Taking the lead with insurance for camps and campers
Operating a camp means creating memorable, often life-shaping experiences for kids. Underlying these opportunities for fun, adventure, and education, however, is a serious responsibility to protect families and owners alike.
Camps face a wide range of risks, from rare—but devastating—property loss to more common issues such as camper cancellations due to injury, illness, or a change in family plans. While property and liability insurance is generally standard, many camp leaders don’t realize that traditional commercial insurance typically does not cover these participant-level disruptions, and that impacts everyone.
Surprisingly, the summer camp industry utilizes less than 10% of the available insurance capacity in the market today. While the broader travel industry—including airlines, cruise lines, and tours—routinely offers insurance to its customers, many camps do not. According to the U.S. Travel Insurance Association, travel insurance is a $5-billion industry in the U.S. The commercial insurance market for summer camps is just a fraction of that. For camps, this means missed opportunities to not only manage financial risk but also improve family satisfaction.
It's important to ask the following questions and offer clear guidance for camp directors and decision-makers on essential insurance considerations—while underscoring how proactive communication with families about participant insurance can set a camp apart from the rest:
- What role can insurance play in a camp’s reputation and a family’s peace of mind?
- How can understanding different types of coverage lead to smoother operations and stronger relationships with parents?
- What are the hidden risks—and missed opportunities—when camps don’t clearly communicate the importance of participant insurance?
Understanding The Two Sides Of Camp Insurance
Conversations about camp insurance refer to two distinct categories:
- Camp Business Insurance: Covers an organization, property, staff, and liability.
- Participant (or Individual) Insurance: Covers campers or staff for accidents, illness, trip cancellations, and, with the best policies, even psychological health issues that are common when kids are separated from their families.
Business insurance is important for once-in-a-decade events—think fires, abuse claims, or cyber liability. But when Johnny breaks a leg, or Sally develops anxiety the week before camp starts, business coverage won’t help. That’s where participant travel insurance fills a critical gap.
Families typically must purchase participant insurance separately. These plans can cover medical emergencies, travel delays, lost baggage, trip cancellations, and even uninhabitable destinations due to power outages, mandatory evacuations, or wildfires. Some policies include Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) or Interrupt For Any Reason (IFAR) benefits, allowing families to change plans, even due to unexpected issues like a poor air quality index (AQI) or a last-minute family event.
And while most travel insurance policies still don’t cover psychological conditions, a few do. That can make a big difference. Imagine a 15-year-old setting off for a $9,000 sleepaway camp only to experience a debilitating anxiety attack the day of departure. Even if the teen’s family has CFAR insurance, the policy typically ends two days before departure. With mental health-inclusive insurance, that family won’t be left absorbing the financial loss by medically documenting the illness. What’s more, there won’t be a dispute between the family and the camp about a potential refund. Everyone is protected.
In addition to covering individuals directly, participant insurance also extends a camp’s risk management reach across geographic boundaries. If, for example, a camp located in the Northeast attracts 10% of its campers from Florida, and a hurricane hits Florida right before camp begins, families affected may be eligible to cancel under a covered reason—even if the physical camp site is untouched. Events like this do happen. Business insurance won’t cover such geographically distant disruptions, but camper insurance can.
How Camps Can Show Leadership
Families generally don’t know they can purchase their own insurance or understand the importance of it. By highlighting the value of participant coverage, leaders demonstrate that a camp is committed to camper well-being, family peace of mind, and long-term trust.
Daniel Lorenzo, Chief Revenue Officer with management platform Campminder, says, “We see strong family adoption when insurance is clearly presented during registration. It allows camps to offer support without added administrative work.”
Camps can easily integrate insurance into the registration process in several ways. Think of the “HAIR” acronym:
- Hyperlinks: Add a link to the camp’s website, invoices, or emails.
- API Integration: Enable participant insurance through the registration platform.
- Iframe Quote Tools: Embed a quote tool on the website.
- Roster Billing: Invoice families directly and remit a roster of sales with an insurance administrator.
Giving families insurance options isn’t just a nice gesture; it can help a camp stand out in a crowded marketplace. Families that feel supported and informed are more likely to return and recommend a program to others.
No matter what the offering is, always encourage families to carefully review the full plan details before purchasing.
Why Both Types Matter
While business insurance may be required by law or accreditation standards, participant insurance is often assumed or entirely overlooked. That leaves families—and a camp–vulnerable.
Say a camper is injured on a hike and has to leave camp. A liability policy may only respond if the camp is found negligent. However, participant insurance provides a more immediate safety net, helping cover out-of-pocket costs, including unused camper days, reducing tension, avoiding disputes, and possibly shielding a camp from a liability claim.
And what happens if a job loss means a family can no longer afford the camp costs they’ve committed to paying?
“Our families appreciate knowing they are protected even if plans change,” says Mike Stillson, Executive Director of Valley Trails Camp, one of the first day camps in the U.S. to offer a custom travel-insurance plan to its families. “It not only eases our efforts to gain commitments, but it sends the message that we care deeply about their family’s well-being year-round, not just on the days their kids are here.”
Insurance As A Risk-Management Tool
When launching new programs or planning off-site excursions, evaluate insurance early:
- Are adventure activities covered?
- What about covering international campers?
- Is there coverage for psychological issues, homesickness, or a parent’s job loss?
Answering these questions helps ensure that programming is protected without compromising safety or innovation. Partnering with experienced advisors also allows leaders to tailor policies to a camp’s needs and educate the staff about how to respond in the event of a claim.
Special Considerations For Camp Operators
Not all risks are obvious. The following are a few areas in which insurance is frequently misunderstood or underused:
- Transportation: Ensure proper insurance for any camp-owned or third-party vehicles.
- International Travel: Confirm coverage for medical evacuation and travel medical needs.
- Medical Staff: Understand where camp-employed or volunteer healthcare providers fall in terms of liability.
- Volunteer Programs: Make sure supplemental accident coverage fills any gaps in workers’ compensation.
Insurance can also complement technology solutions, such as incident-reporting apps or digital waivers, by creating a more integrated risk-management framework.
Insurance Can Elevate The Camper Experience
Presenting insurance options builds loyalty and increases retention. Camp leaders who have seen this firsthand say it's one of the most appreciated resources they offer. It also minimizes the chance of refund disputes or reputational damage when families cancel or experience disruption.
“When my daughter’s anxiety meant she couldn’t complete her travel program, we were heartbroken for her—but also relieved the policy we purchased covered it,” says Eric, a New Jersey parent whose family used a policy that included mental-health coverage. “That one detail helped make a difficult experience a little easier to take.”
When something goes wrong, but a plan is in place, families will remember how a camp handled it. That peace of mind is priceless.
Final Thoughts: Be The Camp That Cares
Insurance isn’t just about protection—it’s about leadership and trust. The camps that thrive are those that treat insurance as part of a broader commitment to transparency, family engagement, and risk management.
Now that this year’s summer camp season is wrapping up, it’s the perfect time to reflect:
- What worked well?
- What surprised you?
- What would you do differently next year?
As leaders review this season’s takeaways and begin planning for the next, it’s an ideal moment to revisit insurance policies and refresh the camp’s communication strategy.
Make insurance a core part of the story—not just a fine-print footnote in a registration packet.
Note: Families should always read and understand travel-protection plan documents before purchasing coverage to understand benefits, terms, and exclusions.
Questions To Ask During Post-Season Planning
- Did we clearly communicate the value of participant insurance to families?
- How many families purchased participant insurance—and how was it offered?
- Were there any gaps in coverage that led to complaints or confusion?
- What unanticipated questions did families ask?
- How can we better integrate insurance education into next year’s registration process?
- Are camp policies inclusive of mental health-related needs?
- Do we have a plan to promote CFAR/IFAR options more clearly next year?
