Serving the United Church of Christ &  the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

 Recent news has focused a lot of attention on clergy sexual abuse. It is important to recognize that the “ministerial” relationship can include both ordained ministers and laypersons in leadership roles, whether church and school employees or volunteers, counselors, teachers, assistants and aides.

Stop and ask yourself: “Does our Church provide adequate limits for Sexual Abuse coverage?
Does our insurance include Employment Practices Liability and Pastoral Counseling Liability?
Charges relating to inappropriate sexual conduct may fall under all three categories!  

• Employment Practices Liability coverage extends to allegations of sexual harassment if the conduct was “unwelcome” in the workplace.
• Pastoral Counseling Liability coverage may be needed for claims arising from conduct that passes the bounds of professional ethics.
• Sexual Abuse Liability is most often related to the sexual violation of a child, but includes exploitative behavior in adult relationships by those in leadership roles.

The legal expenses of defending against allegations, whether true or not, can overwhelm the budgets of most church organizations. Hence the need for adequate coverages in each of these areas.

Church leaders cannot be blind to the fact that “child abuse allegations alone in American churches over the last ten years have averaged 70 per week! And more than two-thirds of the allegations were against Protestants!

At the Insurance Board, we don’t just provide “part of a parachute.” The Insurance Board Program, offered exclusively to United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) congregations, provides all three key professional liability coverages at no additional cost to your church organization.

Our culture of caring means we must focus attention on creating a safe environment for all who attend church programs or use church facilities. For risk management resources on Sexual Misconduct and Abuse, please visit our website at www.insuranceboard.org or call us toll-free at 1-800-437-8830, ext. 232. For risk management questions, please call Richard Livingston, Director of Risk Management Services, at ext. 242. 

Feel free to contact our Conference Agent, Lanier Wheetley at (800) 310-7599 to provide a proposal with the enhanced coverages provided by our denomination Program for the benefit of your church.

UCCIB Article Index

Home