Church insurance
Methodist Insurance has provided specialist insurance to protect churches since 1872.
Specialist insurance for churches
We understand each church has individual requirements, so our Church Shield policy is flexible and provides the options you need to protect your church and congregation.
Our church insurance policy cover includes:
- Church buildings and pipe organs – including fixtures such as pulpits, pews, and fonts
- Contents and personal effects – anywhere within the geographical limits outlined in the policy*
- Money – covers loss of money belonging to you or for which you are responsible
- Losses following theft by officials – this can also cover any auditor's fees incurred
- Employers’ liability – to protect against liability claims from employees or volunteers following an accident where the church is negligent
- Public liability – standard limit of £5million, higher limits may be available on request.
- Legal expenses insurance – including legal fees, compensation awards or appeal costs arising from a wide range of legal disputes
- Personal accident - cover for any insured person who suffers accidental bodily injury anywhere in the British Isles. Options for group travel are available.
- Accidental damage and theft – automatic inclusion for your Methodist church
- Minor building works – up to a contract value of £150,000.
Your Church Shield policy is designed to provide specialist insurance for your church with the addition of access to a range of valuable support services. These include building valuations, risk management assessments, and crime prevention and security.
Other optional covers include terrorism, cyber, and subsidence. Please read our Church Shield policy wording for the full benefits and exclusions of the policy.
Call our team on 0345 606 1331 to find out more and to get a quote.
Change of correspondent
Please make sure you let us know if the correspondent for your church is changing. We’ll need to know the name, address, phone number, and email address of the new correspondent.
Church maintenance
While your insurance is there to protect you against the unexpected, it does not cover you for damage caused by a lack of maintenance. Carrying out routine church maintenance will help to keep your Methodist church in a good state of repair.
When to contact us
If you are holding activities that are out of the ordinary or involve a hazardous activity, it is advisable to call us and check that your church is covered. Find out more about when you need to contact us.
Get a quote
Experiencing financial difficulty?
Frequently asked questions
We provide the option of a long-term agreement in which a discount of up to 25% is given for your commitment to renew with us for a period, during which we will not change the policy terms, conditions, or rating basis.
Terms and conditions apply, call our team on 0345 606 1331 to find out more and to get a quote.
At Methodist Insurance, our church customers have free access to our expert team of Risk Management Surveyors. The team regularly surveys churches and also provides help and advice to individual churches on any issue related to insurance or managing the risks associated with church buildings and use.
They can also deliver bespoke presentations on issues such as fire, security, health and safety, risk assessments, and how to protect your church from theft of metal.
You can contact our claims team on 0345 606 1331. When you call, it will help us to deal with your claim promptly if you are able to provide your policy number. It may also assist you if you are able to refer to the policy wording and schedule for an indication of the cover your policy provides.
However, don’t worry if you don’t have this information immediately to hand, just get in contact with our claims team as soon as possible.
Church premises are used by many groups, and those that fall under the oversight of the Church Council will be covered under the Church Shield policy.
You will need to make sure that proper insurance is in place and the church is adequately protected when other people use your building, whether they pay you rent, give you a donation, or use the premises for free. Some of these groups may have their own insurance cover, but they should not be allowed to use church premises until you are certain that they have made appropriate arrangements for public liability insurance. If need be, we can look to provide a quotation for any groups under our Charity and Community policy. Speak to us if you are unsure about what is included in the terms of your policy.
The automatic hirers’ indemnity cover provides liability cover for persons or organisations who hire your church for occasional private social events on no more than three occasions a year per hirer, up to a limit of £2million.
It’s important to ensure the church is adequately protected when ‘other’ people use the buildings or grounds - whether they pay you rent, give you a donation or use the premises for free.
Some of these groups may have their own insurance cover, but none of them should be allowed to use church premises until you are certain that have made appropriate arrangements for public liability insurance. You can check this by asking to see their insurance certificate.
Groups that fall under the oversight of the Church Council will be covered under the church insurance policy. If you are unsure about how insurance applies to outside users please call us for more information.
Church insurance documents
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Church insurance articles
Managing health and safety in your church
Keeping all those involved with your church and its activities safe is very important. Nobody wants to see anyone suffer an injury.
Church survey and valuation
As a Methodist Insurance church customer, you have access to our team of risk management surveyors.
Organising church events
All entertainment events are subject to the Health and Safety at Work Act. These are the key points to consider when planning and hosting church events and activities.
When to contact us
It is important that you let us know about certain activities and changes at your church. We can provide help and advice and in some cases we may need to adjust your insurance cover.
Church insurance administration
Our Church Shield policy made simple.
Church building works
When planning extensions or alterations to your church this is described as building works. While these works are in progress, it’s important you have adequate insurance in place.
Protecting your Methodist church
To help protect your church, we summarise below some of the things you can do and provide details of where to get more information.
Legal expenses
Here you''ll find an overview of the cover provided in our church insurance policy and details of how to get legal advice or make a claim.