National Child Abuse Prevention Month is upon us. Commemorate it by brushing up on some basics — and taking impactful action in your own church to protect children. Church Executive: As insurers, what kind of an increase in child sexual abuse claims have you seen among churches in recent years? Andrew Shockey: It was […]
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By Rev. James R. Cook, CFP®, RICP® According to Macrotrends.net, the current life expectancy in the U.S. in 2022 was 79.05 years, a 0.08% increase from 2021. People are living longer, which means more and more, younger baby boomers — who might not be prepared for the wide-ranging considerations of eldercare — are faced with […]
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It’s time for ministries to be the Gospel standard. When brought to light, abuse in the church should be handled swiftly. Sometimes it can be challenging to know how to respond, so below, we’ve provided considerations should your church face allegations. As experts in church insurance and ministry, we know that the importance of protecting […]
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What is the insurance carrier looking for? Abuse claims have become increasingly frequent and highly publicized. Expansion of statutes of limitations has resulted in insurance carriers defending claims from activity alleged to have happened decades ago. As a result, insurance carriers are asking for more documentation to allow the carrier to better defend against […]
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As a church leader, you would, of course, be horrified to learn that someone in your congregation is suspected of abusing or mistreating a child. But are you required by law to report this abuse to the authorities? At what point does clergy confidentiality prevent you or the pastors at your church from reporting […]
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It’s a common scenario in houses of worship: Who’s in charge of the property committee? “Our elder, Joe, heads that up.” What about the finance committee? “Yes, Susan is our accountant and oversees the finances.” And the sexual abuse prevention plan? “Well, our children and student ministry leaders do the background checks, interviews and […]
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It’s the call no ministry leader wants to get — that a church employee or volunteer has been accused of sexually abusing a child. Unfortunately, predators see churches as an easy target. That’s why it’s important to acknowledge and plan for the possibility that child sexual abuse could happen at your ministry. Your insurance company […]
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By Gregory Love & Kimberlee Norris Every year, it seems a particular organization or entity is embroiled in a sexual abuse crisis: the Catholic Church, USA Swimming, Penn State University, USA Gymnastics/Michigan State University, Hillsong Church, Ravi Zacharias Ministries, Boy Scouts of America… and the list goes on. This year, headlines are swirling around […]
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A will is an essential part of any estate plan. It is a key document for transferring your assets upon your death. It allows you to decide who inherits which assets and who will manage your estate as executor and/or trustee. According to Caring.com’s 2022 Wills and Estate Planning Study, 1 out of 3 […]
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Many houses of worship contain valuable art, artifacts and other treasures. While these items often are imbued with deep spiritual meaning, the untrained eye might not recognize them as assets requiring protection. That creates risk — not just from the threat of human wrongdoing, but from Mother Nature as well. Art and artifacts are always […]
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