BOSTON—The western Massachusetts Big Brothers Big Sisters agency has never had a claim of child sexual abuse, according to a report by The Associated Press. So when Kay Johnson, executive director of the organization there, read the increase in the insurance costs to cover such claims she was shocked. The rates have more than tripled in the past year.

"I got this fax. There was this huge number on it. It was definitely a shock," said Johnson. She was forced to think about cutting staff members and dropping children from the program.

Other youth organizations across the country have also seen rising insurance costs, in part because of the sex scandal in the Roman Catholic Church, say agency officials and the insurance industry.

Insurance companies that have paid out large claims for sex abuse in recent years are now raising rates to protect against the cost of future claims, said Robert Hartwig, chief economist for the industry's Insurance Information Institute. Even when sex abuse allegations prove false insurers may spend thousands, even millions, to defend their clients.

"Given the rapid escalation in losses we've seen in recent years, rates need to move upward in order for insurers to be able to cover expected future losses," Hartwig said.

Rates are also increasing for YMCAs across the country, said John Medler, chief executive of YMCA Services Corp. "The pricing in the last two to three years has literally tripled, with half the coverage," he said.

Medler also said instead of increases, some insurers have stopped offering coverage to groups that work with young people. Some insurers are also requiring agencies to change procedures to protect children.

A typical YMCA that may have paid $5,000 for $2 million in coverage two years ago is now paying $15,000 for $1 million in coverage, Medler said.

Last year the Boston Archdiocese settled more than 500 lawsuits by people who said they were molested by priests. The cost was $85 million, the largest known payout of its kind. Boston church officials are still working with insurance companies to determine what the settlement insurance will pay.

The Rev. Christopher Coyne, a spokesman for the archdiocese, said its liability insurance premiums went up 35 percent last year, although much of the increase was due to work in nursing homes.

Summer camps have also been affected by higher insurance costs according to Bette Bussel, executive director of the American Camping Association of New England. Camps there reported increases in insurance costs from 30 percent to 200 percent last year.