Financial Stewardship Do Pastors Need Renter's Insurance?

Financial Stewardship
Do Pastors Need Renter’s Insurance?
Ministry Protection Memo
“MPM” is a series on various topics
Yes, pastors need renter’s insurance. As an
A renter’s policy will define the named
relative to Church and safety.
employee of the church, you may think
perils that are covered within a policy and
Send your comments and interests
you do not need this type of coverage as
also liability protection. Named peril
to Rev. Joy Melton, Chief Resource
you are living in a church-owned building.
coverage includes items such as fire, theft,
to PACT’s Director of Ministry
Officer. (joymelton@bellsouth.net)
After all, the church has insurance— right?
smoke, and lightning. Liability protection
Protection, at umcpact@ajg.com.
The church insurance covers church-owned
protects you from injury to another person
PACT Service Center
buildings, not your personal belongings
on your property. Your policy will also
Hours of Operation
and personal liability.
include a limit for medical payments
8:30 am - 4 pm (Eastern)
coverage, which pays for medical expenses
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST
As a tenant, you are legally responsible for
of people who are injured on your property,
harm caused to a part of your building or
Contact Information
who do not live with you.
to others who are visiting you.
Toll-Free: 1-877-UMC-PA
1-800-975-5442CT
When purchasing renter’s insurance, you

1-877-862-7228
What would happen if:
should consider replacement cost coverage
Fax: 1-866-221-4858
There was a fire in your residence?
over actual cash value. Replacement cost
will pay the actual cost to replace the items
A thief broke into your residence?
that were damaged, minus the deductible.
A guest slipped and injured himself in
Actual cash value pays you for what the old
your kitchen?
item was worth, minus your deductible. If
Your dog bit someone?
you have valuable items such as jewelry,
antiques, etc., they may need to be
Without renter’s insurance, you have no
scheduled separately.
“ Yes, pastors need
coverage for your personal property loss or
renter’s insurance.”
damage. You may not think you have
In reviewing your liability protection, a
enough property to purchase renter’s
policy will protect you should a guest be
insurance, but think about what you own
injured on your property, up to the limit
and what you can lose, and what it would
on the policy. If that person sues you and
cost to replace everything. Look around
you are found negligent, you are covered
your surroundings, you have clothing,
for the judgment and legal expense up to
furniture, televisions, stereo systems,
the policy limit.
computers, musical or sporting equipment,
books, jewelry.
What would it cost to replace all of this?
Renter’s insurance provides extremely
affordable protection for your personal
property should it be damaged, stolen or
destroyed. In comparing the small
premium for this type of policy to the cost
of replacing all of your belongings, a
renter’s policy is affordable.
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Your policy may also cover you for
How can I save on renter’s
additional living expense should your
residence become uninhabitable due to fire,
insurance premium?
burst pipes, etc., and you need to live
Please remember, there are a few ways to
PACT is an all-lines property & casualty
somewhere else temporarily.
save on renter’s insurance premiums. Many
(including Workers’ Compensation) nonprofit
insurers offer discounts if you have one or
captive reinsurer domiciled in the District of
all of the following:
Columbia and owned by its member Annual
Conferences and agency insureds. The General
q Monitored fire or burglar alarms
Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA)
q Fire extinguishers
fulfills its Book of Discipline fiduciary oversight
through its membership on the Board of Directors
q Sprinkler systems
of PACT. For more information, contact the
q Dead bolts on exterior doors
PACT Service Center or go to the website at
www.umcpact.org.
Premium savings can be found by the level
_____________________________________
of deductible you select.
The Ministry Protection Memo (MPM) series is
Insurers may also offer discounts to policy
offered as an educational tool in support of PACT’s
How much coverage do you
holders who are over age 55.
property and casualty insurance program to help
you develop loss control procedures to suit your
need?
Renter’s insurance is peace of mind should
specific needs. With these publications, PACT does
Take an inventory. Go through your
something happen to or on the property. In
not seek to establish a particular standard of care
belongings and list each item, the value,
purchasing a policy, this will help to protect
or to provide legal advice. We encourage church
and the serial number. Take photographs or
you and your family from financial harm.
leaders to consult with competent attorneys with
videotape each room. Remember to include
regard to their specific loss control needs. PACT
encourages reproduction and distribution of this
closets, open drawers, basements, storage
MPM within the United Methodist
sheds, and the garage. Keep receipts for
denomination. Non-United Methodist groups may
major items in a fireproof safe.
contact the PACT Service Center in writing at the
Gallagher C
Suite 900, entr
400 e, Two P
Perimeter ierce Place, I
Center
tasca, IL
Terrace, Atlanta, GA
60143 or via telephone at 877-UMC-P
30346 or via telephone at 770-512-8383 ACT for
or via email
per
at mission to reproduce this memo
joymelton@bellsouth.net for
.
permission to
reproduce this memo.
Access all PACT’s MPMs by logging on to the website at www.umcpact.org

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