Imagine this scenario; your youth team is having a Bible class with young members at the church. Everyone is having a good time when suddenly someone slips on the stairs and has an accident that ends with a form of physical injury.
In this scenario, the parents of the injured child may blame the church for the incident, and their lawyer threatens to sue you for a $5,000 medical bill. You can either choose to foot the bill or reach out to your liability insurance agency in Jersey, GA.
Liability insurance covers damages, accidents, and injuries you may sustain while on the road, at home, or even at the Church. The policy provides both you and the injured party financial protection from unforeseen events that may lead to bodily, business, property, or even reputational damage.
With so many kinds of liability insurance available, never have consumers had more choices.
To make things easier for you, here’s a comprehensive guide on everything you need to know about liability insurance in Jersey, GA.
Liability insurance is an umbrella term that describes different kinds of insurance coverages meant to protect your church or organization when someone sues you or reports a claim against your institution.
Simply put, it’s insurance meant to protect you from paying out of pocket when you’re responsible for causing bodily injury or damage to property.
Since there are plenty of insurance providers for each type of liability coverage, the insurance industry's competitive nature means there are different policy rates for different specifics of what a policy covers.
The cost of your liability coverage depends on the insurance company, the amount of coverage you seek, the type of insurance, market-rate variables, and the number of claims you make when you have the policy.
Let’s take a look at some of the common types of liability coverage.
Church liability insurance covers bodily harm and property damages that the congregation or other parties may suffer on church premises or while involved with church-related activities.
Unfortunately, even religious institutions are common targets of theft and burglary, resulting in financial loss and damage to church property. Church liability insurance coverage covers religious artifacts and other items that a normal property policy may not protect.
As you can see, there are various reasons why church liability insurance coverage is critical and how it adds value to a non profit organization. Further, this is why there are several types of liability insurance, it helps to cover various types of liabilities that may arise over the course of running an organization that caters to the community.
General liability insurance is also commonly referred to as business liability insurance. It protects institutions from financial liability in the event of a lawsuit or third-party claim of property damage or bodily injury caused by you or your employees.
An insurance company will consider factors such as the type of organization and the number of years it has been in operation to calculate the general liability insurance cost. As you would expect, low-risk organizations pay a smaller amount than those in high-risk industries such as construction.
As a church, an accident can potentially damage your finances if the other party decides to file a lawsuit. If, for instance, you’re found to be responsible for an accident that led to an injury whose medical expenses amounted to $50,000, the other party can sue you for that amount. If the lawsuit is successful, you could lose a significant portion of your savings, investments, or even your home.
Remember that the more assets you have, the more you need liability coverage.
It helps to have comprehensive coverage on your assets that you have added over time as it mitigates liabilities and provides overall peace of mind.
Another important factor you should consider is the likelihood of an accident happening depending on the nature of the risk you’re insuring yourself against.
If it’s automotive liability insurance, you have to factor in your driving history. Have you had any accidents in the past? If you’re thinking of buying general liability insurance, consider the nature of your business processes and an employee’s chances of causing accidental harm to another party.
Every insurance company has a list of events that are not covered under a certain policy, known as ‘exclusions.’ Knowing these exclusions will save you the frustration of knowing them after you file a claim from your insurance company. For instance, personal liability does not cover injuries caused by a car or related to your profession.
Owning insurance is great, but it’s no good if it puts a severe strain on your finances. The ideal insurance coverage for you will account for your basic needs and will not eat into your savings.
A good rule of thumb is reviewing your insurance needs every year. As your needs grow and change, so will your insurance policy. You can always get liability coverage later for something like a new church building or car.
Accidents happen. Lawsuits can quickly leave you bankrupt. But if you don’t have liability coverage, you risk having to pay for claims out of pocket. If you would like to learn more about liability insurance, Church Insurance Man can advise you on any type you’re considering, be it auto insurance, worker's compensation, or general liability insurance.
Get in touch with us today by calling (470) 375-8274 to learn more about our services, such as our Church insurance package.
The main idea with higher deductibles is that it incentivizes you to take the proper actions to minimize the potential harm that may come to your property. As such, higher deductibles help you think about ways to sustainably prevent negative situations from forming and occurring within your property. That is why organizational leaders should take great care to implement proper security protocols. Your place of worship or care must comprehensively plan for crime and other property damage instances and minimize them from taking place.
These principles and tips will help you to minimize issues taking place on your property.
The best action is preventative and not reactive. Do your best to implement standards and protocols that minimize the potential situation that risks present to your church.
For instance, if you are cleaning the church, make sure to have signs that state you are cleaning. As such, you are indicating that cleaning is happening, and floors may be wet.
Further, you want to make sure that you have signs present around the facility that show people to be careful in a specific situation. Classic safety measures such as smoke detectors and safety systems, in general, will be crucial and necessary as well.
In addition, more nonprofit organizations are optimizing their buildings to make it accessible for disabled peoples. More organizations also endeavor to check their places frequently and make sure everything is up to par while also keeping emergency supplies like first aid kits on their premises.
There is quite a bit you can do to take a preventive strategy within your organization and minimize your potential liabilities. If you require further assistance with your insurance policies and would like to have more information about the steps you can take to improve your overall situation, reach out to us. We will be pleased to find the best solution for your needs and provide the insurance services that your church requires.
Make sure that your church is protected. Learn more about our insurance services for churches in Georgia, including umbrella liability, business automotive, and church packages to protect your organization. Contact us today to chat about how we can help your church obtain great coverage to safeguard your ministry.