Houses of Worship are united in their mission to support worshipers and help them with faith matters. Facilities can be closed suddenly due to unanticipated calamities, despite the importance of the institution.
How can members of a church, mosque, or synagogue protect themselves against loss, other than prayer?
Tailored insurance coverage is an absolute necessity. However, it is possible to reduce or prevent loss by implementing risk management policies.
You can see below how a house for worship can protect itself against such risk exposure.
Houses of Worship – Most Common Liability
For any business, non-profit, or religious center, slips and falls are the most common cause of liability. You can reduce or prevent the risk by making sure that cracks are repaired on sidewalks and parking spaces. Also, make sure that snow and ice are removed from walkways and parking spaces. Wet flooring should be used to place caution signs, and hazardous areas should be roped off. Spills should be dealt with immediately.
Corresponding insurance should include general coverage and cover any outreach, charity, or special events. Include coverage for members of the House of Worship.
Sexual abuse lawsuits are another problem board members must be aware of. House of worship officials need to be careful when choosing volunteers and employees for care. They should also focus on background checks as well as character evaluations. An increase in incidents means that no adult should live alone with a child. Therefore, all volunteer and employee activities must be reviewed.
General liability should include coverage for related abuse and molestation.
Counseling risks are part of the service when the clergy or ministry offers it – often at no cost. House of Worship counselors need to be aware of cases that may require professional referral. A client who fails to seek professional counseling or medical intervention may be subject to an error and omission lawsuit. This could also apply to confidential information.
A general liability policy should also be purchased for the corresponding pastor.
Common Property Problems
The structure of a house or church can be severely damaged by lightning. Note that lightening can pass through pipes, electrical lines, and phone lines. This can lead to fires as well as power surges or shock waves that can cause damage.
You can choose from two types of insurance: the basic and the special causes of loss.
Storm damage is another concern for houses and churches of worship. Board members must be vigilant about maintaining and repairing the building to reduce losses. Roof problems, tree branches that are too tall, and security at entry points should all be taken into consideration. Sandbags should be placed where flooding is likely.
The insurance policy should cover replacement costs as well as wind and hail insurance.
Thieves are regularly stealing copper from air conditioner units, making it a serious issue to address. This can lead to severe breakdown, costly repairs and/or replacements. A central station burglar alarm can be installed by police to protect your air conditioning unit and other instruments.
Similar insurance includes churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship.
Unfortunately, pipe bursts can cause severe damage to houses of worship in winter and spring. You can prevent this by properly insulating your pipes and following a plumbing repair and maintenance program.
Insurance should also cover water damage to houses of worship.
Last but not least is the danger of fire in a place of worship. This is a risk because candles are often used as part of worship services. This risk is eliminated by using smokeless candles. It is important to consider arson risk and faulty wiring. Preventive measures include a maintenance and repair program for electricians.
Fire damage insurance should also be included in the special causes of loss insurance.