga liability insurance in general? Or maybe questions about the coverages, details, and benefits offered by NACAMS yoga liability insurance? We’re here to help. Take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions.
With NACAMS, we use our expert knowledge and experience in the field to produce a one-of-a-kind yoga insurance program that blends great coverage with great rates. For only $179 per year you get the peace of mind of full coverage for general and professional liability, product liability, and many other additional protections. Let’s compare this low, annual rate to a potential, if not all too common, claim that could present itself.
During a difficult vinyasa, a student in your class pushes their body harder than they should and they tear a muscle. The torn muscle requires surgery and months of rehab. Because the student is a delivery driver, they are not able to do their job so have lost wages as well. The student decides to seek legal action against you for the full cost of the medical bills and their lost wages. With our insurance program, this professional liability event would be covered all the way up to $2 million and would cover both the claim costs and any legal defense costs you might need.
A really unique aspect of our program compared to other insurance carriers out there is that we choose to provide coverage for hundreds of different modalities, all included at no extra cost. Many programs only cover a limited few modalities then upcharge members if they want to add an additional covered service to their policy. We went the opposite route and covered the majority of popular services in use today because we know that the perfect asana often requires incorporating multiple techniques. Browse the more than 500 different yoga and wellness services we cover.
We know yoga instructors have a wide variety of choices for insurance today. When comparing your options, you need to remember this policy should be the best yoga insurance for you. Thinking of your unique situation, here’s a few key questions to look out for:
- Does the yoga teacher liability insurance program have adequate general and professional liability coverage limits?
- General and professional liability claims are by far the most common we help our members with. General liability (slip and fall) provides members with coverage for third party claims of injury or property damage. Professional liability (malpractice) provides coverage for claims relating to the services you provided to a client. Our yoga insurance provides $2 million for each occurrence and a $3 million annual aggregate.
- Does the yoga insurance program include any additional layers of protection?
- While general and professional liability coverage may cover the bulk of liabilities faced, without a few additional layers of protection, key areas could still present great risks to a professional. An identity protection plan is all included in our plans as part of an effective risk management strategy.
- Is my service covered under the program?
- One of the worst shocks you can experience is to think you are covered by your yoga insurance only for them to say that the unique services you provide aren’t actually covered under the policy. Our policies provide coverage for hundreds of different health and wellness services so members can focus on providing a great experience to their students rather than if a given service is covered or not.
Certainly. Students in yoga teacher training are unfortunately still opening themselves up to liability should an unforeseen event occur. While the possibility for this is less during your student training than as a professional, all it takes is one event to possibly sideline an entire career. We provide all of the same coverage limits, protections, and benefits of our professional policies to students at the discounted rate of only $60 a year. You could also potentially wait until you are nearly through with your program and then lock down coverage. That way, when you first enter the field you get to have full coverage and great benefits for a full year at the low students-only rate.
Definitely. In the yoga teacher liability insurance world, the concept of coverage following you is called “portability”. With our professional yoga insurance policy, members enjoy full portability. Even if you change your job or even move to another state, your yoga insurance policy will follow you as long as you still meet the requirements to perform services as issued by your new locale. Follow this link to find yoga insurance requirements by state.
Yes, this is definitely something we offer. Our benefits program is incredibly rich and we attract many that simply want to take advantage of the hundreds of dollars worth of perks. You can purchase a one-year benefits only plan which does not include insurance for just $39.
Indeed you can. Yoga is all about flow and flow requires flexibility in mind and in body. Whether you choose to guide students through their flows in a park, in your home gym, on a paddleboard, or anywhere in between, you will enjoy the full benefits of coverage under our yoga insurance program. If you decide one day that you want to start a yoga studio, you are still covered. Our yoga teacher liability insurance program includes full portability which means you get coverage no matter where you decide to provide services within all 50 states.
Only you can decide what is best for your situation but yoga insurance is an important, if not necessary, protection to anyone providing client-facing services. True, yoga is less stressful on the body than many other forms of exercise but a session can still be physically demanding which gives the possibility for injuries to occur.
Even offering your services at all opens you up to many forms of liability. A liability is something you have a legal responsibility to pay. If a client were ever injured during your session and files suit, the courts may decide you are responsible for paying for their costs. You can certainly decide to forego purchasing insurance but you will be gambling your personal finances and your career should an unforeseen event give rise to a claim.
A really important aspect of a yoga insurance program is whether it uses occurrence form coverage or claims made coverage. Occurrence form coverage says that it doesn’t matter if you file a claim after your policy expires for a claim event that happened during the time when the policy was active - the claim is still covered. Our yoga insurance program gives you a full two years after your policy has expired to report a claim.
For example, you provide a yoga class on 12/15 and then on 12/31 your yoga insurance policy expires. Months later, you get word that a student in your 12/15 class is filing a claim against you. With occurrence form coverage, you can still file a claim even though your policy has long-expired. Claims made coverage is the opposite - it says if the policy is expired, no claims will be covered even if the event occurred at a time when the policy was indeed active. Occurrence form coverage is employed in our yoga insurance policies and definitely the industry-preferred option.
Yoga liability insurance needs to provide an adequate level of coverage based on the risks inherent to the health and wellness industry. NACAMS is a recognized leader in yoga and alternative medicine and so designed our program to provide appropriate levels of coverage but still be affordable for our members. With that, we provide $2 million for each occurrence and $3 million in total for each policyholder per year in professional and general liability coverage. We also include $2 million in product liability coverage. We find these limits to be well suited for the industry.
Our policies comes with many different benefits included at no extra fee. Members get a free professional website, a monthly newsletter, free professional resources, and tons of member discounts on gear and accessories.