Personal Accident Insurance - How Much Cover Do I Need?

If an accident leaves you unable to train clients for a period, you may find it difficult to cover your bills while you recover. Personal Accident insurance is there to help provide financial support in the event of injuries or loss of earnings. 

Different coaches and personal trainers may need different amounts of cover. In this guide, we’ll help you understand how much cover may be appropriate for your circumstances. We’ll also explain what Personal Accident insurance typically includes. 

What is Personal Accident insurance? 

Personal Accident insurance can cover you financially if have an accident and suffer an injury while doing your chosen sport or activity. For example, it might pay a set amount for a broken bone or help replace your income while you cannot work. What is covered depends on the sport you were doing and your chosen cover level. 

This is different from Public Liability insurance. Personal Accident cover is for your own injury, whereas Public Liability cover can help if someone else claims you injured them or damaged their property. You do not necessarily need another person to be at fault to make a Personal Accident claim.  

Personal Accident insurance is generally optional. If you rely on your physical ability to work, consider what income and support you would have if an accident kept you away from that.  

What can Personal Accident insurance cover? 

You will typically be able to select cover for: 

• Accidental death: A payment to your estate or beneficiary if you die as the result of a covered accident. Check the amount and any age limits. 
• Permanent disability or loss of a limb or sight: A one-off payment for an injury listed in the policy. The amount depends on the particular injury and the cover you chose. 
• Broken bones: A set payment for a fracture listed in the policy, usually after you provide medical evidence. 
• Time in hospital: A daily payment if you stay in hospital for longer than the minimum period set out in your policy, up to a maximum number of days. 
• Physiotherapy or emergency dental treatment: Help with these costs if included. Check the maximum payment and whether you need approval before treatment. 
• Lost earnings: A weekly payment if a covered accident prevents you from working. This may be an optional extra. Check how long you must be off work before payments start, how much you could receive and when payments stop. 

A policy will not necessarily include all these payments. Check which options are included, the sports covered and how much you could receive for each type of injury or loss. 

At Insure4Sport, your choices and covered sports are listed in your policy schedule, the document that summarises your cover. The insurance booklet explains when each payment can be made. 

How do Personal Accident cover levels work? 

A policy might offer one amount for a severe permanent injury and separate, smaller amounts for a broken bone, treatment or time in hospital. Choosing a higher amount for one part of your cover does not automatically increase the others. 

If you want cover for lost earnings, compare the weekly amount with what you normally earn and spend. Check how long you would need to be unable to work before payments start, how long they could continue and whether they are capped at a proportion of your income. 

There is no right amount for every PT or coach. Think about your savings, any sick pay, the work you do and how long you could manage without training clients. Compare the payments for each type of injury, rather than focusing only on the biggest number in a quote. 

At Insure4Sport, the amount for each type of payment is shown on your quote and policy schedule. Lost earnings cover is optional, and the insurance booklet explains how it works. 

Real claims, real lessons 

Even a routine session or a familiar activity can sometimes lead to an injury that keeps you from working. 

That doesn't mean you should expect to get hurt or avoid the activities you enjoy. Warming up properly, using the right equipment and knowing your limits can all help reduce the risk of injury, and the right cover can help if something does go wrong. 

The following real Insure4Sport case studies show how injuries can affect your income and the role Personal Accident insurance plays. 

A broken ankle playing football 

A policyholder broke their ankle playing football. Their Personal Accident cover was £25,000, but the claim was reserved at around £50,000, reflecting the likely full value of the injury once hospital stays and other benefits were taken into account. Personal Accident cover pays out up to the limit you choose, so a policy that looks reasonable on paper can still fall short when it's needed. 

A knee injury on the slopes 

While skiing, a policyholder's ski caught in the snow mid-turn, rupturing their ACL and leaving them unable to work for a period. The claim reached several thousand pounds. It shows how an injury in one activity can affect your ability to earn from another, which is where lost earnings cover can help. 

Why do Personal Accident cover limits matter? 

For a self-employed PT or coach, even a short break from work can mean cancelled sessions and less income. A payment for a permanent injury and a weekly payment while you recover serve different needs, so compare them separately. 

Ask what each part of the policy would actually pay: a set amount for an injury, a share of the amount you chose, treatment costs or a weekly sum. Also check what is not covered, whether you must pay any costs yourself and how long payments can last. 

For more on injuries and time away from work, see the Insure4Sport Claims Index. Our claims process guide explains what happens after an incident is reported. 

Personal Accident insurance FAQs 

Is Personal Accident insurance a legal requirement? 

Personal Accident insurance is generally not a legal requirement for sports coaches or personal trainers. A contract, venue or governing body may still set insurance requirements. If you are self-employed, consider what financial support you would have if an accident prevented you from working. 

What is not covered? 

What is not covered varies by policy. Check the rules on existing medical conditions, illness as opposed to accidental injury, sports not listed on your policy, alcohol or drugs, and treatments that need approval. Also check when and where the cover applies in the insurance booklet. 

How is a payout calculated? 

It depends on what you are claiming for. A broken bone may have a set payment, a more serious permanent injury may pay a share of the amount you chose, and lost earnings may be paid weekly for a limited time. Check your policy schedule for the amounts and the insurance booklet for the rules. 

Can I claim on Personal Accident and Public Liability insurance for the same incident? 

Possibly. Personal Accident insurance may help with your own injury, while Public Liability insurance may help if someone else makes a claim against you after the same incident. Each claim is checked against its own policy. 

Am I covered if I am injured outside a coaching session? 

It depends on your policy. Some policies only apply while you coach or take part in the sports you listed, while others also cover you at other times. Travel may or may not be included. Check when and where your cover applies. 

Personal Accident cover by Insure4Sport 

At Insure4Sport, Personal Accident cover can help support you financially if an accident leaves you injured or unable to work. The amount you could receive depends on the options you choose, so compare any weekly lost earnings payment with the one-off payments for injuries to find the balance that suits you. 

If you already have a policy, check your policy schedule and the insurance booklet to see what's included. If you're looking for cover, get a quote for sports insurance. To compare how the two types of cover work, read our guide to Public Liability insurance.