Abuse and Molestation Insurance for Churches
As a church organization, protecting the people within our reach is so critical from all types of injuries. Abuse and molestation insurance for churches is never an easy conversation as your church insurance agent. However, it is a topic we need to tackle daily with all our churches we help insure.
No one ever wants to receive the phone call telling them something bad has happened to one of their church members. An abuse or molestation allegation does not only impact the victim, but the entire church and community suffers. No amount of insurance coverage is ever enough, and money is never a solution to the problem.
It is important to understand churches need to not only have insurance in place for this, but they more importantly need to have policies and procedures in place to help prevent such an incident from occurring.
How much Abuse and Molestation Insurance Should our Church Carry?
Abuse and Molestation Insurance Coverage is an often a very misunderstood line of insurance coverage. Many churches believe it will never happen to them and frequently purchased with minimal, ineffective coverage limits. For churches, especially those working with children and/or vulnerable adults, this should be a must have and not underinsured coverage.
There is no amount of insurance we as your church insurance brokers, can recommend that is enough to protect your church from financial ruins. Abuse and molestation insurance coverage can range from $25,000 to $1,000,000 per occurrence. We typically recommend new start up churches or small churches 50 or less carry at least $100,000 in coverage.
Churches can also obtain coverage limits of $250,000 and $500,000 per each occurrence. The cost between $100K and $1,000,000 is less than $1,000 annually for most churches. However, when your abuse and molestation insurance coverage reach $500,000 or higher, the church property insurance companies will require additional risk management procedures be in place.
We recommend all churches have these stricter policies and procedures in place, even when they carry the lowest insurance limits. Our goal should be to prevent a claim such as this.
What Policies And Procedures Should We Institute Outside Of Just Obtain An Abuse And MolestationInsurance Policy?
As a church organization, it is vital that your church Directors and Officers institute policies and procedures to help protect the most vulnerable church members. Church property insurance companies will want to know that your church has an implement some of the following abuse and molestation protection procedures.
- Background Checks of employees and volunteers who are 18 years or older that work with Kids
- Application the ask is the person has ever been convicted or investigated for abuse or molestation
- Requires 6 months with your church before they are allowed to work with kids
- Requires no less than 2 adults being present when a kid is present
- Reference checks conducted on all employees and volunteers who work with kids
- Written policy and procedure manual
- Church Leader in charge to ensure all the requirements are being followed and updated regularly.
- Annual Training of church staff on notification requirements, how to identify abuse, and ensuring your staff know all the policies and procedures.
Depending on your churches abuse and molestation insurance coverage, each insurance company may have additional or fewer requirements that they will require to be in place. No matter the insurance companies requirements, as a church we recommend applying the strictest of requirements available to you as a church.
Common Abuse and Molestation Questions asked by Church Insurance Companies
As your church insurance brokers, we are responsible for ensuring our clients are a good fit for each insurance company. Each church insurance company has their own set of questions, they ask churches who desire to financially protect themselves. Depending on the amount of abuse and molestation insurance coverage your church desires, will depend on the number of questions that could be asked of you.
Following are common abuse and molestation questions asked by insurance companies that specialize in churches:
- Does your organization have a written zero tolerance for abuse policy which includes procedures designed to prevent acts of sexual misconduct that is communicated to all employees and volunteers?
- Does your organization have a written crisis plan in place for dealing with employees, victims, parents, authorities, and the media if there is an incident of abuse?
- Does your organization require that no minor is ever alone with only one adult on your organization's premises or in any organization sponsored activity unless in a counseling situation?
- Does your organization conduct nationwide and statewide criminal or sex offender background checks on all employees and volunteers?
- Provide the Name of the organization your church uses for background checks.
- How often does your organization conduct background checks?
- How long are files kept for your employees and volunteers?
- Does your organization require volunteers and employees to be part of your organization for a minimum of 6 months, prior to being able to work with kids?
- Does your organization conduct reference checks (contacting at a minimum two organizations in which the applicant has previously worked) on all employees and volunteers?
- Does your organization obtain both employee and volunteer applications for those individuals who work with kids?
- Have any of your organization's past or present employees, volunteers or representatives ever received a report, a complaint, an allegation, ever been charged, convicted, had a claim for damages submitted against, or sued in civil court for any type of sexual misconduct?
Church insurance companies may also ask to review your current abuse and molestation policies and procedure manual. The insurance company wants to verify that your church has the needed language in place to protect your kids. They are also trying to make sure they reduce their liability exposure and help churches reduce lawsuits.
How does our Church obtain the needed Forms and Abuse and Molestation Policies and Procedure Manual?
As your church insurance agent, we can provide your church with a template abuse and molestation policy and procedure manual. It will be your responsibility to make this manual your own. We also have access to a number of customizable forms your church can use and make your own.
Besides making these forms your own, it is important that your church implement and train all of your church staff on an annual basis. Setting aside an hour once a year, to ensure your church members are protected and your staff understands how to identify and report an incident should be our top priority.
Some of the Best Church Insurance Companies may also provide your church with lots of resources and materials. They can also help point your organization in the right direction with companies that conduct criminal background checks. Many of these insurance companies have established pre-negotiated rates for their policyholders.
We are here to Help as your Church Insurance Agency
Integrity Now Insurance Brokers specializes in insurance for churches. One of our church insurance agents are here to help you navigate all the needed coverages your church should have in place. Abuse and molestation insurance for churches is just one of many different coverages you will need to have in place.
No matter the size of your church organization, we are here to help put together a church insurance program that is suited for you. No two churches are the same and no two insurance policies should be designed the same way. We customize each church insurance policy to meet of our church clients needs.
We take pride in the services we provide to each of our churches. We are here to serve you and your organization. Some of the coverages we help your church with includes general liability insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, business auto insurance, ministry insurance, EPLI, Directors and Officers Insurance, and more.
If you are running a church in California, Ohio, Nevada, Washington, Colorado, Arizona, or Texas, Integrity Now Insurance is at your disposal. Our competent church insurance agents are determined to help churches across the US to find church property insurance companies that caters to their special needs. Call us for more information.