Florida Law Will Require Summer Camp Insurance Coverage
Proposed legislation will force youth camps to hold insurance or disclose their lack of coverage to families.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Insurance
A Florida state representative plans to introduce legislation in the next session to mandate insurance requirements for summer camps. This push follows a legal case where a family faced over $100,000 in medical bills after a child was injured at an uninsured facility.
Why it matters
Currently, some camps operate without insurance, leaving families financially exposed if an injury occurs at the facility. The proposed law aims to ensure parents have full transparency regarding a camp's financial protections before enrolling their children.
A Miami family faces over $100,000 in medical bills for a child who suffered permanent injury at a martial arts camp. The business lacked insurance and later entered a state liquidation process, highlighting the financial risk for families when camps operate without coverage.
The players
Mike Redondo
A Florida State Representative who intends to propose legislation requiring summer camps to hold insurance.
The details
The proposed legislation comes after an 8-year-old suffered skull fractures and permanent deafness after falling from a 6-foot-high MMA octagon fence. Because the business lacked insurance and subsequently entered liquidation following a 2022 negligence lawsuit, the family was left responsible for the full cost of medical care. The new rules would require facilities to maintain insurance or clearly disclose their status to parents, allowing families to evaluate the financial risks before signing up for summer programs.
Timeline
2022: The family filed a negligence lawsuit against the martial arts camp.
Next legislative session: State Representative Mike Redondo plans to introduce the bill.
Money Landscape
The proposed legislation represents a change in how Florida oversees insurance mandates for extracurricular youth providers. It shifts oversight closer to the standards seen in other state-regulated industries where financial protection for the public is a prerequisite for operation.
Until this legislation passes, parents should verify a camp's insurance status directly before enrolling their children. Ask for a certificate of insurance to ensure the facility has coverage for potential medical liabilities.
The takeaway
When choosing a summer camp, confirm if the organization carries liability insurance to cover potential medical costs. Speak with a financial professional about what your own health insurance covers in the event of an injury occurring away from home.
Further reading
Learn more about managing financial protection by visiting our Insurance section.
