Why Church Security Team Members Need Liability Insurance
Recently our church insurance company refused to renew our policy. This presented a couple of problems, including the lost of Church Security Team liability coverage.
While, churches are meant to be places of peace and refuge, in today’s world many congregations recognize the need for security teams to protect worshippers. These teams play a vital role, but these responsibilities can come with significant legal and financial risks. That is why liability insurance is not just a good idea—it is essential.
Security team members often operate in high-stress situations where split-second decisions matter. Whether it’s breaking up a disturbance, escorting someone off the property, or responding to a threat, these actions can lead to, accidental injury to a congregant or visitor, property damage or legal claims alleging excessive force or negligence. Even when acting in good faith, lawsuits can arise—and defending them can be costly.
Liability insurance provides a financial safety net for both the individual and the church. It helps cover legal defense costs (which can easily reach thousands of dollars), settlements or judgments and medical expenses for injured parties. Without coverage, a single incident could result in personal financial ruin for a volunteer and significant strain on the church’s resources.
There are several types of Coverage to Consider; (1) General Liability: Covers bodily injury and property damage, (2) Professional Liability: Protects against claims of improper actions or decisions, and (3) Personal Liability for Volunteers: Ensures individual team members are protected, not just the organization.
In previous “Sermons on Security” we have covered “best practices” for church security teams which have included, providing training on de-escalation and legal compliance and documenting all incidents thoroughly to support insurance claims if needed. The final piece of this puzzle is to actually insure security team members are covered under the church’s policy or obtain individual coverage. This allows security team members to focus on their mission: keeping the congregation safe, without the fear of personal financial consequences.
There are several individual “insurance” options for church security team members, my personal recommendation is a membership with Delta Defense/United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA). As a former employee of the USCCA, I have first hand knowledge on how the USCCA, and other organizations, work. The truth is the USCCA offers the most comprehensive combination of coverage in addition to extensive training options. I encourage all church security teams to review their insurance policy and if the coverage is inadequate, look into other options like the USCCA. With the loss of our organizational insurance policy, we are coordinating with the church leaders to obtain USCCA memberships t0 help insure our church is physically and financially protected.
