True Texas Church Insurance

Why Hundreds Of Churches in Texas Are Turning to Insurance For Texans for Affordable Coverage

Did you know that, in 2020, the average commercial property insurance rate increased by 22%, marking the highest increase in 15 years? And when you narrow policies down to churches that 22% increase seems appealing. It's not uncommon for a year over year rate increase to 50% or more.

Texas churches have been hammered with cost increases, non-renewals, cancellations, insurance carriers leaving the marketplace, and policy terms changing for the worse. How is a church supposed to navigate this kind of financial storm?

Small churches have been hit exceptionally hard in this cauldron of insurance evil. Fortunately, they still have more options than some of their larger counterparts even though they have unique risks.

While Texans everywhere are dealing with inflation, the pinch on churches has begun to make long standing congregations who are pillars of their communities to consider closing their doors. And the insurance costs are forefront of this dilemma. Insurance For Texans is working hard to help reverse this trend. 

Meet Kevin Hall. Kevin is a former Texas pastor who has spent his entire life growing up, being educated, and working in Texas. His family roots run deep at Baylor University and his experience of pastoring churches all over this great state help him understand the unique needs of churches whether you're in the Piney Woods, the High Plains or somewhere in between.

True Texas Church Insurance is a system that we have built to help your church understand the total cost of risk that your unique church has with its circumstances. The goal is to help you understand what a claimable event can cost your budget and how you can shift that cost over to one of the A Rated companies that we partner with. This process allows you to understand where you need to buy up or buy down when it comes to church insurance coverage.

This unique approach has allowed churches to navigate the problems of the property insurance market with better options when they understand how they can handle the various emergencies that can sink their cash flow. Outside of those pesky hailstorms that rage across our landscape, none of us think that "it" will happen to us. Our goal is to help you understand  where to apply your cash to preserve your future "if" it does happen to you.

Has Your Texas Church Received A Notice of Non-Renewal?

Many churches have been blindsided over the last six months. As the property insurance market in Texas has tightened to historic levels, an unprecedented number of church insurance companies have left the state altogether or are exiting the property insurance marketplace. This has led to a host of churches being non-renewed and forced to scramble to find coverage. These circumstances have created a situation where decision makers are struggling to find an adequate replacement for the expiring policy and feeling betrayed by both the insurance company and the agent they had been working with. We've seen and felt this wave of despair as it has washed across the state.

Insurance For Texans can't promise to get you a policy as inexpensive as it was in 2017, but we do promise to help you find an insurance plan that meets your congregations needs and matches the scope of your ministry operations. True Texas Church Insurance is designed to ask questions upfront so that we can help you plan to avoid disaster later. We focus on what your current operations look like and where you're headed in the next twenty-four months.

If you've been cancelled or non-renewed, we are here to help you navigate these choppy waters. While the number of insurance companies has dwindled, the need for service has increased. Let us help you secure True Texas Church Insurance today so that you can sleep better knowing that you have properly protected what you have been entrusted with.

Top Five Types Of Insurance Claims For Texas Churches

• Hail Storm Damage
• Water Leak Floods Building
• Child or Youth Slip & Fall Creating An Injury
• Volunteer Accidentally Creates Damage to Property
• Cyber Attack On Your Website

What Do I Need To Know?

As we look at the total cost of risk for your church, your unique operations and ministries are going to determine where you need to focus. If your congregation is located in a small town like Lefors in the Panhandle, it is going to have very different needs than a larger church in Plano. The risk from the difference in activities is going to be monumental. This is where our expertise comes into play for you. 

True Texas Church Insurance focuses on core areas for you to protect your church. Those areas include Hail Coverage, Water Coverage, Slip & Fall Liability, Pastoral Liability, Sexual Misconduct Liability, and Cyber Liability. If those words just made your head spin, don't worry. Our team of experienced church insurance professionals is here to help you navigate the conversation around the coverage for each of them as easy as possible. Some of them may not apply to you, which is why we do our background work as your partner before you ever see a proposal from us. Let's take a look at how each of these can apply to diverse Texas Churches.

 Hail Insurance

The number one type of insurance claim that is made by churches across Texas involves hail or wind in some form. And the increase in storms is felt from Texarkana to El Paso. And while there are parts of the state that have more storms than others, here's looking at you McKinney, the claim payouts have rocked the premiums that churches are being expected to pay. Your property insurance policy is going to be what provides coverage for these claims.

Texas churches have seen dramatic changes to the coverage terms that are associated with wind and hail coverage. You have likely seen your deductible increased, claim settlement changed to actual cash value, or both. Church properties typically have larger roofs than a house, and that exposure to claims has the insurance companies scared. And in turn, that is why the terms have changed.

True Texas Church Insurance will help you understand the terms offered and offer solutions to help you navigate the claims process when that hail comes knocking on your roof. If your square footage is less than 15,000 sq ft it will be easier to get you great terms, but we will make sure that you are presented with options either way. 

 Water Coverage

As church buildings age, they start to see problems. Much like our bodies, they begin to break down and spring leaks when we least expect it! Making sure that a burst pipe that floods your fellowship hall doesn't drain your bank account is the goal of your property insurance. Sudden and Accidental discharge of water is the technical term for this coverage and should always be included on your policy. It's important to make sure that you understand how much of this coverage is available when reviewing your policy terms and conditions.

One additional consideration for churches is the inclusion of water back-up coverage. We have all seen the crazy kid who will flush ANYTHING down the toilet just to see if it will go down the drain. We all understand what this can mean for our plumbing as well. If your sewer lines get backed up and overflow into your building, you will need this additional coverage. None of us like to think about this. But we do since we are insurance agents.

 Slip & Fall Insurance

 Any time that you bring people onto your property and into your buildings, there is the potential for a slip and fall. It could be a child during a Vacation Bible School game, it could be an older member who found a spot of water in the kitchen, or it could be that volunteer who is working to clean up the grounds in the early Spring. And while most of these events prove to be pretty benign, there is always the possibility of a lawsuit.

General Liability coverage is going to protect your church from any lawsuits that can arise from a slip and fall event. It will provide defense coverage and make sure that the individual who was hurt is taken care of. This particular type of coverage is usually part of a comprehensive Business Owner's Policy if you are also covering property that your church owns, but it's important to review what your terms are with your insurance package.

 Sexual Misconduct Insurance

 We recognize that this is a touchy subject for most churches, but we would not be doing our job if we did not bring this up. Since most churches attempt to have robust children and youth activities, this is a very important type of coverage to have. Abuse and Molestation is something that we all fear and dread hearing about, but humans have been dealing with misconduct since the garden. As a result, we highly encourage selecting this insurance protection for your church as your General Liability will not extend coverage for this circumstance.

This is not something that we can bury our heads in the sand about as the news is littered with stories. Making sure that you have an annual safety and training program to help members volunteers and members avoid these circumstances is paramount to protect that which we hold sacred. Having insurance in place given the chances of something does happen just makes too much sense. As a result, we always recommend this. 

 Pastoral Liability Insurance

Pastors are hit with so many problems and emotions over time. They are often overworked and can feel underpaid, but they choose to follow God's call on their lives into ministry. You and I understand that they are not perfect and will make a mistake at some point in their time of service. Given the sensitive nature of the counseling that they provide, even the appearance of misconduct can start a maelstrom of accusations and worry. This is where Pastoral Liability, which can also be known as   Professional Liability in insurance jargon comes into play.

General liability will not cover these activities and requires this special insurance. This makes sure that your pastors and staff can help meet the needs of the congregation providing great care and advice and have a peace of mind that you have their back. This coverage is a great way to protect both your staff and your church in the event that a member perceives something wasn't done correctly. 

 Cyber Liability

Now let's zero in on Cyber Liability Insurance and its importance for your church. This is one that many churches do not think about and give our advisors a funny look. More and more churches are now collecting offerings and other payments through electronic transactions. This process opens up your church to the potential of being hacked. Even if you're using a third party system. Can you imagine a month's worth of offerings missing and no way to get them back? Cyber liability has the ability to make you whole, cover regulatory requirements from a hack, and restore the confidence of your givers that you are protecting their vital information. 

Other Coverage To Consider

Now that we've addressed those top claims, there are a few other items that you might consider. Especially since coverage can be included in that comprehensive policy that allows you to "add some fries" to that.

1. Employment Practices Insurance: If you have employees, there is always the possibility that something goes wrong. It could be that you have to let them go and they feel slighted. It could be that they don't like how they were treated by a member. Or they could just make something up! This coverage provides legal defense and coverage if something was done poorly.

2. Workers' Compensation Insurance: Workers comp is a voluntary selection coverage in Texas. Which makes us unique. Many people will forgo it, which we think is a bad idea. If one of your employees is hurt while on the job, this will make sure that their bills are taken care of and protect your church from lawsuits given the way that the laws work. It's an inexpensive piece of mind.

3. Directors & Officers Insurance: Most churches have elders, deacons, or both. These leadership groups make decisions that affect the long term stability and financial viability of the church. Directors and Officers coverage will protect both the church and them personally so that those decisions can be made without fear of retribution.

4. Business Interruption Insurance: If you have a big property claim from one of those big storms that blow through, you could be unable to occupy your buildings for an extended period of time. How will you afford to operate if rent is needed for a second location while repairs or rebuilds are being done. This coverage will give you flexibility in how your church can operate while that process plays out.

5. Umbrella Insurance: This is an extra layer of protection, like a blanket that your child might use on a cool winter night. Umbrella Insurance provides additional financial safety above and beyond everything else we've looked at. It might not be for every church, but for the right church it can make all the difference in the world.

Now that we've given you more information than you thought you could ever imagine about church insurance, let's take a look at how Insurance For Texans can help you craft a plan that fits your unique needs.

How To Get True Texas Church Insurance

Our goal is to help Texas churches navigate the chaos that is insurance. Our principal agent, Ron Wadley, has family pastoral roots that go back generations. Kevin Hall is a former pastor himself. We understand the challenges that are faced by Texas churches both big and small. As a result, we have put together a system to help you evaluate your needs and wants from a risk management standpoint. We are going to ask you questions. We are going to listen. And we are going to work on your behalf with the insurance companies to provide you with right fit.

As independent insurance agents, we work with many companies. But we commit to you to only work with the best companies to make sure that you have protection in your time of need. If you are looking for a risk management partner to help your congregation navigate this complex world of Texas church insurance, we would like to join you in that journey. Having spent time in tiny churches and big ones alike, we know that your needs are unique.

Click that button below to get started with your customized plan today!