Professional Indemnity Insurance is insurance cover that covers trainers for anything that may happen outside the classroom or training hall. But it may not pay out if you give advice that is incorrect or legally flawed, yet many trainers don’t realise that.
Some examples of this that I have personally come across are as follows (and you’ll know this if you have been following me for a few years):
1): Any technique that causes pain to the person being restrained is against the law;
2): If you catch and restrain a burglar in your house make sure you drag him upstairs before you call the police;
3): If you hold a ‘black-belt’ in the martial arts you must give three warnings before you are allowed to defend yourself.
Etc, etc.
More recently I have put out blogs and videos on trainers who teach ‘Gun Disarming’ techniques highlighting the potential liability that can arise from any advice given or techniques taught that may well fail in reality and you can read that post here – https://nfps.info/gun-disarming-techniques/.
The fact is if you hold this insurance and you give any advice that is legally flawed or provide physical instruction in techniques that are likely to fail, and a claim is made against you, you may find that your insurance cover may be invalid. In short, your insurance becomes ‘null and void’.
So if trainers know this, why do they teach stuff or give advice that makes them liable?
Well, the fact is they probably don’t know this at all.
And as with everything in life, until someone gets seriously hurt and there is a major claim, some trainers will continue to keep giving incorrect advice and teaching stuff that is highly likely to fail.
Don’t you be that statistic!
If you are interested in our next BTEC Level 3 Physical Intervention Trainer Award Course, which is possibly the most legally defensible course you’ll ever attend, then you can find out more here – https://nfps.info/physical-intervention-trainer-course/