Table of contents
If you are in charge of managing a church or any other religious organization, you will want financial protection from many risks. An employee might be accused of abusing a member. Members might also file a claim against you for negligence or violation of good faith. Start a church or religious organization safely by getting adequate coverage. In this article, we will discuss the insurance policies you will want to include in your own customized church and religious organization insurance policy.
| CoverWallet | NEXT (Best) | Thimble | Hiscox | The Hartford | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per occurrence limit | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| Aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| Products and completed operations aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Advertising injury coverage aggregate limit | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Tenant’s legal liability coverage limit | $300,000/$1,000,000 | $300,000 | $100,000 | $100,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Waiver of subrogation included? | Yes | No | Included | Can be included | No |
| Hired/non-owned auto liability coverage included? | Yes | No | No | Can be included | Can be included |
| Equipment breakdown floater included? | No | Yes | Yes | Can be included | Can be included |
| Can you get a certificate of insurance online? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Name additional insureds? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Deductible | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
A general liability policy can be essential to your religious organization insurance. This policy protects you from various third-party liability claims from incidents involving injury and property. Some examples of when to use this policy include:
A congregation member slips and falls in the comfort room
A member of your religious organization is sued for slandering a member of the general public during a religious service
Your religious organization can customize its insurance policy further through the use of policy add-ons that include:
Participant accident insurance–Covers members of your congregation if they participate in a group-sponsored event and get accidentally injured or experience an accidental death
Tools and equipment insurance–Provides financial protection for business tools and equipment in cases where they get damaged or stolen
This type of church liability insurance will have a $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate limit.
No, religious organizations and other non-profits are not required to purchase business general liability insurance. However, if your religious organization ever plans to form contracts with clients or hire other businesses for services, they may require that you have adequate general liability coverage.
| CoverWallet | NEXT | Thimble (Best) | Hiscox | The Hartford | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per occurrence limit | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| Aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| Name additional insureds? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waiver of subrogation included? | Yes | No | Yes | Can be included | No |
| HIPAA coverage included? | No | No | No | No | No |
| Sexual misconduct coverage included? | No | No | No | No | Can be included |
| License defense coverage included? | No | No | No | No | Can be included |
| Deductible | $500 | $500 | $500 | $50/$10,000 | $500 |
Errors and omissions insurance for religious organizations covers situations where you or your staff members offer bad advice, negligence, or make mistakes that cause a lawsuit to be threatened against your organization. Some coverages include:
A member of your congregation commits misrepresentation against a third party
One of your staff leaders fails to perform an official duty, which causes him to get sued for negligence
Extended reporting period–This gives you more time to file claims beyond your initial errors and omissions policy timeframe
Excess liability–Adds additional coverage beyond the normal coverage limit for an existing eros and omissions insurance policy for your religious organization
The errors and omissions insurance for your religious organization will have a coverage of $1 million per occurrence and $1 million in aggregate. Higher limits are available depending on the insurer.
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
| CoverWallet | NEXT (Best) | Thimble | Hiscox | The Hartford | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building coverage limit (minimum) | $50,000 | $260,000 | $25,000/$500,000 | $25,000 | $60,000 |
| Contents coverage limit (minimum) | $50,000 | $22,000 | $25,000/$500,000 | $25,000 | $60,000 |
| Outdoor signs | Excluded | $2,500 | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded |
| Accounts receivable | Excluded | Excluded | $5,000/10,000 | Included | Excluded |
| Money and securities | Excluded | $2,500 | $1,000 | Included | Excluded |
| Lock and keys | Excluded | $2,500 | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded |
| Business interruption floater | Excluded | Included | Included | Included | Excluded |
| Equipment breakdown floater | Excluded | Included | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded |
| Inland marine insurance floater | Excluded | Excluded | $10,000 | Excluded | Excluded |
| Employee dishonesty floater | Excluded | $5,000 | $2,500 | Included | Excluded |
Your religious institution insurance will no doubt require a commercial property insurance policy to become comprehensive. This helps you get your religious building repaired when damage is done to it. Examples of this coverage include:
A fire engulfs your building, and you must repair structural damage before you can serve your congregation
A thief breaks into your building and steals some equipment
Flood insurance–In places where floods are common, you may need to purchase an additional add-on to cover flood water damage.
Earthquake insurance–Nowadays, many policies will exclude earthquake damage to business property. You will want to purchase earthquake insurance if you feel that the area of your religious building is at risk of an earthquake
The coverage limits for this type of church buildings insurance generally will be around $50,000 for the building and $50,000 for the contents. However, actual coverage limits will depend on the value of your business property.
| CoverWallet | Thimble (Best) | NEXT | Hiscox | The Hartford | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General liability aggregate limit | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $300,000 | $1,000,000/$2,000,000 |
| Commercial property coverage limit | $50,000 | $500,000 | $260,000 | $25,000 | $75,000 |
| Optional policies can be added? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Name additional insureds for free? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BOP discount? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
A business owner’s policy combines different policies together. It will bundle the coverage of general liability and commercial property insurance into one cohesive policy. Example situations where you can use this type of religious organization and church insurance include:
Someone trips over sound equipment in your religious organization and needs to receive expensive medical treatment for their injuries
A windstorm causes severe damage to the facade of the building of your religious organization
Equipment breakdown–This can help you replace equipment for your religious organization when it breaks down from power surges, power outages, and mechanical processes
Cyber liability–If your religious organization operates on the internet, it can be exposed to data breaches that will result in financial losses. This insurance would cover lawsuits, customer notification, data recovery, cyber ransom, and other related costs
A business owner’s policy for religious organizations will have around $1 million in general liability coverage and between $20,000 and $50,000 of coverage for business property
Yes, even after you purchase your policy, you can make changes through your insurer. You can adjust the coverage amount up to a certain limit, and you can add on extra policies that you originally didn’t purchase. Some insurers will also let you adjust the time frame of your policy.
| NEXT | Thimble | Hiscox | The Hartford | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aggregate limit | $3,000/$10,000 | $2,500/$5,000 | $15,000/$25,000 | $5,000-$10,000 |
| Covers hired and borrowed equipment? | $3,000/$10,000 | $2,500/$5,000 | No | Yes |
| Miscellaneous equipment also covered? | $5,000/$10,000 | No | Yes | Yes |
| Offered as an endorsement to general liability insurance? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Deductible | $500 | $500 | $0 | $0 |
Tools and equipment insurance for religious organizations protect the tools that you use as part of religious services and any equipment you rely on. Some examples include:
The lights of your pulpit got damaged by accident and need to be replaced
You bring some sound equipment on a religious trip, which is damaged from a sudden drop
Water and flood damage–Protects the equipment your religious organization needs to deliver great services from water damage resulting from floods
Business interruption–Helps cover the costs of lost income to your business resulting from your tools or equipment not functioning
The coverage limits of the tools and equipment policy included in church insurance programs will range between $5,000 and $10,000.
Commercial auto insurance is a policy that protects vehicles used in service of your religious organization. They get protected from liability claims and costs to repair any damage. Example situations include:
A van goes to pick up a member but gets into an accident with another vehicle along the way
Someone vandalizes the commercial vehicle while it is performing services for you
Your religious organization’s commercial auto insurance will be made up of several components, which include:
Auto liability–Covers the cost of medical treatment on behalf of third parties in case your religious organization’s commercial vehicle causes an accident
Collision–Covers vehicle repair costs caused if your religious organization’s vehicle gets damaged due to a vehicular accident
Comprehensive–Covers repair costs if your commercial vehicle is damaged by fire, theft, vandalism, and other covered perils
Roadside assistance–This covers the cost of tire delivery, gas delivery, towing, and other related services
New vehicle replacement–In the event of a total loss, this add-on will help you get a new commercial vehicle. Coverage applies if the commercial vehicle covered is less than three years old
The commercial property policy of your small church insurance program offers a limit of $25,000 per person injured, $50,000 for all people injured, and $25,000 for all property damage in an accident.
Excess liability insurance extends the limits of the primary policy where it’s endorsed. For example, suppose you endorse excess liability insurance to a $1 million general liability insurance. In that case, excess liability insurance can:
Provide further coverage if the general liability policy is exhausted
Cover any remaining costs in case the general liability policy can’t fully cover a claim
Typically, excess liability insurance will provide $1 million-$5 million, but these limits can go as high as $25 million or more.
Workers’ compensation insurance pays benefits to employees who get injured while performing their duties. Examples include:
A member of your staff develops a chronic neck issue from helping collect donations from the congregation
An employee is installing a piece of equipment on the stage but suffers a terrible accident that disables his leg
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Deductible | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General liability insurance | $35 | $420 | $0-$500 |
| Professional liability insurance | $37 | $444 | $500-$1,000 |
| Commercial property insurance | $55 | $660 | $1,000-$2,000 |
| Business owner’s policy | $80 | $960 | $1,500 |
| Commercial auto insurance | $64 | $768 | $500-$1,000 |
| Tools and equipment insurance | $43 | $516 | $500-$1,000 |
| Workers compensation insurance | $78 | $936 | $2,000-$5,000 |
The average religious organization insurance cost is $35 per month or $420 per year for a $1 million general liability policy. Factors that affect the cost of premiums are claims history, business history, policy limits, deductibles, location, number of employees, and revenues. Here’s a table showing the cost of a $1 million general liability insurance from the best church insurance providers:
| Cost per Month | Cost per Year | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEXT | $22 | $264 | Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for religious organizations and churches |
| The Hartford | $24 | $288 | Workers compensation insurance for religious organizations |
| CoverWallet | $26 | $312 | Comparing religious organization and church insurance quotes online |
| Tivly | $27 | $324 | Comparing religious organization insurance quotes and policies at scale |
| Thimble | $29 | $348 | On-demand coverage for religious organizations |
| Hiscox | $31 | $372 | Business insurance for religious organizations and churches that renews automatically |
Get all the best quotes from leading providers in a click of a button!
Finding that one church insurance company that provides the best coverage might be hard. And so, here are some carriers you might want to consider. Read some of the reviews below to know their pros, cons, and average rate for a $1 million general liability insurance.
Best overall
Issues an online proof of insurance instantly
Fastest general liability insurance for churches and religious organizations
Great customer service and reputation
Excellent rates
Outstanding value for money
Get a 10% discount if you buy two or more policies
Couldn’t find any
NEXT offers the best overall religious institution insurance options that you need. You get affordable policies that save you more money as you bundle two or more. NEXT has an A- rating with AM Best for its financial security.
Best for: Best overall; Fastest general liability insurance for religious organizations and churches
Average cost: $22 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Reliable company that has been in business for over 200 years
Excellent user experience
Renowned company for workers compensation insurance
Limited add-ons to general liability insurance
The Hartford is a long-standing insurer that is a staple in the insurance industry. They offer options for religious associations and nonprofit organizations like general liability, commercial property, and more.
Best for: Workers compensation insurance for religious organizations
Average cost: $24 per month
Our rating: 10/10
HNOA coverage automatically included in general liability insurance
Provides support for bundling policies
Compare quotes online
Not an insurance company but an insurance broker
CoverWallet offers insurance options for religious organizations from top carriers. They have a page dedicated to commercial property insurance that helps you get protected through commercial property and general liability policies. The company also provides protection from perils like cash embezzlements and robbery
Best for: Comparing religious organization and church insurance quotes online
Average cost: $26 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Flexible religious organization policy options through their partners
Solution-centric approach to insurance means you are getting policies that greatly benefit you
Compare quotes over the phone
You need to talk with a representative to get a quote
Tivly is a digital platform for your religious organization insurance needs. They are accredited by the Better Business Bureau and help you navigate its many partners to get the perfect religious institution insurance care. Call now to compare quotes over the phone.
Best for: Comparing religious organization insurance quotes and policies at scale
Average cost: $27 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Quikly issues an estimate of your rates
Sells general liability insurance as a short-term policy
A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau
You can’t reach customer service by calling
Thimble helps your religious organization get covered with policies like general liability, professional liability, and workers compensation. You want to go with Thimble if you want a flexible coverage time and want to get your policy up and running quickly.
Best for: On-demand coverage for religious organizations
Average cost: $29 per month
Our rating: 10/10
Great general liability coverage
Vast underwriting experience
Worldwide coverage
14-day money-back guarantee
Online quoting might not be available all the time due to periodic site maintenance
Hiscox has the typical policies you will want for your religious organization, but also includes special protection for houses of worship. They cover losses of revenue, legal liabilities, and things like increased security. AM Best rates Hisox an A for financial stability.
Best for: Business insurance for religious organizations and churches that renews automatically
Average cost: $31 per month
Our rating: 10/10
2 / 10
I purchased a year long policy for my small business I paid for the year up front. First they sent me the incorrect paperwork and acted as if I had something to do with the mistake. About three weeks later I received a bill for the policy. I then sent countless email as the payment did clear my account. About a week later I'm told they have no record of my payment. Now I have to send any documents proving I said then. It went on for weeks. More requests of proof from this person then another.... Read More
10 / 10
Simple online quoting and purchase. excellent mobile app. claims filing via phone, website or app. Combines competitive rates with excellent customer experience. Progressive provides all of the coverage a small business needs. not to mention its financial strength
10 / 10
Excellent business insurance coverage tailored to your business needs in good rates, professional customer service, pays claims fast and fairly. Recommended!
10 / 10
For me this company has proven to be the best to do business with and worth my hard earned money. Contractors this is your company look no further.
7.7 / 10
Decent experience with Hiscox business insurance
10 / 10
Good company. Good and knowledgable customer service. If they don't know something they will pass you on to a more experienced rep that is more knowledgable. So far so good.
10 / 10
Best insurance ever
10 / 10
Coolest concept, I wish this was applied to other insurance products too.
9.4 / 10
Fastest ever online insurance quote and purchase! Also, great rates and professional customer reps that helps with whatever you need, if you need. Nice company!
2.8 / 10
Embroker sells a product that it doesn't honor. We purchased a combination D&O and EPLI policy. However, when it came to renewal, it told us that we only had D&O coverage even through our ACCORD certificate clearly mentions we have both. Basically they refused to honor the EPLI coverage and will leave you hanging with the bag. At time of renewal, they more than doubled our quote to get similar coverage. Basically BAIT & SWITCH. Unacceptable tactics. Easy to buy and pay but you may not be... Read More
2.8 / 10
Great platform. Terrible policy. There is no teeth behind it. No coverage. It's a fake policy that they sell. Sold us an EPLI policy that later we came to find out had no EPLI coverage. Amazing that they can get away with outright fraud. Check the positive reviews. They are all 'Anonymous' posted by Emroker staff. Stay away and find a real policy that will actually provide you coverage. We've been bitten by them and hope to find restitution via a lawsuit.
Paul Burns Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
It has been 70 days since I made a claim on the roof of my building. No one from the company will return calls. We are in hurricane season and located in Louisiana. My building is tarped to secure it.
Felicia Broadus Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
They are the worst, my truck was hit in January 23 and the claim adjuster has not been out to this very day! They have every excuse in the book as to why. They have not been to the collision shop. PLEASE AVOID THESE SCAM ARTIST!
Felicia Broadus Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
Avoid these SCAM ARTISTS! They don’t pay claims!!! Save yourself the trouble and money!
Kasey Arey Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
This company gives you a price that was in place for a year and when you have to use it there is fine print were they can go back and charge you more. Would not recommend them to any one. Crooks
John Murphy Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
Worst insurance comapny I have ever dealt with. A commercial vehicle represented by GUARD t boned my wife and daughters family vehicle in the middle of the day. Driver was cited and insurance claim insued. Fast forward 4 months and refusal of full amount of claim is still happening. Driver was found guilty, repairs started on my vehicle and when it comes to the final bill and diminished value we cannot get any help. I am out a family car, have an injured and traumatized wife and children,... Read More
Harshadray Patel Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
Extremely bad service, when you call , will make you wait on the phone for ever (over an Hour) and still no one to answer , so you end up hanging up. To cancel the policy, bounce you from one department to the other. They are supposed to refund from the date other insurance started and after sending the proof of other insurance policy, still they did not refund based on that actual date instead they use the date i managed to get hold of them. They charged me $7000.00 for a year's insurance on... Read More
Aaron Wensel Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
Guard Insurance is terrible. They were so bad I cancelled them because them couldn't figure out why I would never get a paper copy of the bill . Verified my address with them and still intermittent billing. I cancelled them in March through my local broker. Today 6/27 I get a letter in the mail from a collections company saying I owe 87.97. This was the first myself or my broker heard of owing this money. Here is some advice for this failure of a company send me a god damn bill and I will pay.... Read More
Michael Swink Insuranker
Policy Type: Business Insurance
Company name: Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
0 / 10
My employer had to have workers compensation by law. He obtained a policy through this Berkshire Hathaway GUARD and they failed me. I fell from a ladder and fractured my spine in 7 different places, my clavicle in 4 places, and the base of my skull. Going to my Dr visits I was prescribed medication for pain and the insurance company placed a pre-authorization hold on me picking up the medication from Walgreens. The hold lasted 5 days! My weekly benefits have never been on time, right now... Read More
2 / 10
I never purchased the policy. The person I spoke with "Bruce" was condescending and argumentative. He kept repeating himself and talking in circles telling me what I HAVE TO DO, basically trying to bully me into purchasing commercial insurance. I wouldn't use this company if they were paying me!
9.8 / 10
Chubb provides business insurance coverage for all size of businesses, from small local ones to huge multinational corporates, they are very fast to respond to your claims, their business insurance coverage is very advanced while being tailored to your needs, aka covering you from all sides without over-covering you to make you pay more like some companies do. I'm a very satisfied customer.
9.7 / 10
Very annoyed in 2020 they do not offer online quotes, however they are great at everything else. The coverage is amazing, customer service is world class, value of money is great (even when their rates are not the cheapest), fast and excellent handling of claims, very dedicated and business focused. The only other issue is since they cover all types and sizes of businesses, they do not seem to specialize in any of them specifically.
2 / 10
I purchased a year long policy for my small business I paid for the year up front. First they sent me the incorrect paperwork and acted as if I had something to do with the mistake. About three weeks later I received a bill for the policy. I then sent countless email as the payment did clear my account. About a week later I'm told they have no record of my payment. Now I have to send any documents proving I said then. It went on for weeks. More requests of proof from this person then another.... Read More
10 / 10
Liberty Mutual is one of the more simple companies to deal with. I had to file a claim for my business owner policy after I caught one of my employees stealing a large amount of products from my business. Liberty mutual paid the claim fast and with no efforts. I wish the legal process was as easy…
10 / 10
Simple online quoting and purchase. excellent mobile app. claims filing via phone, website or app. Combines competitive rates with excellent customer experience. Progressive provides all of the coverage a small business needs. not to mention its financial strength
0 / 10
State Farm's business insurance was such a bad choice for us. Worst communication, very unprofessional. Been insured for over 12 years through a local statefarm agent who we were having insurance for our own home, our personal cars, our own health insurance, workers compensation, all of our commercial autos that serve our business - our agent didn't inform us of raising our premium rates, of certain inspections, and send us very rude emails upon our policy cancellations that were caused by his... Read More
10 / 10
Extremely helpful, kind and knowledgable customer service team! I received a business insurance package that was tailored and personalized to my exact business needs! Excellent liability insurance. Their pricing for business insurance is not the most affordable you'll find, however it's better to pay more and know that you are covered well. We got coverage for $1M. In regards to claims, I haven't had any experience so cannot attest, but the rest was excellent so I'm sure claims will be great as... Read More
10 / 10
Customer service is fast and efficient. They were very caring about issues that we faced, checked them all and resolved our claims fast. State Farm is an excellent company. They gave us excellent business insurance coverage that was customized to our precise needs. We worked together to build the most suitable coverage to our needs, nothing more or less, while making sure the rate is good enough. State Farm's business insurance cost was very good compared to other companies, while maintaining a... Read More
10 / 10
Excellent business insurance coverage tailored to your business needs in good rates, professional customer service, pays claims fast and fairly. Recommended!
10 / 10
highly recommended!
10 / 10
Their business insurance products are by far the best business decision I've made financially. Got us covered when we needed it and for such a bargain cost. Couldn't recommend more!
10 / 10
Excellent business insurance policies at cheap rates. Claim process was easy and helped us cover financial loss.
10 / 10
Great rates and excellent service. Our business feels safe.
10 / 10
For me this company has proven to be the best to do business with and worth my hard earned money. Contractors this is your company look no further.
7.7 / 10
Decent experience with Hiscox business insurance
9.4 / 10
Very pleased with Hiscox - their small business insurance rates are very good and they specialize in small business which gives me a peace of mind as a small business owner. So far so good!
10 / 10
Their customer service is absolutely fantastic. Very patient, knowledgable and provided excellent explanation of the purchased policy. I would highly recommend this insurance company to anyone that's looking to protect their business from unexpected expense. Thank you Hiscox for doing a great job for my business!
0.6 / 10
STAY AWAY! I wouldn't recommend hiscox small business liability insurance to anyone. Better not waste both your money and your time. Hiscox customer service is extremely unpleasant, not organized and not professional. It is the worst company we have dealt with in almost 25 years in business!
10 / 10
Good company. Good and knowledgable customer service. If they don't know something they will pass you on to a more experienced rep that is more knowledgable. So far so good.
10 / 10
Extremely fast and simple. Wasted a lot of time and money until I found these guys! I feel like my business is in good hands now.
Not all those who wander are lost.
Disclosure: Insuranks.com is an independent educational comparison service and an advertising-supported publisher. Some of the companies/offers that appear on the website are from our partners which we may receive compensation from. This may influence which companies/offers we write about and where and how it appears on the site. However, this does not impact our assessments. We solely highlight companies, products, and offers that can help you make smarter insurance decisions.
