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Church insurance in Nashville and throughout Tennessee

A church is so much more than a place of worship—it’s also a community center, an employer and oftentimes, a home. We offer customized insurance options that fit all of these unique needs.

A church is a worship center where people unite in a familiar, comfortable environment. Individuals seeking spiritual guidance join together to form a familial bond. It is your ministry’s duty to maintain a safe and welcoming facility. Should disaster strike, a church insurance policy can protect the community physically and emotionally in times of need.

How can church insurance protect you?
Use the yellow hot spots and explore how church insurance can help protect against common risks.
Church
Stained Glass Insurance
Risk Factor

Stained glass is often very valuable and sometimes priceless. Several hundreds of thousands of dollars might be needed to refurbish the stained glass. If it’s damaged by vandalism, hail, fire, or other means, it can be very costly to fix. Finding a qualified contractor may also be challenging.

Solution

Depending upon your insurance coverage, an appraisal of your stained glass damage could be free of charge. In addition, consider including the value of the stained glass in the building limit of the church, and also include coverage under the church’s blanket limit. Some insurance companies may treat stained glass as part of a fine arts floater. Either way, this helps ensure the proper coverage in the event that something bad happens.

Abuse and Molestation Insurance
Risk Factor

There are hundreds of reports each year of people being sexually abused by clergy, church staff, volunteers, and congregation members. Countless more are abused without any report being made.

Solution

Obtain the proper abuse or molestation coverage to protect the church in the event of an allegation arises. In addition, consider having a written document to address how to prevent sexual abuse from happening and what to do in the event of an allegation.

Non-Owned Auto Insurance
Risk Factor

Church volunteers and employees often use personal vehicles to do work for the church.

Solution

Make sure to add hired and non-owned auto coverage to the church’s insurance policy to cover this exposure. Also, check the motor vehicle records for anyone who drives other members…especially kids.

Religious Freedom Insurance
Risk Factor

Churches sometimes have very closely held beliefs that may open them up to potential lawsuits in the event the church’s beliefs cause someone else to feel wronged. An example might be a church refusing to perform a same-sex marriage, which results in a lawsuit.

Solution

Consider adding religious freedom coverage. This insurance can protect the church in the event it is sued because of closely-held beliefs core to the church.

Directors and Officers Liability Insurance (D&O)
Risk Factor

Almost all churches have some form of board of directors that makes financial and operational decisions on behalf of the congregation. An organization once sued a church for improperly using their trademarked property while promoting a fundraising event. The total loss and defense costs totaled $400,000.

Solution

Directors and officers liability insurance protects the decision-makers of the church from lawsuits and claims. Instead of suing the individuals directly, the lawsuit would be defended by the church’s D&O policy. Most people who serve on a board in a volunteer capacity should demand this coverage before serving.

Church Roof
Risk Factor

Roof claims are the most common claims that churches face. Each year, billions of dollars of damage are typically paid as a result of storm damage.

Solution

Ensure you have the proper coverage and confirm that you are insured to full replacement value. In addition, make sure your insurance policy includes replacement cost coverage for roof claims for wind and hail.

Church Security
Risk Factor

Security in churches is becoming a larger issue as attacks have increased in recent years.

Solution

Every church should have a security plan. This plan should detail where parishioners go in the event of an emergency, which entrances are open during worship times, who should contact the authorities, how to spot someone who may pose a security risk, and how to react to someone who is trying to cause harm to parishioners.

Professional Liability Insurance
Risk Factor

Religious Leaders often find themselves giving counseling to couples or other church members. In addition, religious leaders could be at risk of a lawsuit for what they say in the pulpit.

Solution

When it comes to counseling, religious leaders should have clear guidelines on what is acceptable in a counseling situation. In addition, religious leaders should be trained to know what needs to be reported to the authorities in the event of an extreme situation. Adding professional liability coverage to your church’s insurance policy can help protect the religious leader and church from claims or lawsuits arising from what the religious leader says at the pulpit or when teaching or preaching.

Like other kinds of insurance, there are a variety of options to choose from in regards to church insurance. Most plans include property and liability coverage.

Property coverage protects buildings, signage, fences and contents from damage and theft. Some of the non-standard items that are covered include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Stained glass windows
  • Equipment failure, including electronics
  • Fire and security alarm upgrades
  • Personal property loss worldwide, e.g., items lost on a mission trip

Liability coverage protects the ministry against claims of property damage or bodily injury that occur on church property or at a church-sponsored event. Enhanced liability coverage includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Personal injury liability
  • Teacher/governing board liability
  • Specialized emotional injury liability
  • Sexual misconduct liability
  • Directors, officers and trustees officers liability
  • Employee practices liability

It may be beneficial to add commercial auto insurance and workers compensation to your policy for added protection.

Make the most of your church insurance.

In addition to your property and liability coverage, you can add a variety of optional coverages so your policy is customized to your church’s needs. These can include the following:

  • Lost wage coverage
  • Key person replacement coverage
  • Computer fraud coverage
  • Flood coverage

Contact us today to learn more about coverage options. Our agents are happy to work with you to determine which coverages best meet your needs.

Let’s discuss your church insurance.

One of our insurance advisors will reach out to you to review your information and present you with the appropriate church insurance solution. There’s no obligation, just good-old-fashioned advice.
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Martin & Zerfoss offers comprehensive church insurance in the State of Tennessee, and throughout the United States.