TravMark's 2024 Claims Report Reveals Setbacks Families Face When Kids Go Away to Summer Camps & Travel Programs

First-of-its kind report highlights the reasons families use insurance coverage to protect their investment

/EIN News/ -- HO-HO-KUS, N.J., May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TravMark, a specialty insurance broker that has protected more than one million travelers, including youth program and summer camp participants, today released a first-of-its-kind analysis on the reasons families make insurance claims on behalf of their children attending summer camps and programs. The examination of claims made by the parents of 10,000 TravMark-insured campers and travelers in 2024 showed that the need to use an insurance policy is most often based on events that can happen to anyone before or during these wonderful experiences.

TravMark’s 2024 Summer Camp & Program Insurance Utilization Report found that 41% of claims were related to sickness and 17.5% due to accidental injury, while 36.8% of claims involved families using a “cancel for any reason (CFAR)” option prior to traveling. Overall, just over half (50.5%) of claims were made to cancel prior to departure.

“Our 2024 Summer Camp & Program Insurance Utilization Report highlights the fact that insured families file claims for a diverse array of reasons and it’s generally not about ‘that will never happen’ events,” said Mark Ceslowitz, president and chief executive officer of TravMark. “Camp and youth travel programs are memorable experiences that shape children’s lives in so many meaningful ways – ones that families typically spend thousands of dollars on each year. TravMark uses decades of data and real-world case studies to protect that investment, shaping policies that truly protect young campers and travelers.”

There are two parts to most travel insurance policies, including those offered for summer camps and youth travel programs: cancellation insurance, which covers the period before departing home for covered reasons (medical, etc.) and often includes the CFAR option that generally protects the insured person until two days prior to leaving; and interruption insurance, which then takes over if the stay is interrupted or impacted for covered reasons.

TravMark 2024 Summer Program Claims by Type:

• Trip Cancellation: 50.5%
• Trip Interruption: 21.3%
• Travel Delay: 13.7%
• Travel Medical: 11.9%
• Baggage: 2.6%
  
  

TravMark 2024 Details of Cancellation Claims by Type:

• Sickness: 41%
• Cancel for Any Reason: 36.8%
• Accidental Injury: 17.5%
• Death of a family member 3.8%
• Other: 0.9%
  

Protecting Physical & Mental Health

TravMark is one of the few companies to remove psychological exclusions from many of its policies, providing coverage that recognizes the significance of mental health to effectively support the needs of today’s youth.

“Going to summer camp or traveling on your own – for the first time or any time – can be an overwhelming experience for many children and their families, and insurance protection offers valuable peace of mind,” said Shannon Lofdahl, TravMark managing director. “From ensuring you are financially covered for medical issues that might arise to reducing the unease that your plans might change before summer arrives, camp and youth program insurance helps assure that you are making the most of summer.”

TravMark works with camp registration platforms, standalone camps and individual families to provide insurance that meets the unique needs of both campers and camps. With more than 20,000 year-round and summer camps annually serving 26 million campers, according to the American Camping Association, it’s a thriving industry where too few insurance providers have the experience and insight to effectively protect campers and camp operators.

To learn more about TravMark’s camp insurance options, visit TravMark.com.

About TravMark
Established in 2000, TravMark provides all forms of business and individual insurance programs, assisting travel providers and program operators with their insurance needs. Based in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, TravMark insures travelers and program participants through its custom developed plans, focusing on the unique demands of the market and the changing demands of travelers in today’s travel environment. TravMark is a proud member of the U.S. Travel Insurance Association (USTIA), U.S. Tour Operator Association (USTOA), Student Youth Travel Association (SYTA) and American Camp Association (ACA).

Contact:
Lisa Trapani for TravMark
ltrapani@rosecomm.com
Cell: 410-245-0094

An infographic accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dc887f1a-4a27-4d46-826f-55db45fef54c