Churches host various services besides the usual Sunday Mass. Besides being prone to several risks associated with other businesses, they have their own unique perils too. Therefore, it’s essential to equip the church with the right church insurance.
Having a proper church insurance plan in place is the key to optimizing protection to ensure operations run smoothly. Fortunately, church insurance agents at Integrity Now Insurance Brokers can help your church remain protected with the right church insurance plan, tailored according to your church’s unique requirements. But first, here’s a detailed guide to help you understand the importance of proper insurance coverage.
Church Insurance 101
What’s Church Insurance?
As a special type of business insurance, church insurance protects the owners of churches. An agreement is set between the church and the insurance provider where the details of what financial losses will be covered by the insurer are stated if any calamity is to befall the church. All the specific perils that will be included, along with those that are excluded, are listed in the policy.
How To Get Reliable Church Insurance?
When you get in touch with experts at Integrity Now Insurance Brokers, they’ll guide you about various coverage types and packages that can help protect the church against risks that are unique to the area where the church is located. This is because a standard insurance policy doesn’t work for every type of church or its owners. Church insurance is specially designed to keep the business afloat following a disaster, like lawsuits or property destruction. Since it’s so customizable, it’s easy to build a plan that suits your church’s needs while keeping the church’s funds in mind.
A church encounters several different risks which can be minimized with the right protection. Here are some of the most common (and obscure) risks and hazards that can negatively affect a church.
Fires
Over 1,900 fires are reported annually in religious properties, resulting in more than $103 million in damages, excluding the indirect costs involved in fire damages. Church insurance covers liability and medical expenses that result due to the fire.
Slips and Falls
Just like all businesses, slips and falls are one of the most common risks that churches often file claims for. Church insurance protects against the legal fees and medical bills that come from injuries occurred on the church’s property.
Burglary and Theft
Although churches are supposed to be safe spaces, theft and burglary are extremely common in churches. They can cause substantial financial loss and damage to the valuable church property. Church insurance typically covers religious artifacts and items, such as pews, stained-glass windows, and more, which are sometimes not covered properly by standard property insurance policies.
Sexual Violence
Sexual misconduct or abuse can happen anywhere, and churches aren’t exempt. If you or an employee gets accused of sexual misconduct or harassment, the church insurance provider will handle the cost of defending the church and its members.
Strom Damage
Damage from floods, lightning, and hail can be expensive. Adding church property insurance to your policy can help cover those hefty costs.
Water Damage
Leaking faucets and frozen pipes are not only inconvenient, but can also be expensive because they can cause extensive damage to the church. Whether the damage is caused by water leakage in walls or flooding, repair costs will be covered in a comprehensive church insurance policy.
Electrical Surge and Lightning Damage
Sound systems, computers, smart devices, and other electrical equipment can get damaged by a power surge or lightning strike. Your church’s insurance company will step in to cover the cost of replacement or repairs if your church is properly protected with a comprehensive policy.
How Does A Reputable Church Insurance Provider Help Protect Against Claims?
The insurance needs of houses of worship differ significantly from those of a business. An experienced church insurance agent will accommodate these differences by devising a policy that covers a variety of property and liability coverages that suit your church’s needs. Here are some special church coverage options if you’re looking to learn more about adding tailored ones to optimize coverage for your religious institution.
Pastors and Ministers Liability Insurance
This coverage is vital for all religious institutions that deliver sermons or offer spiritual counseling. It offers counselling liability insurance with the option of extending coverage to church leadership, ministers, clergy, and non-paid or paid sanctioned volunteers.
Employee Practices Liability Insurance
This covers both part-time and full-time paid employees and those who work on stipends. If an employ sues the church for invasion of privacy, wrongful termination, harassment, breach of contract, false imprisonment, wage violations, emotional distress, or discrimination, this type of insurance will cover the professional and legal liabilities, including legal costs and other damages.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Workers’ comp insurance is necessary in most states, regardless of the number of workers, as it provides medical and wage replacement benefits to employees who develop an illness or get injured at the workplace or when completing work-related tasks. The employees possess the right to sue their employer for negligence. The insurance company will cover the costs of medical bills, permanent impairment, job retraining, or missed wages.
Mission Insurance
As another crucial insurance coverage that churches should consider, mission insurance provides coverage for disasters that might occur during missionary trips, including illnesses and injuries, kidnapping, and lawsuits. If your church sponsors mission trips, mission insurance must be added to your policy to protect your religious organization.
General Liability Insurance
It provides coverage for employees, volunteers, clergy, and members for bodily injuries. Even if a third party gets injured while performing duties for your church, a general liability insurance policy will cover medical and surgery expenses, lost wages, legal fees, and more. This type of insurance also covers property damage if your church’s property causes damage to a vehicle or house within the vicinity of the church.
Church Property Insurance
This policy is typically part of all church insurance policies and protects the property from damages caused by fire, theft, vandalism, weather, and falling objects.
How Much Does A Church Insurance Policy Cost?
The cost of church insurance is impacted by various factors, such as the church’s size, location, exposures, value and age of the property, and the number of employees and auto vehicles the church has. Integrity Now Insurance Brokers can connect you with a reliable church insurance agent so that you can ask questions and communicate with them to make sure the ministry is safe from potential unforeseen events. They can also scout out all applicable discounts after discussing the church’s needs, size, and other details.
From workers’ compensation insurance to church property insurance, house of worship insurance, commercial auto insurance, church liability insurance, and more, you can rely on them for a host of church insurance services at industry-competitive rates.
Reach out to them through call or email to discuss your coverage plan to ensure nothing can impede your church’s growth and progress. They offer services in several states, including Texas, California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Washington, and Ohio.
