Churches are exposed to an array of potential risks, and most churches have limited resources available for recovering from disasters. Church insurance helps shield churches and other religious organizations in Massachusetts from many of the risks they face.
Church insurance is a highly specialized form of commercial insurance, with many policies offering coverages that aren’t commonly found in other types of insurance. For this reason, churches should work closely with an insurance agent who specializes in church policies when selecting coverage. A specialized agent will be familiar with the risks that accompany running a church, and they’ll know how policies help protect against those coverages.
Most Massachusetts churches should have a church policy in place, for few churches could afford to recover from a major disaster if they had no coverage in place. While not the only policy option, church policies are usually the most well-suited to churches’ needs.
Other nonprofits that are religiously affiliated, such as parachurch organizations, normally also need insurance. Whether this or another type of insurance is most appropriate for them depends on their particular circumstances. A specialized agent’s expertise can be helpful in determining what insurance policy option makes most sense in this type of situation.
Although these policies are most commonly called “church policies,” they often also meet the coverage needs of other houses of worship. After all, synagogues and mosques face many of the same risks that churches do.
Most church policies make many coverages available as either standard or optional protections so that they can meet churches’ divers coverage needs. Some of these coverages are particular to operating a religious organization, while others are used in many situations but remain highly appropriate for churches.
The most church-specific coverages include:
Ministers and Pastors Liability Insurance, which may cover clergy, staff and sanctioned volunteers who offer spiritual counseling
Religious Freedom Insurance, which may cover a church against discrimination lawsuits
Church-Sponsored Activities Liability Insurance, which may cover incidents occurring during official church events
Some coverages that aren’t necessarily specific to churches but many churches need are:
General Liability Insurance, which may cover third-party injuries and defamation lawsuits
Employee Practices Liability Insurance, which may cover employee discrimination lawsuits
Ordinance or Law Insurance, which may cover the increased cost of rebuilding a church building to current codes
Daycare and Preschool Liability Insurance, which may cover a church-run daycare or preschool
General Property Insurance, which may cover church-owned property
Inland Marine Coverage, which may cover items while they’re being transported
Computer Fraud Coverage, which may cover instances of online fraud
Church policies’ premiums vary depending on a number of factors. For example, a church’s size, location, number of employees and property might all impact how much a policy costs.
In almost every case, however, a policy can be procured for an affordable price. Even when a policy costs a little bit, having coverage is still usually much more affordable than facing a major disaster with no insurance coverage in place.
For assistance with finding a church policy that will properly protect your Massachusetts church, contact the independent insurance agents at Roger Keith & Sons Insurance Agency. Our independent agents can show you policies from multiple insurers in the state, and they have the expertise necessary to help you select the best church insurance policy for your particular church.
1575 Main Street
Brockton, MA 02301
Phone: (508) 583-1106
Fax: (508) 583-8478
PO Box 608 — 153 Front Street, Marion, MA 02738
Phone: (508) 748-0194
Fax: (508) 748-3655
328 Bedford Street
Lakeville, MA 02347
Phone: (508) 947-3460
Fax: (508) 947-6844