Camp insurance can refer to one of two possible things. First, it could be a health insurance policy that is an additional number on top of the normal coverage. Second, it could be that camp insurance refers to the liability insurance most camps must have in order to operate within state codes.
In the case of a child, or an adult, needing additional health insurance for camp, there are a number of important factors to consider. If sending the child out of state, make sure there are doctors and hospitals nearby in the network. Otherwise, the expense to the family could become very substantial. Often, the fact that the normal insurance may not cover a child or adult in a certain area is a reason why camp insurance for the individual is obtained. This may be especially important if the destination is international.
The other type of camp insurance product is that which is secured by the camp itself for liability purposes. This is to protect the camp in the event someone brings forth a lawsuit against the camp in the case of an injury or some other perceived problem. This is the same type of liability insurance carried by many other recreational endeavors. In fact, it is an insurance product carried by nearly every business.
As with any type of insurance product, camp liability insurance will likely be charged based on a risk assessment. For example, sports camp insurance may be more costly than a simple day camp insurance policy. This is because the focus on sports may mean there is a greater chance a participant could become injured and sue the camp. While many people may complain about the cost of such camps, insurance for camp is one of the primary reasons those costs are so high.
In the event a lawsuit is filed, the camp's insurance company would likely take the case and defend it. Depending on the findings, it would be up to the camp insurance carrier to possibly offer a settlement or take the matter to court. Many of these cases, as long as they are not overtly frivolous or concerning a great deal of money, are settled out of court. This helps both parties keep the costs much lower than they would be able to otherwise.
Camp liability insurance may include general liability coverage, but also a number of specialty coverages. These are purchased depending on the situation. Some of the more popular options are: sexual abuse and molestation liability, director's and officers' liability, child abduction liability, saddle animal liability and many others.