Your Complete Guide to Insurance for Camps

Whether going to camp to practice sports, make new friends, learn new skills, or even just eat s’mores, kids of all ages find camps magical places. But camps might not be as magical for the staff. Running an event such as a summer camp or sports tournament involves meticulous planning, not just in logistics but also in safeguarding against potential risks. The right insurance for camps is crucial to protect against liabilities and unforeseen events. Is your program protected? This guide explains what you should know.

How Insurance for Camps Protects Your Event

When organizing a camp—whether it’s a summer adventure camp, a specialized sports camp, or an educational program—insurance is not just a safety net; it’s a necessity. Camps expose organizers to a variety of potential risks.

What kinds of risks do camps face?

Camps can experience:

• Injuries (of campers, staff, and visitors)
  • Both on-site and off-site (such as field trips and tournaments)
• Property damage
• Equipment problems
• Cancellations
• Vendor problems
• Transportation issues (including auto accidents and injuries)
• Employee concerns (such as theft, safety, and abuse and molestation)
• Reputational damage
• Liquor liability, and more

These risks can lead to significant financial burdens. Without proper insurance coverage, the costs associated with these incidents can quickly escalate, jeopardizing the camp’s financial health and sustainability. Investing in insurance for summer camps and other events is essential in ensuring a successful and secure experience for staff and campers alike.

What types of insurance coverage do you need?

1. General Liability Insurance: General liability insurance is foundational coverage for camps and special events. It protects against claims of bodily injury, property damage, and personal injury that may occur on-site. This type of insurance is essential for events involving participants and spectators.
2. Professional Liability Insurance: If your camp or event involves specialized activities or instruction (for instance, sports coaching or educational programs), professional liability insurance—also known as errors and omissions insurance—will protect against claims of negligence or failure to deliver services as promised.
3. Property Insurance: Camps and events often involve physical assets like equipment, tents, and temporary structures. Property insurance covers damages or loss due to theft, vandalism, or natural disasters. This is particularly important for long-term camps with significant investments in facilities and equipment.
4. Workers’ Compensation Insurance: Workers’ compensation insurance is usually a legal requirement for employing staff or volunteers. It covers medical expenses and lost wages for employees injured during their work. Even if it’s not mandated, it’s wise to have this coverage to protect your staff.
5. Accident Medical Insurance: This insurance covers medical expenses incurred by participants injured during the event or camp. It ensures that ongoing medical costs don’t fall solely on the injured party.
6. Abuse and Molestation Insurance: This coverage safeguards your organization against claims or allegations of inappropriate behavior, regardless of whether any misconduct is eventually uncovered.
7. Non-owned and Hired Automobile Coverage: This insurance is essential if you frequently rent vehicles or use employees’ personal cars for work purposes, as it provides protection against liability claims that may arise from accidents involving these vehicles.
8. Cancellation Insurance: In the case of unforeseen circumstances that force the cancellation of your camp or event—like severe weather or sudden illness—cancellation insurance can reimburse you for lost deposits and expenses.

What factors influence insurance costs?

A variety of factors can affect the cost you’ll pay for insurance, including:

Camp Location: You may pay higher premiums if your camp is located where there are higher risks of floods, hurricanes or other natural disasters.

Sports Type: A camp for a sport like football has more injury risk than an educational camp, so premiums would be higher.

Camp Duration: Camps that run for longer sessions have more opportunities for accidents to happen and the risk will be reflected in a higher premium. And, if you’re running an overnight camp, there is also an increased risk when housing campers.

Camper Ages: Younger campers may have more risk of an accident and need more supervision, causing higher premiums.

Where can you find the right event insurance?

The list of insurance coverages your event requires and the other factors you need to consider may seem daunting and expensive. Fortunately, you can get all the benefits you need at a price that fits your budget at A-G Specialty Insurance. Our comprehensive event liability insurance coverage layers in protection to leave no risks exposed.

We protect:

• Sports camps and clinics
• Summer camps
• Tournaments
• Academic programs
• Outside events and meetings

If you have an event—even a one-day event—we have coverage for it. And we work with you to personally tailor plans that take into account every factor you face.

Protecting Thousands of Camps and Campers Every Year

A-G has been protecting schools, organizations, students, and student-athletes from the unexpected financial risks of accidents for more than 40 years. Now, through our expanded liability protection, we’re honored to have the opportunity to provide additional ways to safeguard programs and participants even further. Whether you’re looking for summer camp insurance, tournament insurance, special event insurance, or sports camp insurance, find out how we can help you or your camp clients keep the magic of the experience alive for everyone. Just complete the quote form, and we’ll be in touch.