Under what circumstances does a Body20 franchisee have to indemnify the Indemnified Parties?
Body20 Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Section 11 Indemnification.
- 11.1 Indemnification By You. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless us, our Affiliates, and our and their respective owners, directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, successors, and assignees (the "Indemnified Parties") against, and to reimburse any one or more of the Indemnified Parties for, all Losses (defined below) directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to: (i) the Studio's operation; (ii) the business you conduct under this Agreement; (iii) your breach of this Agreement; or (iv) your noncompliance or alleged noncompliance with any law, ordinance, rule or regulation, including those concerning the Studio's construction, design or operation, and including any allegation that we or another Indemnified Party is a joint employer or otherwise responsible for your acts or omissions relating to your employees. "Losses" means any and all losses, expenses, obligations, liabilities, damages (actual, consequential, or otherwise), and reasonable defense costs that an Indemnified Party incurs, including accountants', arbitrators', mediators', attorneys', and expert witness fees, costs of investigation and proof of facts, court costs, travel and living expenses, and other expenses of litigation, arbitration, or alternative dispute resolution, regardless of whether litigation, arbitration, or alternative dispute resolution is commenced.
- 11.2 Indemnification Procedure. You agree to defend the Indemnified Parties against any and all claims asserted or inquiries made (formally or informally), or legal actions, investigations, or other proceedings brought, by a third party and directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to any matter described in Subsection 11.1(i) through (iv) above (collectively, "Proceedings"), including those alleging the Indemnified Party's negligence, gross negligence, willful misconduct and/or willful wrongful omissions. Each Indemnified Party may at your expense defend and otherwise respond to and address any claim asserted or inquiry made, or Proceeding brought, that is subject to this Section 11 (instead of having you defend it as required above), and agree to settlements or take any other remedial, corrective, or other actions, for all of which defense and response costs and other Losses you are solely responsible, subject to Section 11.3 (Willful Misconduct or Gross Negligence). An Indemnified Party need not seek recovery from any insurer or other third party, or otherwise mitigate its Losses, in order to maintain and recover fully a claim against you, and you agree that a failure to pursue a recovery or mitigate a Loss will not reduce or alter the amounts that an Indemnified Party may recover from you under this Section 11. Your obligations in this Section 11 will survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement.
11.3 Willful Misconduct or Gross Negligence. Despite Section 11.1, you have no obligation to indemnify or hold harmless an Indemnified Party for, and we will reimburse you for, any Losses (including costs of defending any Proceeding under Section 11.2) to the extent they are determined in a final, unappealable ruling issued by a court or arbitrator with competent jurisdiction to have been caused solely and directly by the Indemnified Party's willful misconduct or gross negligence, so long as the claim to which those Losses relate is not asserted on the basis of theories of vicarious liability (including agency, apparent agency, or employment) or our failure to compel you to comply with this Agreement. However, nothing in this Section 11.3 limits your obligation to defend us and the other Indemnified Parties under Section 11.2.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 74–251)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Body20's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee must indemnify and hold harmless Body20 Franchisor LLC, its affiliates, and their respective owners, directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, successors, and assignees (collectively known as the "Indemnified Parties") from losses that directly or indirectly arise from several circumstances. These circumstances include the studio's operation, the business conducted under the Franchise Agreement, any breach of the Franchise Agreement by the franchisee, or the franchisee's noncompliance (or alleged noncompliance) with any applicable laws, ordinances, rules, or regulations. This includes regulations concerning the studio's construction, design, or operation, and allegations that Body20 or another Indemnified Party is a joint employer or is responsible for the franchisee's actions or omissions related to their employees.
More specifically, the franchisee's indemnification extends to defending the Indemnified Parties against claims, inquiries, legal actions, investigations, or proceedings brought by a third party that relate to the aforementioned circumstances. This includes situations alleging negligence, gross negligence, willful misconduct, or willful wrongful omissions by the Indemnified Party. The Indemnified Party has the option to defend and respond to any claim or proceeding at the franchisee's expense, and can agree to settlements or take corrective actions. The franchisee is responsible for all defense and response costs and other losses, unless Section 11.3 (Willful Misconduct or Gross Negligence) applies.
However, the franchisee is not obligated to indemnify or hold harmless an Indemnified Party for losses caused solely and directly by the Indemnified Party's willful misconduct or gross negligence, as determined by a final, unappealable ruling from a competent court or arbitrator. In such cases, Body20 will reimburse the franchisee for these losses, including the costs of defending any related proceedings. This exception does not apply if the claim is based on vicarious liability (such as agency, apparent agency, or employment) or Body20's failure to compel the franchisee to comply with the Franchise Agreement. Despite this exception, the franchisee's obligation to defend Body20 and the other Indemnified Parties remains in effect.