Every campout has that moment: the trail, the rope, the council fire. And behind all of it sits a protection that nobody sees, but is always there — like the safety net under the trapeze artist. It's the Pathfinder Club's annual insurance. Whether you're a parent, a Pathfinder, or a Director, this guide answers the question that actually matters: who is covered, against what, and what to do when something goes wrong?
What is the Pathfinders' annual insurance?
The Pathfinder Club is the Seventh-day Adventist Church's program for boys and girls ages 10 to 15 — a schedule full of campouts, hikes and outdoor activities. And where there's real adventure, there needs to be real protection. Annual insurance is exactly that: a personal accident policy, meaning a contract with an insurer that guarantees financial support if a member gets hurt during a club activity.
This protection is administered by ARM Sudamericana, the church's own risk and insurance management arm on the continent. Think of it as the "safety department" that handles the policies for Adventist churches, schools and clubs. Coverage runs for 1 year — hence the name annual insurance — and it follows the member through every official club activity during that period.
One image helps: insurance is the club's invisible seatbelt. You don't think about it on the trail, you don't take a photo of it at camp — but it's buckled in all year long, through every approved program.
Since when has insurance been mandatory?
Before, insurance was each club's own choice. That changed in 2010: the South American Division (DSA) — the office that coordinates the Adventist Church across eight South American countries — decided, together with the Pathfinder Ministry, that protection would no longer be optional. Since then, every club in South American territory must carry annual insurance.
The reason, according to the Administrative Manual, is twofold: to support clubs in their internal and external activities, and to protect the church's name. In practice, it works like the helmet rule for skateboarding: it's not there to ruin the fun — it's there so the fun can keep existing.
Insurance stops being optional and becomes a requirement.Pathfinder Club Administrative Manual (DSA), section 3.5
How is the insurance arranged? Does the club need to chase it down?
Good news: almost no paperwork. Coverage is arranged through SGC (Club Management System), the official platform where the club secretary registers each member at the start of the year — something like school enrollment, but for the club. When the member is entered into the system, protection is requested automatically. There's no separate form from the insurer, and no individual contract by the family. Want to understand the platform in detail? See our guide SGC: what it is and how to log in.
The charge doesn't hit the parents' card either: it goes as an accounting debit to the Conference or Mission — the church's regional office, which Pathfinders call the "field" — and the club settles the amount directly with them. Billing is semiannual, in April and August.
Each field sets its own deadline for registering members in the system. That's why Directors scramble every January and February: a member outside the SGC is a member outside the insurance.
What does the insurance cover?
The policy covers personal accidents: sudden events, caused by accident, during an official club activity. Twisted an ankle on the trail? Covered. Cut a finger pitching the tent? Covered. Fractures, sprains, dislocations, cuts, burns and fall injuries are all on ARM's list.
There are five main coverages, defined in the DSA Administrative Manual — the table at the end of this section sums up what each one guarantees.
And there's a detail many families don't know: the commute counts too. The member is covered while traveling from home to the activity site, as long as the trip's sole purpose is to attend the club's program. Group trips, traveling with the club and under the leader's supervision, are also included.
Pay attention to the golden requirement: coverage applies to regular meetings and events authorized by the local church board — the group of leaders that officially approves each activity. An improvised outing, without approval, falls outside the protection.
| Coverage | What it guarantees |
|---|---|
| Accidental Death (MA) | Indemnity if a member dies in an accident during an authorized club activity |
| Total Permanent Disability from Accident (IPTA) | Indemnity for total or partial disability caused by an accident during a club activity |
| Medical, Hospital and Dental Expenses (DMHO) | Reimbursement, up to the policy limit, of medical, hospital and dental treatment resulting from an accident |
| Emergency rescue | Emergency transport to remove the injured person |
| Repatriation | Transport of the deceased to their city of residence and funeral expenses, within the limit |
The five coverages of the annual insurance, according to the Pathfinder Club Administrative Manual (DSA), section 3.5.
What does the insurance NOT cover?
Here's the most common mix-up: personal accident insurance is not health insurance. Caught a cold at camporee — the big camp that brings several clubs together (learn what a camporee is)? That's a matter for the event's first-aid tent, not the insurance.
ARM lists what's excluded: common illnesses (flu, sore throat, stomach trouble), sudden illness, fainting, sunstroke, allergies, food poisoning, pre-existing conditions and companion expenses. The Administrative Manual adds other exclusions: suicide, aviation accidents, transport that violates traffic rules, and replacement of glasses or prosthetics.
Another surprising rule: support staff aren't covered by the insurance. Parents who chaperone a campout, church elders and other support volunteers cannot be included in the club's policy. Coverage is exclusive to regular, active members with up-to-date registration — Pathfinders, club staff, coordinators and regional leaders.
An accident happened. Now what?
First, the obvious: take care of the person. Medical attention comes before any paperwork. Then the claim process begins — the technical term for notifying the insurer that a covered accident has occurred.
The clock is ticking: the club Director has up to 20 calendar days, counted from the date of the accident, to report the claim. Along with it goes the paperwork: signed claim notice, medical report or record, original invoices and receipts, a letter from the Director describing what happened, the member's registration form, and an event report. Today, ARM's channel is the email [email protected] — and watch out: incomplete documentation closes the case without payment. It's like opening a support ticket in a game: no screenshots, the ticket dies.
Another point that catches families off guard: payment works by reimbursement. The club or family pays the treatment costs upfront, keeps every receipt like treasure, and later gets the amount back, paid through the Conference/Mission. No receipt, no refund.
Is my child insured? The 30-second checklist
If you're a parent, the whole question comes down to two checks. First: was your child's registration entered into the SGC this year? Ask the club secretary — it takes a minute. Second: is the activity part of the program approved by the church board? The club's official calendar usually is. If both answers are yes, your child is covered — including the trip there.
In most clubs, the insurance cost is bundled into the annual registration fee — no separate bill from the insurer reaches the family. Since amounts vary by field and by year, check with the club staff how much the full registration costs (see also how much it costs to join the club).
And it's worth being honest about this: the club's insurance is an extra layer of protection against accidents. It doesn't replace health insurance or public healthcare — it exists so no family has to carry the cost of an unexpected accident during a club activity alone.