Church Insurance Coverages
Church Insurance Coverage: Complete Guide for Religious Organizations
Since 2012, Integrity Now Insurance Brokers has helped more than 500 congregations nationwide secure the right church insurance coverage. As an independent broker, we are not tied to any single carrier — we access specialty church insurance programs from GuideOne, Philadelphia Insurance, Glatfelter Insurance, and USLI to build a policy tailored to your church’s size, activities, and risk profile.
Kevin Edwards, our owner, is not only a licensed insurance professional but also an active Youth Pastor with 19 years of ministry experience. That background means we understand the operational realities of running a church — from volunteer programs and youth events to mission trips and facilities management.
We offer Property and Liability coverages for churches of all denominations, serving congregations of every size across the United States.
General Liability Insurance for Churches
Integrity Now Insurance Brokers will place you with a church insurance company that will provide your church with comprehensive church insurance coverage. One of the primary church insurance coverages falls under your General Liability insurance. This coverage protects churches against claims of bodily injury or property damage arising out of its premises or operations for which the church may be legally liable by a court.
It also protects your church against liability for personal and advertising injury offenses like libel and slander. Medical expense coverage is also included, regardless of fault.
It is also essential to ensure your Church insurance coverages protect against claims resulting from ministers’ pastoral counseling. This would be your pastor’s professional liability coverage.
Your church liability insurance policy may also cover expenses from a violent incident during a church-sponsored activity.
Those afforded General Liability protection include church members, employees, officials, staff, and volunteers acting on behalf of the church. We are here to help your church put the correct church insurance coverage in place.
Church Property Insurance and Additional Coverages
Some additional church insurance coverages you will want to review include your buildings, personal property, signs, property in the open, and fences. The church insurance companies we work with automatically include coverage for standard losses such as lightning, wind, fire, and hail. They also provide church insurance coverages for many non-standard items, such as the following:
- Equipment breakdown, including computers, boilers, and electrical equipment.
- Newly acquired or constructed property (our limits exceed industry standards).
- Pastor’s business personal property.
- Ordinance or law – building updates to meet with current building codes following a covered loss.
- Limited flood coverage – provides building and personal property coverage on a limited basis when loss or damage is a direct result of flood.
- Key person replacement coverage – provides for the reimbursement of recruitment expenses to replace a senior or executive pastor who dies in a work-related accident.
- Green upgrade coverage – pays for the reasonable additional costs to upgrade to more energy efficient and environmentally friendly building elements and appliances in the event of a covered loss.
- Earthquake insurance sprinkler leakage coverage.
- Indirect loss, such as the loss of church income and tuition fees resulting from a covered peril, including a violent incident; e.g., a church intruder.
- Automated external defibrillators (AED).
- Utility services interruption (direct damage and time element) for example, a storm knocks out usage of your utilities and causes damage.
- Fire and security alarm upgrade – reasonable additional costs to upgrade your system when replaced due to a covered cause of loss.
- Personal Effects and property of others on a worldwide basis; for example, property lost on a mission trip.
- Inland Marine – equipment that is being transported
- Crime (Internal and External)
- Stain glass windows.
Workers' Compensation Insurance for Churches
Having the right church insurance coverages is not only a requirement of a lender, but can also be a requirement of your State. Workers’ Compensation Insurance for Churches protects your church employees in the event of an injury.
This coverage is required to be in place by law in all 50 States. Depending on your state, workers’ compensation insurance coverage will either be obtained through your individual State you live in or through a church insurance company.
The last thing your organization needs, is to have one of your church employees get injured only to find out they are not covered due to the lack of an insurance policy.
Many churches we talk with, believe they are exempted from providing workers’ compensation insurance, as they define their employees as 1099 employees.
In order to decide how to classify an employee, we have to figure out if that church member is classified as a W2 employee or a 1099 employee.
California has the most aggressive employee means test that we are aware of.
As of January 1, 2020 California uses the “ABC test” to distinguish an employee from an independent contractor. The test focuses on the worker’s:
- Autonomy – If the worker is sufficiently free from the control of the company hiring them, then they may be an independent contractor.
- Business – If the worker performs work that is outside the usual course of the hiring entity’s business, then they may be an independent contractor.
- Custom – If the worker is customarily engaged in an outside business organization of the same nature of the work being performed, then they may be an independent contractor.[1]
All organizations are required to pass all three test in order to classify someone as an independent contractor.
Business Auto Insurance for Churches
As your church grows, so will your church insurance coverages. Many churches acquire different items over time and one of those items often given to a church is a vehicle. If your church purchases or is given a church van or bus, you will need to obtain a commercial business auto insurance policy.
Business auto insurance works with your commercial general liability policy, as a result comes with some of the broadest auto insurance coverage you can obtain.
The great news is commercial auto insurance for churches usually is very affordable as compared to other types of organization.
It will be important to have a good vehicle maintenance program in place to ensure the safety of your church family. Churches will also need to make sure the people driving are at least 25 years old. These are good risk management practices to help reduce the possibility of an accident.
Frequently Asked Questions — Church Insurance Coverage
Q: What does church insurance cover?
A comprehensive church insurance program typically includes general liability, church property, directors and officers liability, abuse and molestation coverage, workers’ compensation, and commercial auto. These coverages are usually bundled into a single commercial package policy tailored for religious organizations.
Q: How much does church insurance cost?
Church insurance premiums depend on congregation size, property values, annual revenue, activities (daycare, counseling, youth programs), and coverage limits selected. A small church might pay $1,500–$3,000 per year for a basic package. Larger congregations with schools or daycare programs can expect significantly higher premiums. Contact us for a quote specific to your church.
Q: Is workers’ compensation required for churches?
In most states, churches with paid employees are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Requirements and exemptions vary by state. Misclassifying employees as independent contractors to avoid this requirement can result in significant penalties and uncovered claims.
Q: Does general liability cover sexual abuse claims?
No. Standard general liability policies explicitly exclude sexual abuse and molestation claims. This coverage must be added separately. Any church working with minors or vulnerable adults should obtain this coverage as a priority — it is available through the specialty church insurance programs we access.
Q: What is a commercial package policy for churches?
A commercial package policy bundles multiple coverage types — general liability, property, D&O, abuse and molestation, workers’ comp, auto, and others — into a single policy designed specifically for religious organizations. This approach is usually more comprehensive and cost-effective than purchasing each coverage separately, and it ensures there are no gaps between policies.
Why Work With an Independent Church Insurance Broker?
Kevin Edwards, Owner of Integrity Now Insurance Brokers, is not only a licensed church insurance agent but also an active Youth Pastor with 19 years of ministry experience. He understands what is involved in running a church because he lives it.
As an independent broker since 2012, we have designed coverage programs for more than 500 congregations of all sizes and denominations nationwide. We represent multiple specialty church carriers — including GuideOne, Philadelphia Insurance, Glatfelter Insurance, and USLI — so we shop the market to find the best fit for your church rather than being limited to one company’s products.
We will work with you to structure a ministry insurance program that meets your church’s needs. The church insurance coverages we help put in place will be specifically tailored to your church’s size and comfort level.
We serve churches of all denominations and non-denominational congregations across the United States. Call us at (877) 854-7396 or request a quote below to get started.
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