Church Pension Group

Carrier appetite summary

Church Pension Group (CPG) provides property and casualty coverage to Episcopal entities through The Church Insurance Companies (The Church Insurance Company, The Church Insurance Company of Vermont, and The Church Insurance Agency Corporation). Their stated focus is broad, cost‑effective coverage and risk‑management support tailored specifically to The Episcopal Church rather than a general open‑market program. In practice, this functions as a denominational program rather than a standard commercial-lines carrier with a public class-by-class appetite guide. Preferred business / target risks: - Episcopal institutions only: dioceses, parishes, missions, and related Episcopal agencies and institutions (e.g., schools, ministries, church-owned facilities). The program’s materials consistently reference "The Episcopal Church and its dioceses, parishes and other entities" as the intended insured group, indicating the core appetite is Episcopal organizations, not the general religious or nonprofit market. - Full P&C program accounts: materials emphasize a range of coverages—property, liability, workers’ compensation, auto, directors’ and officers’—with coordinated risk management and a dedicated online service for managing policies, billing, and claims. Accounts that place the majority of their P&C with Church Insurance are implied to be the best fit. - Safety- and risk‑management‑oriented dioceses and parishes: the Episcopal Safety Program (ESP) rewards dioceses and their churches that actively participate in risk management and maintain favorable loss ratios. Dioceses with loss ratios at or below approximately 50% and high participation (75%+ of churches) can earn safety dividends, so dioceses that support regular inspections, remediation of hazards, and risk controls are implicitly preferred. Workers’ Compensation: - Coverage intent: the Workers’ Compensation and Employers’ Liability product is described in standard terms—providing state‑mandated benefits and medical and wage replacement for work‑related injury or illness, plus employer’s liability for negligence‑based suits where applicable. It explicitly addresses the need for WC for church employees, distinguishing it from employment practices liability. - Eligible insureds: positioned as a solution for Episcopal organizations that have employees and are subject to state WC mandates. There is no public class‑by‑class WC schedule; instead, WC is one component of the overall Episcopal property and casualty program. - Geographic scope: products are not available in all states and the Church Insurance Companies are not licensed in every jurisdiction. Availability and features vary by state; the specific WC offering must be confirmed by state and by entity with underwriting or customer service. - Underwriting posture: no public experience‑mod or loss‑threshold guidance is given, but the strong emphasis on risk management, safety programs, and online claims tools indicates underwriting attention to loss history and safety culture. Expect standard scrutiny of payrolls, job classifications (clergy, lay employees, daycare/school staff, maintenance), and any higher‑hazard operations. Commercial Property / Package: - Coverage scope: Church Insurance markets a broad church‑oriented property form that can include buildings, contents, fine arts, and other special church property exposures. They highlight willingness to cover flood, fine art, and other items that many standard carriers sublimit or exclude, and they supplement this with crime/dishonesty and other ancillary coverages. - Target risks: Episcopal churches and related institutions with typical church property (sanctuaries, parish halls, offices, classrooms, potentially rectories and associated structures). The program literature and safety handbook focus on church buildings, stained glass, fine arts, and other ecclesiastical property, indicating a strong appetite for core church locations and associated ministry facilities. - Special property features: publications and risk‑management materials reference fine arts, stained glass, and specialty church property, as well as guidance on appraisals, security, and physical protection. - Risk‑management orientation: the Episcopal Safety Program includes physical inspections and written reports of property and liability hazards. Participation and improved loss results can qualify dioceses for dividends. Underwriters are likely to expect cooperation with recommendations on life‑safety (fire, egress, electrical), child safety, and premises maintenance. - Geographic limits: as with WC, property and package products are not available in all states. Church Insurance uses affiliated and non‑affiliated insurers as needed, and licensing status varies; producers should confirm state availability before marketing coverage to a new Episcopal entity. Liability / Package components: - General liability and ministry‑specific coverages: Church Insurance positions its offering as broad liability protection for Episcopal ministries, with references to coverage for spiritual counseling liability, directors’ and officers’ liability, cyber liability, and other tailored forms. This suggests that for core Episcopal church operations—including worship services, parish activities, education, and outreach—liability appetite is generally strong, subject to risk‑management controls. - Workers’ compensation and auto within package context: the "What We Do" description lists workers’ compensation and auto as standard parts of the property and casualty offering, supporting the assumption that church packages often bundle property, GL, WC, and auto when exposure exists (e.g., owned vehicles). - Crime and dishonesty: a dedicated Commercial Crime/Dishonesty Bond product is promoted, noting canonical requirements to insure against dishonesty, fraud, and forgery and covering both money and valuable property. This is effectively a required or strongly encouraged coverage component for Episcopal entities handling funds or valuables. Restricted / declined classes: - Non‑Episcopal accounts: public materials consistently state that property and casualty coverage is for "The Episcopal Church and its dioceses, parishes and other entities". Non‑Episcopal churches, other denominations, or secular nonprofits are outside the stated mission; these risks would typically not be underwritten by Church Insurance and would be expected to place coverage with other specialty church markets. - Non‑church commercial operations: there is no evidence that Church Insurance pursues standard commercial risks (retail, manufacturing, contractors, etc.). Coverage for unrelated side businesses or tenants is likely limited or referred to other markets via the agency operation. - Jurisdictions without licensing or product availability: where Church Insurance or its affiliates are not licensed or do not file specific products, coverage may not be offered. The program cautions that products "may not be available in all states" and that some risks may be placed with unaffiliated insurers through the Church Insurance Agency. Geographic notes: - National Episcopal focus: the program is national in scope across The Episcopal Church, but availability and licensing are state‑specific. Several regulatory listings show Church Insurance Company as a foreign (out‑of‑state) property‑casualty carrier licensed in multiple states; nonetheless, CPG warns that products and features vary by state. - Vermont captive and New York domiciliary: The Church Insurance Company of Vermont and The Church Insurance Company (NY) indicate use of both an admitted carrier and a captive structure to serve Episcopal institutions nationwide. This affects how some large or unique risks are handled but does not change day‑to‑day submission behavior for brokers. Submission, servicing, and broker/producer notes: - Distribution and access: Church Insurance emphasizes direct service to Episcopal institutions rather than an open retail-agent channel. The Church Insurance Agency Corporation can act as agent/broker and place some risks with unaffiliated insurers. External brokers should expect that placement is coordinated through diocesan or institutional leadership and CPG client services; there is no public producer appointment or appetite page akin to standard commercial markets. - Customer service and online account management: Church Insurance maintains a nationwide customer service program with dedicated phone lines for client service, billing, and claims, and has rolled out an online service (via My Admin Portal) for 24/7 policy, billing, and claims management, including auto and workers’ compensation forms. Institutions are encouraged to manage policies and report claims through these channels rather than via third‑party broker platforms. - Risk management and ESP participation: dioceses are encouraged to participate in the Episcopal Safety Program, including periodic walk‑through inspections and implementation of recommendations. Favorable three‑year loss ratios and broad diocesan participation (75%+ of churches) can result in dividends. From a submission standpoint, dioceses and parishes that complete ESP inspections and address recommendations will be viewed more favorably. - Documentation and policy terms: CPG stresses that website descriptions and brochures are informational and that the actual policy or certificate governs terms, exclusions, and limitations. For underwriting and placement, brokers and administrators should obtain specimen forms and endorsements for the specific state and product line and not rely solely on marketing summaries. Operationally, treat Church Pension Group / Church Insurance as a closed or semi‑closed Episcopal church program: strong appetite for Episcopal dioceses and parishes needing property, workers’ compensation, and package coverage when they agree to engage in ongoing risk management; limited or no appetite for non‑Episcopal or non‑church commercial classes; and state‑by‑state variation in availability, which must be confirmed with Church Insurance customer service for each new account.

Referenced source pages