Do Summer Camps Need Sports Insurance?

When summer comes around and the sun comes out, children and teens usually rush to summer camps to enjoy the heat and time off from school. One of the best parts of summer camp is all the activities and sports offered. Children can learn new skills, make friends and form teams at their summer camp. 

Unfortunately, all of that fun comes with certain risks. Summer camps need insurance in order to protect the organization and the participants in case of an accident. This is especially true for summer camps that offer sports-related activities, such as softball, baseball, soccer, flag football, etc.

Sports insurance can help protect everyone involved by providing coverage for injuries, accidents and claims. 

What Does Sports Insurance Cover? 

Sports insurance policies generally include: 

General Liability 

General liability insurance provides coverage for claims related to third-party bodily injury, property damage and personal or advertising injury. For instance, if someone slips and falls on the summer camp’s property, general liability insurance will provide compensation for their injuries and legal fees for a claim related to the incident. 

Personal or advertising injury covers claims related to libel, slander, copyright infringement, theft of advertising idea, wrongful detainment and more. If another summer camp believes you stole their advertising idea, they may sue your summer camp. General liability insurance can cover the following legal expenses such as court costs and settlement costs. 

Accident Insurance 

Accident insurance is critical for all summer camps that offer sports-related activities. This insurance provides compensation for camp participants who are injured while practicing or playing a sport. Accident insurance can pay for the victim’s medical bills such as hospital stays, medical exams, transportation, emergency treatment and more. There are different levels of accident insurance available, so be sure to speak with an insurance agent about your summer camp’s needs. Some levels of accident insurance can also pay for disability-related costs and other extreme accidents. 

Equipment Insurance 

Equipment insurance is a type of property coverage that provides compensation for sports equipment that is lost or damaged due to fire, wind, hail, theft, vandalism and more. Equipment may include bats, balls, nets and uniforms. 

Directors and Officers Liability 

Directors and officers liability insurance covers the directors and officers of a business or organization. Most summer camps have a board that makes plans and regulations for the camp as well as handles finances. Unfortunately, these key members also face a lot of risk in this position. Lawsuits from participants, parents, third parties and investors can all land on the shoulders of a director or officer based on their activity while helping the camp operate. This insurance often includes employment practices liability insurance, as well. Employment practices liability (EPLI) covers claims from employees (or volunteers) that concern discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful firing or hiring, and more. 

Crime Insurance 

Sports insurance policies often include crime insurance, as well. Crime insurance covers expenses related to an unfortunate incident where an employee or volunteer steals funds from the summer camp. 

Commercial Auto Insurance 

Many summer camps offer bus or transportation services. In this case, the camp may need commercial auto insurance. Commercial auto insurance provides coverage for vehicles owned or used by the camp. It may include coverages such as:

• Comprehensive Coverage: Comprehensive coverage provides compensation for loss of or damage to the vehicle due to fire, wind, hail, explosions, falling objects, vandalism, theft and other incidents not involving collision. 
• Collision Coverage: Collision coverage provides compensation for loss of or damage to the vehicle due to collision with another vehicle or object. 
• Liability: Liability insurance covers expenses related to bodily injury or property damage a driver may cause while operating the insured vehicle. 
• Medical Payments: Medical payments coverage provides compensation for medical expenses the driver and their passengers may obtain in an accident, no matter who is at fault. 
• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist: This coverage provides compensation for accidents involving a driver not carrying insurance. 

Commercial Property Insurance 

Property insurance covers physical property owned or rented by the camp, such as cabins. It covers damage to the property caused by fire, lightning, wind, hail, theft, vandalism and more. 

All summer camps should be insured with the proper sports insurance policy to ensure everyone involved is safe and can receive the compensation they need in case of an accident or disaster. Depending on the camp’s offered activities, some may need higher sports insurance limits than others.