Leading events or running health and wellbeing retreats can be a powerful way to engage new clients, build your brand and reputation and create deeper impact amongst your client community.
But what would you do if something went wrong? What if a client injures themselves during one of your classes, you get a last-minute cancellation or perhaps there’s damage to the venue you’ve worked hard to find and secure.
If any of these things happen, it could be that you and your business are held responsible. Getting the right insurance is a key element of running an event professionally, it’s not just a ‘nice to have’.
Why the right insurance for events and retreats matters
Running a retreat or event can often involve higher risks than working one to one in a clinic. You might find yourself in unfamiliar venues, working with larger or unknown groups, or offering activities that are new to your clients.
The right insurance helps protect you if something goes wrong, supports your professional reputation and can give both you and your participants greater peace of mind.
What should I do first?
You need to start by being really clear about what you and your event will offer, because your insurer will want to know;
- the type of activities you’ll be offering; yoga, Pilates, breathwork, cold‑water immersion, hiking, massage, coaching, nutrition workshops
- who will be attending (public, corporate clients, families, any vulnerable groups)
- where it’ll take place (studio, hotel, outdoor space, even online)
- and who is involved (employees, freelancers, volunteers, third‑party providers).
What kinds of insurance should I consider for my events?
Public Liability Insurance for events and retreats
Public Liability Insurance for events and retreats
Public liability insurance is generally the first essential cover for health and wellbeing events and can protect you if:
- A participant or member of the public is injured (e.g. trip, slip, fall)
- Someone’s property is damaged during your event
- A claim is made that your event caused loss or injury.
Venues often require proof of public liability insurance before they will confirm your booking.
Professional indemnity insurance for wellbeing practitioners
If you give any form of advice, instruction or treatment, professional indemnity insurance is important.
It can help protect you from claims that allege:
- You gave incorrect or negligent advice
- Your guidance or treatment caused harm or financial loss
- A client relied on your professional expertise but suffered as a result.
This is especially relevant for:
- Yoga and Pilates teachers
- Coaches, therapists and counsellors
- Nutrition and lifestyle practitioners
- Mindfulness and meditation leaders.
For retreats, it’s important you check your professional indemnity policy extends to working away from your usual premises and to any higher risk activities you run.
Event cancellation and disruption insurance
Health and wellbeing events and retreats can involve significant upfront costs; venue hire, catering, travel, marketing and more. Event cancellation insurance can help protect that spend if things don’t go to plan.
Depending on the policy, it may cover:
- Cancellation or postponement due to reasons beyond your control (e.g. venue issues, extreme weather – all subject to policy terms)
- Unavoidable reduced attendance
- Additional expenses to rearrange or move the event.
Check your policy wording carefully for:
- What causes of cancellation are included or excluded
- Any specific conditions around communicable diseases, strikes or travel disruption.
Equipment insurance for retreats and workshops
If you use specialist equipment, property or equipment insurance can help if your kit is lost, stolen or damaged.
You might need cover for:
- Yoga mats, bolsters and blocks
- Sound equipment and microphones
- AV kit, lighting and projectors
- Massage tables or therapy equipment.
Also look for cover that includes:
- Items at your usual premises
- Items in transit and at temporary venues
- Appropriate single item limits for your more valuable kit.
What about insurance if I’m running retreats abroad?
If you run retreats abroad, think about travel related risks as well as UK based cover.
You might want to think about:
- Business travel insurance for you and any staff or volunteers
- Emergency medical cover for you as the organiser
- Clear guidance for participants on their own travel and medical insurance.
Check the local requirements in your retreat destination, and whether your UK policies extend to activities outside the UK.
Standard Tour Operators Liability Insurance
If you organise residential retreats or packages that combine travel, accommodation and activities for paying clients, you may also need to consider a Standard Tour Operators Liability Insurance Policy.
This is designed for businesses that act as a tour operator or travel organiser, and can cover your legal liability if a client suffers injury, illness, loss or damage arising from the package you have arranged, for example, issues with accommodation, transport or contracted suppliers.
It can also provide cover to certain failures in the services promised as part of the package. This area is complex and often linked to specific regulations, so it’s important to discuss your model with a specialist adviser to ensure you are insured appropriately.
Other insurances to think about
Depending on how you run your event or retreat, you might also want to consider:
- Employer’s liability insurance if you have employees, assistants or volunteers working for you in the UK.
- Business contents or clinic insurance for furniture, fixtures and office equipment at your usual premises.
- Cyber and data insurance if you take bookings and payments online or store sensitive client information.
- Personal accident cover for you or key people involved in delivering the retreat or event.
Not every practitioner will need every type of cover, so it can help to discuss your specific plans with a specialist insurance broker like Balens.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for general information only and is based on our understanding of the UK insurance market at the time of writing. It does not constitute insurance, financial, legal or professional advice and does not take into account your individual circumstances. Any examples are for illustration only and do not indicate how any particular policy will respond in the event of a claim. Insurance cover is always subject to the specific terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy wording. You should speak to a suitably qualified adviser or broker before making decisions about insurance for your own events or retreats.
FP26252 July 2026