Being a music teacher might not seem like the riskiest job in the world, but it certainly isn’t without its potential problems. From instrument damage to illness or injury to the public or even to you or your employees, understanding the risks you could face while at work as a music teacher can help you better prepare and help avoid these types of claims where possible.
Damage To Your Student’s Instruments
As a music teacher, it’s likely that your students will bring their own instruments to your lessons. While this can be beneficial in helping you avoid having to buy and maintain a whole host of instruments yourself, it also adds a level of risk. Instruments are your student’s property and if you or your business activity damages them, they could be entitled to make a claim against your business. Instruments can be expensive and so having the right Music Teacher insurance cover in place can help you in the case of any costly compensation, protecting you financially.
Damage To Your Instruments
In some cases, it may be a necessity to use your own instruments to teach. A piano, for example, can’t easily be moved from place to place, so you may offer lessons on your own even when students have one at home. This does, however, put your instruments at risk. Students could spill food or drinks, drop instruments, trip and damage them or even damage them through improper use, and replacing or repairing these instruments can be costly. With the right policies, you can protect your business and claim for these costs to protect your finances.
Illnesses Caught At Your Premises
If you are sick, you may need to consider whether it’s safe to continue to give lessons. If your students were to fall ill as a result of their lessons and their lives are affected as a result (e.g. missed work), they could file a claim for compensation against you. Similarly, poor hygiene practices could lead to students passing illnesses between each other from lesson to lesson, so it’s crucial to make sure that you keep things clean and safe, particularly post-pandemic. Insurance can help protect you against claims, but prevention is always the best course of action.
Public Injury
Whether it’s your student or another member of the public, injuries caused by your business activity could result in a claim against you. They could trip over instrument cases left in walkways, be hurt by faulty equipment or even slip on spilt liquids that haven’t been cleaned up yet – when accepting students into your home or studio, you should make sure that an assessment is done as to the safety of the environment. Are there trip hazards around? Is everything clean and safe?
Employee Injury
Just like public injury, an employee becoming injured while working for you as a result of your business activity could lead to a claim. Every business that has employees needs to have a suitable Employer’s Liability Insurance policy in place to ensure the protection of those working for you. Injuries caused by trips and falls can be claimed for, and you should always have insurance in place to ensure you can pay out compensation and protect your finances in the meantime.
For more information about Music Teachers Insurance contact Ashburnham Insurance on FREEPHONE 0800 1696137.