Church Insurance California - Risk Management

Integrity Now Insurance Brokers specializes in church insurance throughout California and many other states. One of the carriers we represent, GuideOne Insurance recently punished the following newsletter and I wanted to share it with you. I hope you find this newsletter worth reading.

While it may be easy to overlook, an integral part of your ministry is keeping those who enter your doors each week safe and secure. As a church leader, you have been called to be a good steward of the people and property that have been entrusted to your care. Valuing the key role safety plays as a part of your ministry is the first step in protecting the precious ministry and members under your care.

Assembling a Team
It is important to assemble a risk management team who will focus on identifying and addressing the risks that your organization faces. While the size of the team will vary depending upon your organization size and scope of activities, typically this group is made up of three to eight members of the congregation, who have a work background or interest in safety and risk management. This could include fields such as facility or property management, human resources, accounting, law enforcement officers, military personnel, insurance, law or safety. While this group doesn’t need to be large, the right group of committed members can make the program successful.

In addition to dedicated members, it also is important that this group has the full support of the pastoral staff or board members. While their participation is not required, their backing of the program is necessary to make it work.

Making Decisions and Identifying Risks
Once the team has been established, they should meet, at least on a quarterly basis. The team should work to identify the areas of risk at your church and take the necessary steps to address those areas of concern. One way to do that is to utilize GuideOne’s EFFECT® approach to church risk management, which is the framework for the SafeChurch.com website. The team may work through each EFFECT category, and develop a strategy for integrating safety and securing measures into the daily life of the congregation without compromising the church’s ministry.

In addition, all on-going activities, new ministries, special events, building upgrades and construction projects should be filtered through the committee to ensure that all appropriate risk management procedures have been considered and are being practiced. Also, regular activity reports should be given to the church staff and administrative body.

Continuing Education
This group should continue to educate themselves on the best safety and security procedures and stay up-to-date on the latest practices. This can be done by obtaining risk management resources and training, such as those available on the SafeChurch.com website, to become informed on key elements and responses. It’s important that the team pass this information along to other church staff members and the board, so that everyone is knowledgeable on the appropriate procedures.

Getting Started
Keeping your congregation safe is of the utmost importance to every church leader, but getting started can seem a bit overwhelming when you are trying to fit it in with other daily tasks. But, now is the time to ensure the safety of your flock, especially with the many activities that churches plan for the summer months, including festivals, camps and vacation bible schools.

For even more motivation to get started, June is National Safety and Security Month, so there’s no better time to put together a core group of members to handle the key risk management issues your organization faces, and to help you maintain a safe and secure environment. To learn more about starting a risk management team at your church, read the fact sheet, “Starting and Maintaining a Risk Management Team” from SafeChurch.com.

Integrity Now Insurance Brokers represents GuideOne and can help your church with all of your insurance and risk management needs. As a broker we have access to a number of church insurance carriers to ensure that your church insurance is with the best carrier for your specific insurance needs. We can help you put together a ministry insurance that will provide your church with superior protection at a great price. Call and obtain a free church insurance quote.

Integrity Now Insurance Brokers, Inc. – (562) 606-1030

www.churchpropertyinsurance.com

www.integritynowins.com

Note: The information contained in this newsletter provides general risk management ideas only. Any program adopted by your institution should be tailored to the needs of your entity. In addition, it is advisable to seek legal and other professional advice when adopting risk management procedures.