Why Do Churches Need Insurance?

From property protection to auto liability, physical damages, slips and falls, volunteers, and employees, the list is long for why a church should have insurance coverage. Below we will cover these reasons and express the importance of why a church needs insurance.

Property, Auto Liability, and Physical Damages

Imagine storms, a fire, or a car accident. Sounds terrible, right? The question in all three of those situations is if a church would have the funds to get through the situation and the ability to care for those involved. Property insurance can cover more than just the building; it also covers:

• Equipment
• Supplies
• Church-owned structures (pastor’s residence, gym, etc.)

As for auto liability and physical damage coverage, it is important to have the proper coverage on the church’s buses, vans, or the pastor’s vehicle. The policy should protect from damages to the vehicle and bodily injuries if an accident occurred.

Volunteers, Childcare, and Employees

Churches will generally have employees and provide childcare. They also rely heavily on volunteers. Having proper insurance coverage minimizes the liability risk. Churches can add sexual misconduct coverage to a policy for protection from claims made against volunteers or staff.

For employees specifically, churches can add Employee Dishonesty and Employee Related Practices coverage. Employee dishonesty coverage helps protect against employee theft, whereas employee-related practices coverage protects against wrongful acts like harassment, failure to promote, or wrongful termination.

Ultimately, having church insurance is imperative to providing protection and money in case of an accident. As with any insurance, the hope is that it will never be needed.