Liability Insurance for Music Teachers, Simplified
Understanding liability insurance can be intimidating. It’s a bit like handing your brand-new student the sheet music for Liszt’s “La Campanella” and asking them to sight-read it when they haven’t even learned where middle C is.
That’s why we put together this resource to help you navigate the world of liability insurance — so you can feel confident you’re choosing the perfect policy for your business.
Liability Insurance for Music Teachers: What Is It and What Does It Cover?
Tired of trying to understand insurance jargon? Us too.
Check out this simple explainer on what music teacher insurance includes and how it can safeguard the future of your teaching business.

General Liability Coverage
General Liability Insurance is a must for every music teacher. It protects your business and finances from third-party bodily injury or property damage claims. And it covers you anywhere you teach.
For example, if one of your clarinet students trips over a pile of sheet music at your house, injures themselves, and sues you to pay their medical bills, your general liability policy could cover that claim.
Or, if you were over at their house for the lesson and accidentally scraped their hardwood floor with your music stand, general liability insurance could help cover the cost of repairing the damaged wood.

Professional Liability Coverage (aka Errors and Omissions)
If one of your students claims you gave them lousy instruction or failed to perform your services as a music teacher, Professional Liability Insurance (otherwise known as Errors and Omissions or E&O insurance) could help pay the cost if they sue you.
Suppose you were tutoring a piano student who wanted to attend a private music college. You said you could help them prepare for the entrance exam and get into the school, but when they get rejected, they sue you for poor instruction. Your professional liability insurance could respond to this claim.

Products-Completed Operations Coverage
Products-Completed Operations can cover claims that arise from any injuries or damages caused by your services.
For example, if you advise one of your students to practice playing guitar for two hours every day and they develop a wrist injury and sue you for it, this coverage could help pay the cost of that claim.

Personal and Advertising Injury
If you get sued for things like false advertising, libel, or slander, Personal and Advertising Injury coverage can respond to the claim.
Imagine you were hired as an independent contractor by a private music school and had a terrible experience working for them. You write about your negative experience online and the school finds out. They decide to sue you for slander.
Personal and advertising injury insurance could help cover attorney or settlement fees.

Damage to Premises Rented to You (aka Fire Legal Liability)
This coverage is essential if you rent a space to teach music lessons. During the first seven (7) days, it can help cover the cost if you accidentally damage the property or equipment and furnishings of the landlord. This can be helpful if you need to make changes or do construction in the space to get it ready for lessons and damage something by accident.
After the first seven days, Damage to Premises Rented continues to protect you from third-party claims that you damaged a space you’re renting, but usually only in cases that a fire you caused damaged the space.

Medical Expense Limit
The Medical Expense Limit is no-fault coverage that can cover medical expenses incurred by someone injured on your premises or as a result of something you did.
Regardless of whether you’re at fault, this expense pays out because it’s designed to cover minor medical expenses quickly and efficiently, without legal proceedings or in-depth investigations.
Optional Add-Ons for Music Teacher Liability Insurance
With Insurance Canopy, you can customize your music teacher insurance coverage.
No two students are exactly alike — you may have to cater your approach to teaching each one. Well, the same is true for insurance policies! The coverage you need could differ from that of another music teacher, so we make it super easy to personalize your policy with these optional add-ons.
Equipment and Instrument (Inland Marine)
Instruments aren’t cheap! If your students use your instruments or you are constantly transporting them to schools or students’ homes, there’s a chance they’ll get damaged or stolen.
For example, if one of your students accidentally drops your violin on the ground and breaks it, you could receive coverage from Equipment and Instrument Insurance without canceling other lessons while you purchase a replacement.
Data Breach Protection (Cyber Liability)
Did you know that 73% of U.S. small business owners were victims of cyberattacks in 2023?
Unfortunately, data breaches are par for the course these days. If you store any sensitive data about your business on computers or other tech, like your students’ payment information, you’re vulnerable to data theft, hackers, and other cyber crimes.
If you suffer a data breach resulting in stolen credit card numbers, your clients could sue you for damages. The good news is that Cyber Liability Insurance can help pay for legal fees or recovering lost data, so this unfortunate situation doesn’t seriously harm your finances or reputation as a music teacher.
Additional Insureds
If you rent a music studio to teach lessons or are giving a master class at a concert hall, your landlord or the venue might ask you to add them to your policy as an Additional Insured. They want protection from your liability, so if you make a mistake and they are named in a suit alongside you, your insurance policy will cover it instead of theirs.
With Insurance Canopy, you can add an unlimited number of additional insureds to your policy for free. You can add them during the checkout process or at any time afterward from the convenience of your user dashboard.
Higher Limits (Excess Limits)
If you need higher limits than the music teacher insurance policy provides, don’t fret! Just give us a call at 844.520.6993 and one of our licensed insurance agents can assist you.
Why Choose Insurance Canopy?
At Insurance Canopy, we make protecting your livelihood easy and affordable with a painless online application and competitive rates. That means you get A+ rated coverage that doesn’t break the bank.
With our liability insurance for music teachers, you get the following coverages in your base policy:
Plus, you can add more protection, like data breach coverage, instrument and equipment coverage or easily add additional insureds to your policy.
Our customizable policies are designed to protect a variety of music instructors, from those who teach out of their homes to substitute teachers. You don’t need to be part of an association to qualify for coverage — just fill out our 10-minute application and get access to your Certificate of Insurance (COI) instantly.
You're In Good Company With Insurance Canopy
Over 75,000 professionals, including music teachers, trust Insurance Canopy for their liability insurance. Check out what they have to say about us!
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TLJ's Mobile Mixology, LLC had been insured with Insurance Canopy since it's inception and we have no complaints.
Tenisha J.
February 4, 2025Knowledgeable, kind, attentive and professional. She helped me to feel comfortable, well taken good care of and get the service possible.
Ed Levitt
February 3, 2025As a Massage Therapist, I was not aware until a few years ago that I did not have to be part of an Organization to get my liability insurance! I... Read More am so thankful for Canopy and to not have a shared aggregate limit with thousands of other massage therapists. Individual coverage is EXTREMELY important to Me and this coverage is very affordable!
Kristie Williams
January 30, 2025 -
This insurance has helped me secure events with my corporate and local government clients. They have great customer service and are always willing to help.
Tony Felix
January 23, 2025Representative was clear & concise in explaining specifics of the policy. Cost of policy very reasonable.
John B
January 16, 2025I’m very happy with my purchase of liability insurance for a one-off event. I was even able to edit the policy after it had been issued with the help of... Read More their representative. Everything was painless and reasonably priced.
jay gedeon
January 6, 2025 -
Super easy to use and great service; I had a little error from my part and needed to correct it customer service was super helpful they guided me through the... Read More phone step by step to solve it. I definitely will be back n the future. Thank you
Ana Zavala
January 6, 2025I needed some liability insurance for my business. The team at Insurance Canopy had great recommendations and the insurance was reasonable for the coverage. Web site and process... Read More were really easy to use.
Susan Tedesco
January 6, 2025Great coverage, excellent price, terrific customer service. I checked out a lot of different carriers and they had the best reputation and coverage. Since most venues require insurance, it was... Read More a good thing to have!
Steve Bryant
January 6, 2025 -
Was waiting for two other insurance companies to get back to me for over 2 1/2 weeks and losing money every day. Sitting here, frustrated I asked ChatGPT what... Read More the best company was for getting Energy auditing insurance. I went to insurance canopy and literally within five minutes I had a policy sitting in my inbox. Today I’ve scheduled three Energy Audits, which I desperately needed to pay off some bills. I was able to sign up for a program because now I meet the insurance requirements. This company really paid off for me and at $40 a month, I will keep using them as long as I do Energy Audits. I’m a real person my name is Chad Laibly and my company is Home Energy Assessors. You can verify that by googling it.
Chad Laibly
January 6, 2025Great and affordable insurance
Peter DAntoni
December 6, 2024Being a caricaturist, I never understood why I needed liability insurance, but it got to that point where I was missing opportunities because of it. So, I researched a bit... Read More and found that Insurance Canopy fit the bill. They were affordable, and they make it very easy to add venues, print certificates, and send verifications to vendors. So now, if someone loses a limb from a papercut, I'm covered! Thanks Insurance Canopy!
Paul McNeilly
November 12, 2024 -
I’m just saying that is easy to get the vendors insurance with this company
Silvia Delgado
November 6, 2024Definitely a great asset to my business, I have never had a problem getting what I need from IC. Good communication skills, always get help from the agents, attenuative on... Read More the phone. They provide peace of mind, that is priceless! Easy renewal process, easy COI's and painless, I don't have to worry about a thing. Thank you IC! @djrames_miami
Robert Avila
November 6, 2024Your site was extremely easy to use, I was able to get my event insured for what the event planners wanted. The price was so affordable. Even chatting... Read More with your on site chat room was easy and helpful. Most definitely will use your company again for our next events! Thank you
Rebecca Ruby
November 6, 2024 -
Quick easy sign-up convince is great
Vincent Davanzo
November 6, 2024Great to work with. Always available for assistance.
Two Pour Girls Bartending
November 6, 2024Best customer service I have ever had in regards to insurance.
Edward Findley
November 5, 2024 -
Super easy and convenient. Just renewed, thanks.
Wendy Berg
November 3, 2024Great to work with. Always available for assistance.
Courtney Araneo
November 3, 2024This is only the second year I have had this insurance. Haven't had to use it. But it's nice to know i have it. The price is great too
Vickie Sundgren
November 3, 2024 -
Canopy insurance has been great for my business. Definitely a five star definitely recommend it..
Fernando Ferreira
October 12, 2024Very easy and straight forward experience! The agent and live chat were instrumental in acquiring my policy.
Jacob Smith Jr
October 7, 2024Rey was amazing. So easy! So fast!
Herman Koch
September 30, 2024 -
Always treated well. They take care of my business insurance and I don’t have to worry about anything with insurance canopy in my corner. 10 year customer.
Mark Paquin
September 14, 2024Excellent rates and coverage! Did a lot of homework before going with Insurance Canopy, by far the best bang for the buck 🙂
Alana Wyld
September 14, 2024She is positive and friendly !
Alan Dynin
September 14, 2024 -
Had a great experience obtaining a policy quickly for a solo musical act. After a year, modified my policy to a fully staffed production easily using the chat feature of... Read More the website. Very satisfied! I highly recommend Insurance Canopy to all musicians and artists. .
Paul Tolle
September 6, 2024I am a professional mobile DJ. I use Insurance Canopy for a policy to cover my equipment and liability. They are easy to do business and the website makes... Read More it easy to make changes to my policy if I need to. Lastly, the cost of my insurance is very reasonable!
Don Kirby
September 6, 2024Best price I have found! Excited to be a customer
Dustin Price
September 6, 2024
-
TLJ's Mobile Mixology, LLC had been insured with Insurance Canopy since it's inception and we have no complaints.
Tenisha J.
February 4, 2025 -
Knowledgeable, kind, attentive and professional. She helped me to feel comfortable, well taken good care of and get the service possible.
Ed Levitt
February 3, 2025 -
As a Massage Therapist, I was not aware until a few years ago that I did not have to be part of an Organization to get my liability insurance! I... Read More am so thankful for Canopy and to not have a shared aggregate limit with thousands of other massage therapists. Individual coverage is EXTREMELY important to Me and this coverage is very affordable!
Kristie Williams
January 30, 2025 -
This insurance has helped me secure events with my corporate and local government clients. They have great customer service and are always willing to help.
Tony Felix
January 23, 2025 -
Representative was clear & concise in explaining specifics of the policy. Cost of policy very reasonable.
John B
January 16, 2025 -
I’m very happy with my purchase of liability insurance for a one-off event. I was even able to edit the policy after it had been issued with the help of... Read More their representative. Everything was painless and reasonably priced.
jay gedeon
January 6, 2025 -
Super easy to use and great service; I had a little error from my part and needed to correct it customer service was super helpful they guided me through the... Read More phone step by step to solve it. I definitely will be back n the future. Thank you
Ana Zavala
January 6, 2025 -
I needed some liability insurance for my business. The team at Insurance Canopy had great recommendations and the insurance was reasonable for the coverage. Web site and process... Read More were really easy to use.
Susan Tedesco
January 6, 2025 -
Was waiting for two other insurance companies to get back to me for over 2 1/2 weeks and losing money every day. Sitting here, frustrated I asked ChatGPT what... Read More the best company was for getting Energy auditing insurance. I went to insurance canopy and literally within five minutes I had a policy sitting in my inbox. Today I’ve scheduled three Energy Audits, which I desperately needed to pay off some bills. I was able to sign up for a program because now I meet the insurance requirements. This company really paid off for me and at $40 a month, I will keep using them as long as I do Energy Audits. I’m a real person my name is Chad Laibly and my company is Home Energy Assessors. You can verify that by googling it.
Chad Laibly
January 6, 2025 -
Great coverage, excellent price, terrific customer service. I checked out a lot of different carriers and they had the best reputation and coverage. Since most venues require insurance, it was... Read More a good thing to have!
Steve Bryant
January 6, 2025
Have Questions About Liability Insurance for Music Teachers? We’re On It.
How Much Does Liability Insurance Cost for Music Teachers?
Liability insurance for private music teachers starts at just $21.08 per month or $229 per year. Your premium could be affected by factors such as:
- The state you do business in
- If you add optional coverages (equipment and instrument, cyber liability, etc.)
- If you add higher limits
Should Private Music Instructors Get Professional Liability Insurance?
Yes, professional liability insurance for private music teachers is critical for protection against common claims.
Picture this: One of your students hires you to help prepare them for a music entrance exam at a prestigious university. They fail the test and blame you for some incorrect information you provided, deciding to sue you for damages.
With professional liability insurance, you could receive coverage for legal or settlement fees related to this claim.
Will My School’s Liability Insurance Cover Me?
No — or at best, it depends. A school’s liability insurance policy usually only protects you as a music teacher if a mistake happens on school property or as part of the teaching you do under your contract with the school.
That leaves a lot of loopholes. The school’s insurance carrier may determine that you caused an accident outside of the work you do for the school — meaning their policy won’t cover any lawyer fees or other expenses you incur from an accident you caused.
So, carrying your own music teacher insurance is crucial to safeguard your finances, reputation, and the longevity of your career.
What Insurance Do I Need for Group Music Lessons?
If you teach group music lessons, our base general liability policy for music teachers will shield you against third-party bodily injury and property damage claims. This policy also includes other coverages, including professional liability and personal and advertising injury, that work together to provide a financial safety net for common claims.
Do I Need Liability Insurance to Teach Online?
Yes! While you may not face the same risks as an in-person music teacher, you are still vulnerable to data breaches, professional liability claims, and more. Liability insurance can protect you from shouldering the cost of those claims alone.
Will One Policy Cover Me Everywhere I Teach Music?
Yes! Insurance Canopy’s liability insurance for private music teachers follows you wherever you go — from your student’s homes to rented spaces and schools that hire you.
Is Liability Insurance Required for Music Teachers by Law?
While you may not be legally required to carry insurance, some employment contracts mandate it. For example, a private school that wants to hire you as an independent contractor could ask you for proof of insurance before they employ you.
Some schools or landlords of rented spaces may also ask you to add them as an additional insured to your policy. Being insured can open up additional work opportunities that you wouldn’t otherwise have.
Liability Insurance for Music Teachers
Build your teaching career with Insurance Canopy’s music teacher liability insurance, harmoniously tailored to your teaching business. Apply online in just 10 minutes and secure top-rated coverage for as low as $21.08/month. Start safeguarding your passion and profession today!