Specialized Insurance for Churches and Houses of Worship
Your church is more than a building. It is a congregation, a community anchor, an employer, a counseling center, and in many cases, a religious leader’s home. Standard commercial insurance policies were not designed with ministries in mind and the gaps can be financially devastating when a claim occurs.
GLS Insurance has built a dedicated church insurance practice serving congregations across all 17 states in our licensed territory: Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas. From small rural congregations to large multi-campus churches, we work with carriers that specialize in houses of worship to build programs that fit your mission and your budget.
What Does Church Insurance Cover?
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Stained Glass Insurance
Risk Factor
Stained glass is often very valuable and sometimes priceless. Several hundreds of thousands of dollars might be needed to refurbish the stained glass. If it’s damaged by vandalism, hail, fire, or other means, it can be very costly to fix. Finding a qualified contractor may also be challenging.
Solution
Depending upon your insurance coverage, an appraisal of your stained glass damage could be free of charge. In addition, consider including the value of the stained glass in the building limit of the church, and also include coverage under the church’s blanket limit. Some insurance companies may treat stained glass as part of a fine arts floater. Either way, this helps ensure the proper coverage in the event that something bad happens.
Abuse and Molestation Insurance
Risk Factor
There are hundreds of reports each year of people being sexually abused by clergy, church staff, volunteers, and congregation members. Countless more are abused without any report being made.
Solution
Obtain the proper abuse or molestation coverage to protect the church in the event of an allegation arises. In addition, consider having a written document to address how to prevent sexual abuse from happening and what to do in the event of an allegation.
Non-Owned Auto Insurance
Risk Factor
Church volunteers and employees often use personal vehicles to do work for the church.
Solution
Make sure to add hired and non-owned auto coverage to the church’s insurance policy to cover this exposure. Also, check the motor vehicle records for anyone who drives other members…especially kids.
Religious Freedom Insurance
Risk Factor
Churches sometimes have very closely held beliefs that may open them up to potential lawsuits in the event the church’s beliefs cause someone else to feel wronged. An example might be a church refusing to perform a same-sex marriage, which results in a lawsuit.
Solution
Consider adding religious freedom coverage. This insurance can protect the church in the event it is sued because of closely-held beliefs core to the church.
Directors and Officers Liability Insurance (D&O)
Risk Factor
Almost all churches have some form of board of directors that makes financial and operational decisions on behalf of the congregation. An organization once sued a church for improperly using their trademarked property while promoting a fundraising event. The total loss and defense costs totaled $400,000.
Solution
Directors and officers liability insurance protects the decision-makers of the church from lawsuits and claims. Instead of suing the individuals directly, the lawsuit would be defended by the church’s D&O policy. Most people who serve on a board in a volunteer capacity should demand this coverage before serving.
Church Roof
Risk Factor
Roof claims are the most common claims that churches face. Each year, billions of dollars of damage are typically paid as a result of storm damage.
Solution
Ensure you have the proper coverage and confirm that you are insured to full replacement value. In addition, make sure your insurance policy includes replacement cost coverage for roof claims for wind and hail.
Church Security
Risk Factor
Security in churches is becoming a larger issue as attacks have increased in recent years.
Solution
Every church should have a security plan. This plan should detail where parishioners go in the event of an emergency, which entrances are open during worship times, who should contact the authorities, how to spot someone who may pose a security risk, and how to react to someone who is trying to cause harm to parishioners.
Professional Liability Insurance
Risk Factor
Religious Leaders often find themselves giving counseling to couples or other church members. In addition, religious leaders could be at risk of a lawsuit for what they say in the pulpit.
Solution
When it comes to counseling, religious leaders should have clear guidelines on what is acceptable in a counseling situation. In addition, religious leaders should be trained to know what needs to be reported to the authorities in the event of an extreme situation. Adding professional liability coverage to your church’s insurance policy can help protect the religious leader and church from claims or lawsuits arising from what the religious leader says at the pulpit or when teaching or preaching.
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Church Property Insurance — Covers your sanctuary, fellowship hall, education wing, parsonage, and contents against fire, theft, vandalism, wind, and hail. Replacement cost coverage is critical for historic buildings and custom features like stained glass.
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General Liability Insurance — Protects your church when a visitor is injured on your property or when the ministry is accused of causing bodily injury or property damage to a third party.
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Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability — Shields board members, elders, deacons, and trustees from personal financial liability arising from governance decisions made on behalf of the church.
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Abuse and Molestation Coverage — Critical for any ministry working with children, youth, or vulnerable adults. Claims can arise even with strong screening policies in place.
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Workers’ Compensation — Required by law in most states for paid church staff including pastors, administrative personnel, childcare workers, and custodial staff.
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Church Van / Commercial Auto Insurance — Covers church-owned vehicles plus hired and non-owned auto coverage for volunteers using personal vehicles for ministry purposes.
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Pastoral Counseling / Professional Liability — Protects pastors and ministry leaders who provide counseling services or whose teachings could generate a lawsuit.
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Religious Freedom Liability — Covers your church if sued for acting in accordance with sincerely held beliefs, such as declining to perform ceremonies that conflict with your doctrine.
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Stained Glass and Fine Arts Coverage — Ensures irreplaceable windows, artwork, and musical instruments are covered at full appraised value.
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Cyber Liability — Churches collect donor data and process online giving. A data breach can be costly without proper coverage.
State-Specific Considerations
Church insurance needs vary meaningfully across our 17-state territory. A church in coastal Florida faces different property risks than a congregation in South Dakota. A Texas ministry with multiple campuses has different multi-state coordination needs than a single-location church in Indiana. GLS Insurance understands these differences and coordinates programs accordingly.
Church Insurance FAQ
How much does church insurance cost?
Premiums vary based on building size, employee and volunteer count, claims history, state, and coverages selected. Small congregations in Iowa or South Dakota may pay $1,500–$3,000 per year. Large multi-campus churches in Florida, Texas, or Colorado pay more. GLS Insurance shops multiple carriers to find the best combination of coverage and cost.
Do we need abuse and molestation coverage if we do background checks?
Yes. Background checks reduce risk but do not eliminate claims and provide no financial protection when one is filed. Abuse and molestation coverage is essential for any ministry serving children, youth, or vulnerable adults.
We have campuses in Missouri and Tennessee. Can GLS coordinate coverage across both states?
Absolutely. GLS Insurance has offices in both Missouri and Tennessee and is licensed in most states. We regularly coordinate multi-state programs for growing ministries.
Can GLS insure a church with prior claims or a non-renewal history?
In most cases, yes. As an independent agency working with multiple carriers, we can often find coverage for churches with challenging histories. We will be transparent about how history affects options and pricing.
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