California Church Insurance
California church insurance has become harder to buy. Wildfire risk, earthquake exposure, rising rebuilding costs, and some of the nation’s broadest abuse-claim laws have pushed many carriers to tighten what they will write for churches in this state.
Integrity Now Insurance Brokers is an independent agency based in Southern California, and we help churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious organizations across California compare coverage from carriers that specialize in houses of worship. We also provide religious insurance in California for temples, faith-based schools, and nonprofit ministries.
Our founder, Kevin Edwards, has been a Youth Pastor for over 20 years, so we understand how California ministries actually operate — including youth trips, volunteers, counseling, school programs, and facility rentals.
As independent church insurance brokers, we work for your church, not for one insurance company, and we never charge broker fees.
Churches and ministries we insure in California
We work with congregations of every size and denomination, as well as church-run schools, daycares, camps, and nonprofit ministries. We serve churches throughout the state, including:
- Los Angeles County and Long Beach
- Orange County
- The Inland Empire (Riverside and San Bernardino counties)
- San Diego County
- The Central Valley, including Fresno, Bakersfield (Kern County), Visalia, and Stockton
- Sacramento and Northern California
- The San Francisco Bay Area, including Alameda County
Carrier availability and pricing vary by location within California, especially in high wildfire-risk areas, so we match your church with carriers actively writing in your area. Get a quote today!
Why California Churches Need Specialized Insurance
Wildfire and a tight property insurance market
Wildfire is the biggest property concern for many California churches. In recent years, several insurance carriers have reduced or stopped writing new commercial property policies in high-risk areas.
When standard carriers decline, the California FAIR Plan, the state’s insurer of last resort, can provide basic commercial property coverage, often paired with a separate policy to fill coverage gaps. An experienced insurance agency can help you find a standard carrier first and plan around the FAIR Plan only if needed. Simple wildfire mitigation, like clearing defensible space and maintaining roofs and vents, can also help your church’s insurability. See our wildfire evaluation guide.
Earthquake exposure
Standard church property policies typically exclude earthquake damage. Many California churches—especially older masonry and unreinforced buildings — face significant earthquake risk, and earthquake insurance coverage must be purchased separately. Integrity Now Insurance Brokers, an independent insurance agency, can help your church or nonprofit compare earthquake insurance options. Learn more about earthquake insurance for churches.
Flooding and storm damage
Atmospheric-river storms can bring flooding, mudslides, and water damage, even outside designated flood zones. Flood damage is typically excluded from standard property policies and is usually covered through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private flood insurance policy.
California’s abuse-claim laws
California has some of the broadest civil laws in the country for childhood sexual abuse claims. AB 218 (2019) extended the time survivors have to file and temporarily revived older claims, and AB 452 (2023) eliminated the statute of limitations for childhood sexual assault claims arising on or after January 1, 2024. For any church with children’s or youth ministries, strong abuse prevention practices and properly structured abuse and molestation coverage are essential.
Protect your ministry with a comprehensive insurance program that includes sexual misconduct insurance coverage. Contact one of our licensed California insurance agents to discuss an insurance and risk management solution for houses of worship and nonprofits.
Vehicles, vandalism, and theft
Church vans, catalytic converter theft, vandalism, and break-ins are common claims for California ministries, private schools, and nonprofit organizations. The right insurance coverage combines property, crime, and auto exposures.
Church Insurance Coverages for California Churches
Most California churches need a core package of property and liability coverage, plus additional coverages based on their buildings, staff, vehicles, and ministries. Church insurance in California should fit your ministry’s unique needs and challenges while staying within your budget.
Here are the insurance coverages we most often place for California churches.
Church Property Insurance
Church property insurance covers your buildings and contents — sanctuary, fellowship hall, sound and media equipment, furniture, and more — after covered losses like fire, wind, theft, and vandalism. Make sure your building limits reflect current California construction costs; underinsurance is one of the most common problems we find. Equipment breakdown coverage can be added for HVAC, electrical, and other systems.
Earthquake and Flood Coverage
Earthquake and flood are typically excluded from standard property policies. Both can be purchased separately, and we can help you weigh the cost against your building’s risk.
General Liability Insurance
General liability insurance covers bodily injury and property damage claims arising from your church’s operations — a guest slipping in the parking lot, an injury at a youth event, or damage your activities cause to someone else’s property — including legal defense costs.
Pastoral Counseling Liability
Pastoral counseling liability covers claims that a pastor, minister, or lay counselor caused harm through negligent advice or errors while counseling. Make sure the policy includes everyone who counsels on your behalf, including volunteers.
Abuse and Molestation Coverage
Given California’s abuse-claim laws, abuse and molestation coverage is one of the most important coverages a church can carry. Carriers will typically look at your screening, training, and supervision practices — including background checks and mandated reporter training — when underwriting this coverage.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
California law requires employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance for their employees (Labor Code §3700), and churches with paid staff are generally included. Workers’ comp covers medical care and lost wages for work-related injuries and illnesses. Volunteers are generally not covered unless your policy specifically includes them, so ask us about volunteer accident coverage.
Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability
D&O insurance protects board members, elders, and officers if they are sued over decisions made on behalf of the church, such as financial, governance, or employment decisions.
Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI)
Employment-related lawsuits are a significant exposure for California employers, including churches. EPLI covers claims from employees and applicants alleging wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, or retaliation.
Crime and Employee Dishonesty
Crime coverage protects your church from theft, embezzlement, and fraud by employees or volunteers who handle offerings and church funds. It pairs well with simple controls, like having two unrelated people count and deposit offerings.
Commercial Auto and Church Van Insurance
Commercial auto insurance covers church-owned cars, buses, and 15-passenger vans. If staff or volunteers drive their own cars for ministry activities, hired and non-owned auto coverage protects the church when an accident happens in a vehicle it doesn’t own.
Umbrella Liability Insurance
Umbrella insurance adds limits above your general liability, auto, and other liability policies. For California churches with large gatherings, vehicles, or schools, higher limits can help protect against a single catastrophic claim.
California Requirements Churches Should Know
- Workers’ compensation: California requires employers to secure workers’ compensation coverage for employees.
- AB 506 (youth service organizations): Churches and ministries that serve minors must have administrators, employees, and regular volunteers complete mandated reporter training and background checks, and adopt child-abuse prevention policies. See our AB 506 guide.
- Retirement plan mandates: Learn how CalSavers applies to churches.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check with your attorney or denomination for requirements that apply to your organization.
Why California Churches Choose Integrity Now
- Independent: We compare carriers such as GuideOne, Church Mutual, and Philadelphia Insurance instead of selling one company’s policy. Carrier availability varies by location.
- California experience: We know how wildfire, earthquake, and abuse-claim laws affect church coverage in this state.
- Ministry background: Our founder has served as a Youth Pastor for over 20 years.
- No broker fees: We are paid by carrier commission, built into your premium.
Ready to review your church’s coverage? Call us or fill out our church insurance quote form, and one of our agents will review your current policy, identify gaps, and compare options from carriers writing churches in your part of California. Quote turnaround varies with your location and the size and complexity of your buildings.
California Church Insurance FAQs
How much does church insurance cost in California?
Costs vary widely based on your building’s value and construction, location and wildfire or earthquake exposure, congregation size, payroll, vehicles, claims history, and ministries such as schools, daycare, or camps. The most reliable way to know is to compare quotes. As an independent broker, we compare multiple carriers to find competitive pricing for your church.
Does church insurance cover earthquakes in California?
Standard church insurance in California typically excludes earthquake damage from the property policy. Earthquake coverage can usually be purchased separately, and we can help you compare options and decide whether it makes sense for your building.
Can my church get property insurance in a high wildfire-risk area?
Often, yes, though options may be limited. We start by shopping standard carriers that write churches in your area. If they decline, the California FAIR Plan can provide basic commercial property coverage, often paired with a separate policy to fill gaps. Wildfire mitigation steps can improve your church’s options.
Are California churches required to carry workers’ compensation?
California requires employers to secure workers’ compensation coverage for their employees, and churches with paid staff are generally included. Volunteers are generally not covered unless the policy specifically includes them.
What is AB 506 and does it apply to my church?
AB 506 applies to youth service organizations in California, including many churches with children’s or youth ministries. It requires administrators, employees, and regular volunteers to complete mandated reporter training and background checks. Your abuse and molestation coverage may also depend on having these practices in place.
Do you charge broker fees?
No. Integrity Now Insurance Brokers does not charge broker fees. We are paid a commission by the insurance company, built into the policy premium. Your quote will show the premium plus any taxes or fees required by the carrier or the state.