Louisiana Church Insurance

Louisiana church insurance changed after the 2020 and 2021 hurricane seasons. Insurers failed, premiums jumped, and many congregations found their carrier gone or their policy moved to the state’s insurer of last resort. At the same time, a change in state law revived old abuse claims against churches and other organizations. Integrity Now Insurance Brokers is an independent broker. We help Louisiana churches, from New Orleans and Baton Rouge to Lafayette, Lake Charles and Shreveport, find stable carriers and put the right coverage in place.

Request a Louisiana church insurance quote.

Louisiana’s Property Market After Laura and Ida

Louisiana insurers paid more than $23 billion after the 2020–2021 hurricane seasons, and twelve insurers writing homeowners coverage were declared insolvent between July 2021 and February 2023, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Policies at Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, the state’s insurer of last resort, roughly tripled as private carriers left or failed.

For a church, the lesson is that price isn’t everything:

• Carrier strength: check the financial strength rating of any carrier quoting your church property. Several of the companies that failed had grown quickly on thin reinsurance.
• Named-storm deductibles: usually a percentage of insured value. Know the dollar amount before hurricane season.
• Flood: excluded from standard property policies. Buy it separately.
• Business income: after Ida, many churches met elsewhere for months.

See church property insurance.

The Abuse-Claim Lookback Window and Your Old Policies

Louisiana’s Act 322 of 2021 and Act 386 of 2022 revived previously expired child sexual abuse claims against abusers and against organizations, for a limited window. In March 2024 the Louisiana Supreme Court struck the revival provisions down. On rehearing in June 2024 it reversed itself and upheld them in Bienvenu v. Defendant 1. The Legislature also passed SB 246 in 2024 to extend the window.

Revived claims are usually covered, if at all, by the general liability or abuse policy that was in force when the abuse happened, not today’s policy. Every Louisiana church should:

• Locate and keep copies of every liability policy it has ever had, along with agent and carrier records.
• Report any claim or demand letter to current and past carriers right away.
• Carry dedicated abuse and molestation coverage today, with screening and two-adult policies in place.

This is general information, not legal advice. Talk to an attorney about any specific claim.

Workers’ Comp for Louisiana Churches

Louisiana requires employers to maintain workers’ compensation even if they have only one employee, according to the Louisiana Workforce Commission’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Administration. That includes part-time and seasonal staff. A general liability policy doesn’t satisfy the requirement.

Church Insurance in Louisiana: Other Core Coverage

• General liability for services, festivals, fish fries and rentals.
• Directors and officers and employment practices.
• Commercial auto for vans, buses and volunteer drivers.
• Crime and an umbrella policy.

See the full list on our church insurance coverage page.

Nonprofit Insurance in Louisiana: Revived Claims Reach Youth Programs Too

The lookback legislation isn’t limited to churches. Act 386 made clear the revival applies to claims against any party, so Louisiana nonprofits that have run youth sports, camps, mentoring, tutoring or residential programs face the same exposure. Few small nonprofits kept their old insurance records. For Louisiana nonprofits we focus on:

• Insurance archaeology: reconstructing past policies from board minutes, audits, bank records and former agents, so a revived claim can be tendered to the right carrier.
• Current abuse and molestation limits, written on an occurrence basis where possible.
• D&O for boards making decisions about past allegations, records and reporting.
• Carrier stability for any property the nonprofit owns, given how many insurers failed after 2021.

Learn more about our nonprofit insurance program.

Why Louisiana Churches Work With Integrity Now

Since 2012 we’ve helped more than 500 congregations. Our owner, Kevin Edwards, is a licensed agent and active Youth Pastor. We don’t charge broker fees; carriers pay our commission. In a market where carriers have come and gone, an independent broker can move your church to a stronger company without starting over. See typical church insurance costs, then start your quote.

Louisiana Church Insurance FAQs

Why did our Louisiana church's insurance company leave or fail?

After hurricanes Laura and Ida, twelve insurers writing homeowners coverage in Louisiana were declared insolvent between July 2021 and February 2023, and others pulled back. We compare carriers and check financial strength before placing church property.

Does Louisiana church insurance cover flood?

No. Standard church property policies exclude flood. Louisiana churches should buy separate flood coverage and understand their named-storm deductible.

How does the Louisiana lookback window affect churches?

Acts 322 and 386 revived expired child sexual abuse claims for a limited window, and the Louisiana Supreme Court upheld the revival on rehearing in 2024. Revived claims are usually covered by the policy in force when the abuse occurred, so keep all old policies.

Do Louisiana churches need workers' compensation with one employee?

Yes. Louisiana requires workers' compensation for employers with even one employee, including part-time and seasonal workers.

What is Louisiana Citizens and should our church use it?

Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is the state's insurer of last resort. It can keep a building insured when private carriers won't, but we shop the private market first.