Did you know your ministry could have a major liability risk even if you have property and casualty coverage? Some situations and emergencies might not be covered under traditional insurance plans. UMIP wants to increase your ministry’s peace of mind by helping you understand special coverages and products.
Boiler and Machinery
Uh oh! You’ve arrived at church Sunday morning and discovered your heat is out. What do you do? Repairing or replacing your boiler may not be covered under your insurance policy and your ministry could be liable for those expenses. Boiler and machinery coverage helps ministries cover the costs associated with equipment failure and malfunctions. Other large equipment like an elevator or certain office equipment may need extra coverage as well and could be covered under this type of policy.
Terrorism
The threat of hate-inspired violence is ever-present in our world and religious organizations are not immune. Recent spikes in domestic and foreign terrorism highlight the need for your ministry to be covered against catastrophic loss that could occur from senseless violence. Due to the extreme circumstances surrounding these types of events, many property and casualty policies do not cover these emergencies. Terrorism coverage can help your ministry recover in the unfortunate case of acts of terror.
Sexual Misconduct
We pray your ministry is never faced with the emotional and financial burden of an incident of sexual misconduct. With that prayer, we want to help you understand the importance of sexual misconduct coverage. Sexual misconduct policies are designed to help your ministry with the financial responsibilities your ministry could incur in a sexual misconduct incident. Your ministry should have policies and procedures to help limit the opportunities for misconduct, as well as a comprehensive response plan. Pairing those protocols with a sexual misconduct policy can assist you in protecting your ministry and its members.
Directors and Officers Liability/ Management Liability
Your leadership and personnel act as agents of your ministry. Director and Officers (D&O) liability coverage can assist your ministry with costs associated with defending or settling claims of wrongful acts if sued by staff, visitors, or members. This type of coverage is expected from many professionals and management personnel as it can help protect them, and typically, their spouses, if personally sued regarding acts performed as representatives of your ministry.
Errors and Omissions
As believers in our faith, we understand that humans are imperfect. Mistakes happen, but will your ministry be covered? Errors and Omissions coverage assists your ministry in covering the court costs and settlements associated with this kind of liability. Claims of negligence can severely hinder your ministry’s ability to service your mission field. Don’t let an innocent mistake cripple your ministry.
When you are covered by UMIP, we will be there when you need us. Churches have unique needs. As a part of the denomination, we understand the unique needs of United Methodist churches and their operations, which is reflected in our coverage options. Your ministry deserves outstanding insurance and UMIP works for you each day to help protect your church’s people, property, and finances.
Let's talk! Contact us at 484-654-3380 or at UMI@sovinsurance.com.
This content has been prepared by United Methodist Insurance Company (UMI) for informational purposes only. No article or document may accurately contemplate all possible scenarios or church resources. As such, this information is meant to foster discussion by the individual church and its members to develop a plan tailored to its own circumstances. UMI is providing this information with no warranties or guarantees of any kind and it should not be viewed as legal, financial, or other professional advice. All liability is expressly disclaimed. Any claim examples described herein are general in nature, may or may not be based on actual claims, and are for informational purposes only. Any coverage available for a claim is determined from the facts and circumstances of the claim as well as the terms and conditions of any applicable policy, including any exclusions or deductibles. In the event of a conflict with the content herein, the terms and conditions of any issued policy will control. Individual coverage may vary and may not be available in all states.
The commercial insurance coverages for United Methodist Insurance are sold and serviced directly or indirectly by Sovereign Insurance Agency (CA Lic. No. 0B01380) ("Sovereign") and underwritten by various available insurance markets. Sovereign pays United Methodist Insurance a royalty for the use of its intellectual property.