For Jenny Chumbler, the president of BFit Gym + Fitness, risk management is about the work put in before something happens, especially in an industry where claims are increasingly tied to training, instruction and equipment.
BFit operates four locations in southern Indiana — three in Evansville, one in Newburgh. Each bring their own challenges, but the team emphasizes the importance of consistency in how things are handled across the board.
To aid in this, BFit began working with Players Health, an insurance and risk management provider focused on the fitness industry. Although the partnership is still new, Chumbler said the brand has already made a strong impression.
Before Players Health, Chumbler explained BFit had worked with other providers who served a broad range of industries. When health clubs receive a “one-size-fits-all” policy, it may leave room for gaps around the different risks health clubs face. With that in mind, Chumbler felt the need to find a more tailored partner.
“One of the biggest things that stood out to me was that Players Health understands the fitness industry,” said Chumbler. “There’s definitely value in having a partner who lives in our world and understands what we do every day. I don’t want a partner who simply helps us after something goes wrong. I want someone who can help us see around the corner and hopefully prevent it in the first place.”
Players Health specifically frames its role with health clubs like BFit around their investment in the industry, allowing for intentionally structured policies for the ins and outs of gym operations.
“Our partnership with BFit is unique because Jenny and the entire BFit team are incredibly hands-on and genuinely committed to creating a safe environment for their members and employees,” said Jayson Scott, the VP of business development at Players Health. “That alignment has made the relationship especially valuable and allows Players Health to be much more proactive in helping BFit manage risk.”
According to Steven Meisner, the senior vice president at Players Health, that positioning is intentional. Players Health built its model around pairing specialized fitness industry insurance expertise with hands-on risk management support, working directly with operators like BFit to point out exposures and close gaps before they turn into claims. The goal, he said, is for Players Health to function less like an outside vendor and more like an extension of the club’s own team — an approach that has already changed BFit’s take on risk management.
In order to do this, Players Health took the time to visit BFit to see how the club was operated, ask questions and give feedback rather than just learning about the club from a phone call. Chumbler said she appreciates the feedback, especially when it points to something the club can do better. She also pointed to how intentional it makes the partnership feel.
“When we reach out, we don’t feel like we’re just another policy number or the next email in someone’s inbox,” said Chumbler. “They make us feel like what matters to BFit matters to them, too.”
Scott sees BFit’s experience as one example of a pattern he’s watching play out across the industry. As clubs face growing pressure on multiple fronts, he said, the operators who fare best are the ones willing to engage rather than simply carry out a policy.
“Health clubs continue to face increasing challenges around member safety, employee practices, liability exposures, claims frequency and the rising cost and complexity of insurance,” explained Meisner. “Jenny and her team are willing to be proactive, ask questions, implement recommendations and use risk management resources to continually improve.”
Chumbler is careful not to overstate a relationship that’s still in its early stages. But she believes there’s a lesson in it for other multi-location operators evaluating their own insurance providers.
“I would tell operators to look beyond simply comparing insurance coverage and premiums,” said Chumbler. “Ask yourself what kind of partner you want when you actually need them. What I’ve seen so far gives me a lot of confidence that we chose a partner who wants to help us become a better, safer operation not simply sell us insurance.”
For fitness operators navigating rising liability exposure and complex insurance markets, BFit’s experiences shows the value of a risk management partner is measured less by how it responds after a claim and more by how it actively works to prevent one.
