By Mike Sanford
Principal/Managing Partner Lightwell Insurance Advisors
One of the biggest concerns I hear from ministry leaders is whether they have enough coverage for their buildings and programs. This worry keeps many of you up at night, and rightly so. But it shouldn’t. Let’s talk about how you can make more informed decisions about insurance, so you can get some rest.
Rely on Expert Guidance
It's vital to rely on the expertise of your insurance agent. Just like you trust a doctor or lawyer, you need to trust us to guide you through the complexities.
My best advice is to partner with an insurance agency that understands your unique needs and is dedicated to protecting your ministry. At Lightwell, our agents are trained to be ministry specialists -- to identify exposures related to your organization that others might overlook, like stained glass windows, for example. With its aesthetic and historical value, we recommend that stained glass be appraised by a stained glass professional to ensure that it's valued correctly on your policy. Our agents are going to ask questions about how the stained glass is cared for, too. We want to make sure you know about the risks from insect infestations and breakage from weather and how to prevent them.
Ask the Right Questions
This is something our agents are great at. Not only do they ask a lot of questions (and listen to your answers), they also take time to get to know your ministry inside and out by conducting a thorough risk assessment as well as walking your property, and even taking pictures. We want to ensure we understand every aspect of your operations.
When meeting with potential new clients, I’ll ask a lot of questions about how they do ministry. I want to cover all the bases. Sometimes ministry leaders are so focused on everything happening on their church property, they forget to include all the work they do away from it. So, I’ll ask things like:
Do you have any other buildings that you own away from the premises?
What about international property?
Do you have international ministries?
Any mission travel coverage?
How about health insurance knowledge for when you leave the country?
Do you have coverage for employee disability? What if a volunteer is accidently injured doing outreach?
What’s the plan if something happens and you can’t do church on your property?
Keep Ministry Going
That last question in that list above is a good lead in for discussing ministry continuation. If you don’t have a plan in place for this already, ask your agent about it. We often advise ministries on resources that will help them develop their disaster and recovery plans so they can get back to doing ministry as soon as possible, even if it means doing ministry in a temporary location while you repair or rebuild. We can also discuss what’s available for ministry continuation in your insurance coverage.
And it’s also important to know how your agent will respond in the aftermath of something major. For example, when a customer faced a catastrophic fire due to a lightning storm, we were there every step of the way. We even collaborated with the fire marshal and law enforcement to ensure the claim was managed appropriately. In times like these you should be able to count on your agent (and your insurance company) to provide immediate support and knowledge about accessing temporary facilities, assisting with the claims process, and ensuring the ministry receives the funds needed to be whole again as quickly as possible.
Wrapping Up
Being worry-free all comes down to building a relationship based on knowledge and trust. Collaborating with our advisors means partnering with someone who understands your unique needs and is dedicated to helping you succeed. Let us help get you connected with the right insurance and services to keep your ministry protected and going. Then see how we show up in your time of need.
New to Lightwell Insurance Advisors? Navigate to “Agent Locations,” select your state, and click “Contact Us.” Our team would be happy to talk with you.
About the Author: With more than 40 years of experience in the field of insurance, Mike leads Lightwell Insurance Advisors in New England with the heart of an entrepreneur and an educator. Mike is resolute in developing his staff to provide the most positive customer experience. It’s about going the extra mile for ministries and non-profits.
*Lightwell Insurance Advisors is focused on identifying risks and crafting safeguards for organizations that lift up their communities. We're a trusted partner in understanding risk management and insurance protection.
**This page provides a general overview of risk management principles and insurance. It should not be seen as a contractual agreement. Details about coverage, deductibles, limits, and services may vary by organization and location. All coverage options are subject to their specific terms, conditions, coverage limits, limitations, and exclusions.
