Buy Camp Insurance

Camp insurance is a type of insurance coverage specifically designed for summer camps, day camps, and other types of overnight camps.

It provides financial protection for camp owners, directors, and staff members against a range of potential risks and liabilities, including accidents, injuries, illnesses, property damage, and natural disasters. The insurance may also cover expenses related to legal fees, compensation for losses, and medical costs incurred as a result of these events.

It helps to ensure that camps are prepared to deal with any unexpected situations and can continue to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for campers.

The average price of a standard $1,000,000/$2,000,000 General Liability Insurance policy for small camps ranges from $37 to $59 per month based on location, enrollment, payroll, sales and experience.

Liability coverage for camps can be extremely difficult to place due to the nature of camp operations. Consider their clientele. Some camps may accept children as young as five years old. Almost constant supervision of children of this age would be needed to prevent injuries.

On the other hand, camps that accept older children have many more activities, including swimming, boating, horseback riding, etc., that create more risk of accident and injury. In addition, any camp owner or director is well aware of the catastrophe hazard from a conflagration, floods or rising water, food poisoning, drowning or epidemics.

There are several risks that are specific to the operation of a children's camp that you need to be aware of and protect yourself from. These include:

• Premise liability claims. You have the responsibility to review the activities of the camp and to inspect the camp's facilities to ensure that campers are not injured.
• Claims resulting from failing to perform needed background checks on staff. From employees to counselors and volunteers, it is your responsibility to perform background investigations to make sure that counselors have no history of sexual or child abuse. If you fail to do so and a problem arises, the camp can be held responsible for the staff's actions.
• Risk of injuries. Unless a waiver has been signed by the child's parents, then camper injuries generally result in the camp being held responsible for medical bills and other claims.

Accidental Medical Insurance

One of the most valuable coverage types is accidental medical insurance coverage. This coverage protects campers, staffers, visitors, and others. Because accidents can and do happen all the time at camp, this policy can be invaluable for compensating injured parties who require medical care.

Group coverage typically takes care of expenses for injuries and illnesses that occur at camp or those that begin at camp and cause problems later on.

Some types of policies also cover dental accidents and injuries. Usually, these camp insurance policies come in two options, including primary medical policies that pay on top of the injured/ill person's health insurance and one that acts as a primary policy in and of itself.

Primary insurance is ideal for groups, especially for members with no existing health or accident insurance. This insurance pays claims directly after an accident, and it pays for covered occurrences even if you have additional insurance.

Excess insurance is one that covers deductibles for the injured party's personal insurance plan. It might also pay for expenses and coinsurance that are left over after personal insurance claims are closed. It is usually less comprehensive when compared to personal insurance.

Protecting Yourself From Camp Liabilities

A good liability policy is important to keeping your camp covered. It usually offers a basic level of camp insurance coverage, including:

• Bodily injury. If someone becomes injured on your camp's property or because of some action made by the camp or its employees, this insurance covers claims, including the cost of medical treatment and pain-and-suffering awards.
• Property liability. This type of insurance covers damage to third parties by the camp or its representatives.
• Medical payments. This coverage provides payment for medical expenses for injured persons. It may exclude campers.

Specialty Camps Liability Exposures:

• Adult Camps - Concerns are typically such camps are two or three day stints with adults who are looking for a chance to indulge certain hobbies or recreation, such as hiking, fishing, sports, etc. However, other camps may represent far different exposures, catering to participants who are seeking special guidance or rehabilitation services. While there is a reduced need for the level of supervision, greater evaluation should be turned toward any specialized counseling and other skills required by the specialty offered by such camps.
• Air Camps or Flight Schools - Concerns are subjects participants to aviation risks, so loss severity is likely to be the primary concern.
• Boating Camps - Concerns are watercraft activities, whether they involve canoes, water-skis, sailing, jet skis, windsurfing, or other watercraft expose participants to drowning and injury.
• Boot Camps - Concerns are such camps cater to older children who have demonstrated significant behavioral issues, so their focus is on instilling and maintaining discipline while involved in, typically, challenging activities. Physical activities that rely on teamwork are common. Camp staff may need special training as well as background checks.
• Camps For The Disabled - Concerns are inherently dangerous activities heightened by greater vulnerability to injury and higher need for full-time supervision, including special medical needs.
• Counseling Camps - Concerns are these camps specialize in treatment for participants battling problems with various addictions and related problems, high supervision, higher liability exposures, including malpractice.
• Day Camps - Concerns are the particular exposures depend upon the focus of chosen activities. However, camps that do not feature overnight stays tend to cater to younger participants. Therefore, the number of staffers tends to be fewer and activities are usually recreational.
• Extreme Camps - Concerns are operations specialize in high-risk activities such as mountain climbing, skydiving, skiing or snowboarding, bungee activities, endurance racing or trials.
• Fitness Camps - Concerns are designed for improving the physical health of participants, special attention should be paid to staff's expertise and training in several areas including health, first aid training, supervision, and monitoring participants. Such camps also make use of nutritionists and chefs as well as dieticians. In these camps, the activity workers should also be in superior physical shape since they are responsible for demonstrating many exercises or leading campers in physically challenging tasks.
• Gender Specific Camps - Concerns are such camps can involve any number of activities and themes, the only difference being that they only serve a single gender, so that fact needs consideration when evaluating such submissions.
• Martial Arts Camps - Concerns are these camps often feature high levels of physical contact amongst participants as well as offering programs involving physical conditioning and endurance training. They may also involve competitions and exhibitions of developing skills.
• Military Camps - Concerns are such camps often have programs involving physical conditioning and endurance training, use of obstacle courses as well as combat and weapons training.
• Outward Bound - Concerns are campers are given just the barest of necessities and must exercise serious survival skills in the wilderness for extended periods.
• Performing Arts Camps - Concerns are these camps cater to budding young artists who seek an outlet for their creative side. At these camps, the main focus is usually on that specific hobby, and camp employees who deal with the campers, like the counselors or administration, usually must have vast knowledge of a given hobby. As campers get older, experts in the field are crucial to provide the best camping experience. Special attention should be made regarding equipment and materials that are traditionally used with given activities which may give insight to loss vulnerabilities.
• Religious Camps - Concerns are faith based camps typically cater to providing activities and skills-building for their younger members. Whatever activity they specialize in will also involve their given religious practices. Staffers likely are adult church members.
• Scouting Camps - Concerns are Boy and Girl Scout camps are very popular children's camps. Camp staffers typically are former scouts. Camp exposures are similar to those found in fitness and performing arts camps. Activities usually center on involving scouts in earning merit badges and developing various skills and scout-related ceremonies. Note that these also share similarity to Gender Specific Camps.
• Scuba Diving Camps - Concerns are underwater adventure risks to watercraft risks.
• Space Camps - Concerns are they include additional exposures of being run jointly by local (business) and government owners.
• Travel Camps - Concerns are camps that sends participants around the U.S. and to foreign countries, exposing campers to hazardous areas, some with hostile political climates.
• Winter Camps - Concerns are winter camps focus on cold weather activities that subject participants to possible hypothermia and frequent injury.

Special Coverage For Sports Camps

Sports camps are always popular, and they are hosted by colleges, local organizations, and schools for kids interested in football, basketball, volleyball, and soccer. Special coverage for sports camps usually comes with group accidental medical payment coverage that the company customizes to the camp's particular sport.

In some instances, camps require waivers from participants prior to beginning a session at camp.

The type of sport hosted at the camp largely determines the risks involved and thus, the premiums charged. For example, a golfing camp might pay much less than a contact football camp. Your licensed commercial agent can help you understand the nuances that affect your camp insurance rates.

Camps can be sued for various reasons, including personal injury, property damage, negligence, and other liabilities. Insurance can help protect camps by providing financial support in the event of a lawsuit. Here are some examples:

Personal Injury: If a camper gets injured while participating in camp activities, the camp could be held responsible. Insurance can cover the costs of medical bills, rehabilitation, and potential compensation for pain and suffering. For example, a general liability insurance policy can help pay for legal fees, settlements, or judgments arising from a personal injury lawsuit.

Property Damage: Camps may be held liable for any property damage caused during camp operations. For instance, if a campfire accidentally spreads and damages a neighboring property, the camp could be sued for the damages. A commercial property insurance policy can help cover the costs of repairing or replacing damaged property and any associated legal fees.

Negligence: If the camp staff fails to provide appropriate supervision or maintains unsafe facilities, they may be found negligent. For example, if a camper drowns due to inadequate supervision at the pool, the camp could be sued for negligence. Professional liability insurance (also known as errors and omissions insurance) can help cover the costs of defending against negligence claims and any resulting settlements or judgments.

Employment-Related Lawsuits: Camps can be sued for wrongful termination, discrimination, or harassment by their employees. Employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) can help cover the legal costs associated with defending against such claims and any resulting settlements or judgments.

Sexual Abuse and Molestation: Camps can be sued if an employee or volunteer engages in inappropriate conduct with a camper. Sexual misconduct liability insurance can help cover legal defense costs, settlements, and judgments in cases of alleged sexual abuse or molestation.

Foodborne Illness: If a camper gets sick from contaminated food served at the camp, the camp may be held responsible. Foodborne illness coverage, which can be added to a general liability policy, can help cover medical expenses, legal fees, and potential settlements related to foodborne illness claims.

Auto Accidents: If a camp vehicle is involved in an accident, causing injury or property damage, the camp may be sued. Commercial auto insurance can help pay for the costs of repairing or replacing damaged vehicles, as well as covering medical bills and legal fees related to the accident.

By having adequate insurance coverage in place, camps can protect themselves from the financial burden of lawsuits, ensuring that they can continue to provide safe and enjoyable experiences for their campers.