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Local Church Insurance

Protecting your church’s people, property and mission is vital.

Dr. Kevin Walters

Director of Operations

The Horizon Texas Conference supports congregations in navigating their insurance needs, whether it’s risk management, workers’ compensation, property coverage or specialized insurance for mission trips.

Together, we help ensure your ministry can thrive safely, sustainably, and with confidence.

Local Church Insurance

Protecting your church’s people, property and mission with adequate insurance coverage is essential. The General Council on Finance and Administration of the UMC (GCFA) has established minimum standards for local church insurance.

The insurance marketplace for local churches in Texas is currently quite challenging. Some key principles to understand as your church seeks to secure adequate coverage:

  • Choose a broker who has access to multiple companies. Keep in mind that it’s best to work with one broker at a time.
  • Discuss with your broker what appropriate property coverage would look like for your church. Does it need to be insured at replacement cost value or is a functional replacement value a viable option? Could your church carry more of the risk through higher deductibles?
  • Find ways to reduce risk
    • Maintain your building to ensure that major systems (roof, plumbing, electrical, etc.) are in good working order.
    • Ensure that your church follows clear financial policies and procedures.
    • Ensure that your ministries comply with the sexual abuse prevention policies established by vote of the annual conference.

Mission Trip Insurance

When traveling for ministry, both international and domestic volunteers should be insured. The South Central Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church offers domestic and international mission trip insurance, covering accidents, emergency medical, evacuation, and repatriation.

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