Insurance Canopy insures over 12,000 coaches, fitness instructors, and other wellness professionals. We sat down with seven of them to talk about what they do, where they want to go, and why they trust Insurance Canopy with their fitness business liability insurance.
Meet the Instructors
From Pilates and dance to personal training and mobile fitness, Insurance Canopy’s exercise and fitness professionals each bring their own expertise, background, and perspective to the industry. Here’s a closer look at the people behind the policies.
Featured Instructors:
- Abby Botnick – Certified Classical Pilates Instructor, aerial arts instructor, B.H.A Drama, MA Entertainment Industry Management
- Brenda Osorno – Certified Pilates Instructor
- Jaboree Kiel – NASM-Certified Personal Trainer, ASFA-Certified Personal Trainer, NASM-Certified Nutrition Coach, American Red Cross Basic Life Support Instructor
- Kaitlyn Luzzi –Certified Personal Trainer, youth sports coach
- Shelby Kisgen – Peak Pilates®-Certified Instructor
Abby Botnick | Pilates, Dance, and Circus Arts | Florida
Abby is a full-time classical Pilates instructor who co-runs Squeeze Pilates in Palm Beach, Florida. She grew up in her mother’s Pilates studio in New Orleans and has an extensive background in dance, gymnastics, and circus arts.
She’s been teaching for over 10 years and now primarily teaches students 1:1, with her clientele ranging from teens to 95-year-olds. She credits Pilates for helping her stay injury-free throughout her career as both a performer and instructor.
What They Teach
- Pilates
- Aerial arts*
- Gymnastics
- Personal training
Why They Use Insurance Canopy
Abby chose Insurance Canopy because her mother and studio co-owner is also a policyholder and recommended us. She continues to use Insurance Canopy for its fair pricing, strong claims-handling reputation, low-maintenance policy management, and annual renewal reminders.
Abby values the ease, clarity, and multi-modality coverage we provide and also recommends us to the trainers she hires in her studio.
*While we currently don’t cover aerial arts instruction, Abby has stated she’d be happy to consolidate her multiple liability policies into one with Insurance Canopy should we ever offer circus arts protection in the future.
Find Abby at Squeeze Pilates or @aerial.abby on Instagram
Brenda Osorno | Pilates | Florida
Brenda Osorno is a part-time Pilates instructor and full-time animation and commercial producer based in Miami, Florida. After sharing Pilates content and building an audience on TikTok, she was encouraged to start teaching as well.
Brenda now teaches a few classes per week. While not looking to make Pilates her full-time career, she continues to teach because she loves it.
What They Teach
- Pilates
Why They Use Insurance Canopy
Like most fitness professionals, Brenda was required to have liability insurance to teach. But when she asked her studios, they didn’t have much info on where she could get that insurance. So she researched options online and chose Insurance Canopy because the process was easy and “straight to the point.”
As a business professional and not an insurance expert, Brenda wanted something that was simple to understand at a reasonable price that didn’t feel overly sales-y. She appreciates having a low-stress policy that covers her at each studio without her having to think about it.
For Brenda, Insurance Canopy has been the “easiest part of becoming an instructor.”
Find Brenda at @bbgirl_b on TikTok
Curtis Sykora is a personal trainer who provides online, in-person, and hybrid coaching to a growing roster of clients. He recently re-entered the personal training industry with a focus on strength and bodybuilding programming.
Outgoing and personable, Curtis gains new clients through networking, referrals, and visibility in the local bodybuilding community. He’s determined to build long-term credibility in the industry while retaining strong positive relationships with his clients.
What They Teach
- Bodybuilding and fitness competition coaching
- Personal training
- Online coaching
Why They Use Insurance Canopy
Curtis set out to get liability insurance to meet his gym’s compliance requirements. The gym referred him to Insurance Canopy, and he chose to purchase with us because he felt our policies were affordable, clear, and easy to set up.
Curtis values professional legitimacy and wants his clients and gym management to know he is responsible and prepared. He values clear communication without unnecessary spam and appreciates that Insurance Canopy feels human and supportive, rather than transactional.
Find Curtis at @curtsykora on Instagram
Jaboree Kiel | Mobile Fitness, Self-Defense, and Wellness Training
Jaboree is a veteran and certified personal trainer with over 13 years of fitness experience. He offers fitness, wellness, and nutrition services virtually and in person from his climate-controlled mobile gym built inside a fully equipped trailer.
He built his business based on a deeply personal mission centered on mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Jaboree removes accessibility barriers by delivering a full gym experience to his clients wherever they are.
What They Teach
- Personal training
- Wellness coaching
- Mobile training*
- Self defense*
Why They Use Insurance Canopy
Jaboree found Insurance Canopy through recommendations from his certification organizations. He ultimately chose us for his personal trainer insurance due to our straightforward coverage options and transparent pricing.
He appreciated that the process felt simple, with “no extra additives and upselling” often associated with insurance. As a mobile business, Jaboree also values coverage that can go where he goes without it becoming a second job to manage.
*Jaboree uses Insurance Canopy for his fitness and wellness instruction, and other providers for his commercial auto and trailer coverage. Only non-contact martial arts are covered by Insurance Canopy policies.
Kaitlyn Luzzi | Personal Trainer, Group Fitness, and Youth Sports Coach
Kaitlyn Luzzi is a personal trainer, group fitness instructor, and youth sports coach with over 10 years in the health and fitness industry. After years of training full-time, she now works part-time to balance her career with raising young children.
While technically part-time, Kaitlyn still works with individual clients, teaches group classes at the gym, and coaches girls’ lacrosse and field hockey.
What They Teach
- Personal training
- Group fitness
- Field hockey
- Lacrosse
Why They Use Insurance Canopy
Kaitlyn found Insurance Canopy through her own online research and chose us for our affordability, clarity, easy purchase process, and automatic renewal reminders. As someone juggling a complex schedule, she values having business insurance that’s simple.
She describes Insurance Canopy as “to the point” and appreciates the transparent, straightforward information we provide. Our reliable, easy-to-understand, and easy-to-manage coverage allows her to think less about insurance, so she can focus more on her clients and athletes.
Selma Bernard | Dance and Women’s Movement Workshops
Selma Bernard is a dance instructor originally from the Dominican Republic who moved to the United States a few years ago. A dancer and dance teacher in her home country, she now blends different kinds of dance to create “femme-style” classes designed as “safe spaces to move” for female students.
She currently leads one-time and limited-run classes and workshops, with plans to include more workshops, virtual classes, and a whole series of additional classes in 2026. For Selma, teaching is a creative expression and a pathway to greater confidence and professionalism.
What They Teach
- Dance
- Women-centered movement classes
Why They Use Insurance Canopy
Selma was required by her dance school to get liability insurance and chose Insurance Canopy based on recommendations, affordability, and the availability of monthly payment options.
She values clarity and simplicity, and appreciated the quick, straightforward insurance-buying process we provided. As a native Spanish speaker, Selma also appreciates Spanish language accessibility. Plus, her Insurance Canopy policy allows her to teach in multiple locations without needing to jump through additional hoops.
Find Selma at @angelina.selma on Instagram.
Shelby Kisgen | Pilates | Wyoming
Shelby Kisgen is a Peak Pilates®-certified instructor based in rural Wyoming. After years of personal practice, she decided to pursue teaching to share the benefits of Pilates with her community.
Shelby prefers a low-tech, community-centered approach to running her business. She aims to create a distraction-free, meditative studio environment where her clients can fully focus on themselves and their practice.
What They Teach
- Pilates
Why They Use Insurance Canopy
Shelby originally found Insurance Canopy on Reddit and appreciated the genuine community feedback on our policies before making a purchase. Ultimately, she chose Insurance Canopy for our clear, straightforward, and non-salesy coverage information.
She values coverage that feels clear, reliable, and grounded in real-world studio risks. Beyond the policy itself, Shelby also appreciates our practical resources, like the liability waiver templates and proof-of-insurance badges.
Find Shelby at solidrockwellness.net
What We Heard From Most Instructors
While our instructors teach a variety of disciplines across the country, they share similar philosophies and preferences regarding liability insurance.
- What happens if someone gets hurt? Regardless of discipline, injury is always a risk in sport and fitness industries, and trainers want liability insurance to protect themselves
- Employment requirement: For most trainers, liability insurance is a condition of employment, and gyms and studios won’t hire them without it
- Affordability: All our instructors cited our reasonable prices as a key selling point
- Ease and simplicity: The majority of our trainers have multiple roles/jobs and want insurance that’s easy to purchase and easy to manage, so it doesn’t take time away from their real work
- Trust and transparency: Our instructors feel most insurance companies are heavy on jargon and “pushy” sales tactics, and they appreciate our efforts at clarity and transparency in comparison
In short, our instructors value liability coverage that feels practical, affordable, and human. They appreciate reliable protection that requires little maintenance, so they can focus on teaching, growing their business, and serving their communities.
Helpful Resources for Fitness Pros
In short, our instructors value liability coverage that feels practical, affordable, and human. They appreciate reliable protection that requires little maintenance, so they can focus on teaching, growing their business, and serving their communities.
- Creating fitness business plans
- Fitness liability waivers (+free downloadable template)
- What Personal Trainers Need to Know About Giving Diet Advice
FAQs About Fitness and Wellness Instructors Who Use Insurance Canopy
Who Does Insurance Canopy Cover?
Insurance Canopy covers a variety of health, wellness, fitness, and sports professionals, including:
- Dance teachers
- Personal trainers
- Pilates instructors
- Sports coaches
- Sport referees and umpires
- Yoga teachers
- Youth coaches
- Water aerobics instructors (shallow water only)
See our full list of covered (and excluded) modalities.
Does Insurance Canopy Cover Instructors Who Teach Online or at Multiple Locations?
Yes. Insurance Canopy sports and fitness policies follow you wherever you teach, whether that’s in multiple gyms, outdoor spaces, online, or all of the above.
What Is the Difference Between General Liability and Professional Liability Insurance for Fitness Instructors?
The main difference between general and professional liability insurance is their scope of coverage, or the circumstances where they apply.
General liability insurance covers incidents such as trips, falls, or other accidents related to your regular business activities. Professional liability is for injuries or harm caused by your instructions, advice, or negligence.
Will Insurance Defend Me if a Client Sues, Even if the Claim Is Baseless or Exaggerated?
It depends on the specific claim, but in most cases, yes. Your fitness liability insurance will pay for your defense costs if you are found not at fault for the incident in question. However, the details and maximum amounts it’ll pay depend on your policy limits, exclusions, and other rules.
