Will Health Insurance Cover a Personal Trainer? | Exercise.com Learn: Your Fitness Business Resource

Will Health Insurance Cover a Personal Trainer?

Tyler Spraul is the director of UX and the head trainer for Exercise.com. He has his Bachelor of Science degree in pre-medicine and is an NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist. He is a former All-American soccer player and still coaches soccer today. In his free time, he enjoys reading, learning, and living the dad life. He has been featured in Shape, Healthline, HuffPost, Women's...

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UPDATED: Aug 25, 2020

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Get the Basics...
  • Health insurance benefits vary by company and policy, but typically, to have sessions covered, you’ll need to prove that a personal trainer is medically necessary.
  • Some insurance companies will provide reimbursement for personal training sessions.
  • You may have an allowance to pay for a certain number of personal training sessions annually.

It is no secret that the benefits of seeing a personal trainer are amazing. For the good of your wellness and your overall health, a balanced diet and a personal trainer combo are ideal. A personal trainer is going to tailor everything to you, your fitness goals, and your ailments.

The biggest detractor that people usually have regarding seeing a personal trainer, though, has to do with cost. Will your health insurance help in this area?

If the personal trainer is deemed medically necessary by a physician, some coverage may exist.

Finding the right balance between benefits and price can be tricky.

What they are going to offer you regarding coverages and the premium that you pay, is all going to vary from one to the next. Whether a health insurance policy will help pay for personal training will also vary widely.

Take your health into your own hands and go PRO today for access to certified personal trainers, workout plans, goal trackers, and more!

Every Insurance Carrier is Different

Health insurance carriers are in the market for business. One of the ways that they achieve business is through differentiation. Some may play strictly for the lowest price point, trying to win over the business in that way.

Those that differentiate from one to another, though, are going to be the carriers that offer up unique coverage types. Personal training coverage is going to fall under this unique coverage area. Not all health insurance carriers are going to allow you to have coverage for the sessions you take, but some will.

The important thing to note here is that, as a consumer, the power is in your hands. You can shop the market when you are buying a health insurance policy. If you are already covered, get some details on your policy. You may be surprised to find out that the policy you have now covers more (like personal training) than you thought it would.

What Coverage May Apply

When you have a health insurance policy that covers personal training, it usually does so via an allowance. The way that this is going to work is that the policy will allow you to be reimbursed up to a certain amount annually for the sessions that you sign up for. The allowance can also usually work for a gym membership.

Let us use the example of a health insurance policy that will reimburse you up to $120 per year for a gym or personal training sessions. What this means is that providing evidence to your insurance carrier, you will get a $120 check back for taking sessions with a trainer or paying a gym membership.

Other health insurance policies may provide you with an allowance of sessions they will cover annually, up to a maximum dollar amount. You could get coverage for up to 10 sessions or $500, meaning if the session is more than $50 each, you are going to be responsible to pay for the extra cost yourself.

Personal Trainer Payment Methods

Just like with a gym, you cannot pay a personal trainer with a health insurance card. Everything that you pay a personal trainer will come out of your pocket first. After that, you will be able to seek the aforementioned reimbursement options from your actual health insurance carrier.

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Figure Out the Coverage Early

You want to do your homework early on so that you have an understanding of what coverages you will receive. The last thing that you want to do is start personal training sessions thinking that they will be reimbursed by your health insurance carrier, only to find out after that they are not. This misconception can leave you spending more out-of-pocket money than you originally anticipated.

Have a firm grasp of the details of your health insurance policy so that you are not surprised in the end. You may get the training workout you need and be reimbursed for it!

Health insurance is a way to help reduce fitness costs and let you get all of the benefits with less money coming directly from you. If what you have now does not provide the coverage you seek, seek an alternative that can better meet your coverage needs. As a consumer, you have the power to shop the insurance market. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How many days a week should I work out?

A minimum of three days a week is recommended.

Can I work out twice in one day?

You can, however, it important that you do not overtrain and injure yourself. If you plan on tackling two-a-days, it is imperative that you program rest days into your routine.

Can I exercise if I am sore?

If you are mildy sore, it is okay to exercise. However, if your muscles are very sore, either take a rest day or train the unaffected body parts.

You also have the power to access certified personal trainers, workout plans, and more when you go PRO. Go PRO today for access to an array of benefits so that you can get more out of your workouts!

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