Today’s churches and other houses of worship are quite different from any typical commercial organization, and therefore have a unique insurance need. The times when a church only had to worry about a congregation member slipping and falling on the front steps are over, and new causes of action that are evolving daily, need to be addressed. Congregation growth, community involvement and growth in mission organizations make it even more important to ensure each religious institution is properly protecting their assets.
Many religious institutions own substantial amounts of real estate and building property in connection with their operations. These structures often contain incidental property of considerable value. Unfortunately, most property insurance forms contain several peril or value limitations for many of these items, which could lead to severe under-insurance problems. In these situations, one or more endorsements are often needed to ensure that adequate protection is being provided for these items.
Due to the nature of the operations conducted by religious institutions, insurance decision makers should consider expanding the list of specified exposures covered under the personal injury coverage section. Fortunately many of our carriers use or are willing to offer a broadened personal injury coverage endorsement that adds additional items. This sort of additional coverage can include the exposures of shock, mental anguish, fright, humiliation, alienation of affection and discrimination based on race, religion, age, sex, national origin or physical handicap. Finally, the definition of personal injury may also be expanded to cover published information besides what is oral or written in nature. Broader wording might include material that is videotaped, televised or digitized (e.g., internet or e-mail).
