Starting a New Kung Fu School

[Zhang Yong Chun]

To those of you with your own commercial schools, regardless of content, how are you dealing with the insurance issues?

Do you screen or make note of any previous medical histories?

What will happen to your studio (and your house!) if someone is injured in your class or at your gym?

I'm sure in this respect the McDojos of the world have it all over the Sifu training students out of the garage; in this day and age, ignoring the legal consequences of what you do can only invite a world of trouble.

[MasterKiller]

I use karateinsurance.com.

I make students sign a waiver and I carry a personal liability policy on myself through my own insurance company.

I'm sure a good lawyer could find his way around all that if he wanted to, but no one in my classes has ever been hurt badly enough to miss more than a class or two anyway (except me, that is :p).

[couch]

I have a small group meet at my house.

I keep it small and personal. If I don't like someone, they're gone...that way I have good natured people around at all times. Also, I think it's the way you advertise yourself and your group. I only want fanatics around. No "social butterflies" or "weekend warriors" ...just people who care enough to go home and practice what was shown.

That's the way I handle it.

[sanjuro_ronin]

I like the DBMA mode of thinking, if you can't do it without suing, just watch.
Doesn't work for classes and comercial stuff, but has worked well for them so far.
*knock on wood*

[Zhang Yong Chun]

I have a small group meet at my house.

I keep it small and personal. If I don't like someone, they're gone...that way I have good natured people around at all times. Also, I think it's the way you advertise yourself and your group. I only want fanatics around. No "social butterflies" or "weekend warriors" ...just people who care enough to go home and practice what was shown.

That's the way I handle it.

Yes, I think a lot of folks do it this way, especially those who have a particular vision of how to train and how to share or pass down their art. This may actually be one of the best ways to learn and teach.

These days, I'm thinking of targeting novices who never thought of martial arts before, especially people with preexisting medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, so the concern for and need of insurance of some kind is high.

[xcakid]

What will happen to your studio (and your house!) if someone is injured in your class or at your gym?

.


For a commercial school, it should be structured as an LLC. NOT a dBa or Corp or Sole Proprietorship. That way you seperate it from your personal holdings. You should also have seperate banks for personal and business..

[TenTigers]

we have them sign a liability waiver, fill out a complete application including medical history,any treatment for psych disorders, medications, etc, plus we take a picture of them when they come in, get their address, their parent's address, where their kids to to school, and then we introduce them to Mr. Blonde.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=sn0My-cis_Q
(it is not neccesary to watch this clip....)
Seriously, waivers are not worth the paper they're printed on. (have them sign them anyway. Most people do not know this and will not pursue the matter) Make sure your corp and you are not linked as Xackid sez, also screen your students better. Make sure that they know from square one, that what you are teaching is a contact activity, and the risks that are involved.

[sanjuro_ronin]

we have them sign a liability waiver, fill out a complete application including medical history,any treatment for psych disorders, medications, etc, plus we take a picture of them when they come in, get their address, their parent's address, where their kids to to school, and then we introduce them to Mr. Blonde.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=sn0My-cis_Q
(it is not neccesary to watch this clip....)
Seriously, waivers are not worth the paper they're printed on. (have them sign them anyway. Most people do not know this and will not pursue the matter) Make sure your corp and you are not linked as Xackid sez, also screen your students better. Make sure that they know from square one, that what you are teaching is a contact activity, and the risks that are involved.

You can always hook up with Joe and Tony's insurance, no one will ever sue you, ever !

[cjurakpt]

we have them fill out a complete application including medical history,any treatment for psych disorders

if they don't have any, do you still let them join? :D

[TenTigers]

Absolutely Not!
I have my reputation to consider.

[cjurakpt]

Absolutely Not!
I have my reputation to consider.

Well said! Stout yeoman! Salt of the earth! Backbone of Huntington!