Church Mutual Insurance Company
Carrier website links, underwriting access points, mapped product lines, and appetite notes in one place.
This appetite summary is only a guide. Confirm eligibility, submission requirements, restrictions, and binding authority directly with the carrier or underwriter before relying on it.
Carrier appetite summary
Carrier focus & target insureds: - Highly specialized carrier for religious organizations of all denominations, plus public and private K‑12 schools, smaller colleges/universities, senior living facilities, camps/conference centers, and a broad range of nonprofit and human service organizations across the U.S.([mynewmarkets.com](https://www.mynewmarkets.com/companies/churchmutual?utm_source=openai)) - Appetite now explicitly includes 200+ nonprofit classes; areas currently targeted for growth include arts, culture and humanities, community services, youth development, philanthropy, food banks, and trade associations. Appetite is actively managed by class, line, and geography.([riskandinsurance.com](https://riskandinsurance.com/hubs-2025-nonprofit-summit-church-mutuals-jeff-zehr/?utm_source=openai)) Preferred / target business (operational view): - Core book remains churches and religious institutions of all sizes (from small congregations to megachurches) where the primary operations are worship, religious education, and typical ministry activities. - Strong appetite for education risks: K‑12 (public, charter, private, religious) and smaller colleges/universities, especially where Church Mutual can write a full account (property, liability, WC, auto as allowed).([mynewmarkets.com](https://www.mynewmarkets.com/companies/churchmutual?utm_source=openai)) - Nonprofit and human service organizations that operate in controlled facilities (community services, food banks, youth development programs, trade associations, arts/culture organizations) and can demonstrate mature risk management programs are actively courted within the broader nonprofit strategy.([riskandinsurance.com](https://riskandinsurance.com/hubs-2025-nonprofit-summit-church-mutuals-jeff-zehr/?utm_source=openai)) Restricted / declined risk themes (inferred from recent actions and third‑party summaries – verify account‑by‑account with underwriting): - Property: Significantly tightened property underwriting, especially for catastrophe‑exposed locations. Recent portfolio actions include higher wind/hail deductibles in coastal areas, substantial rate increases, quota‑share reinsurance, and "tighter underwriting guidelines." Agents should expect many cat‑exposed or loss‑heavy church properties to be declined or non‑renewed.([crexchurch.com](https://crexchurch.com/market-intelligence/?utm_source=openai)) - Geography: Public reporting indicates Church Mutual has: - Non‑renewed a large number of churches in Texas heading into 2024. - Ceased offering property coverage in Louisiana. - Increased non‑renewals nationwide for property accounts, even some with limited loss history, where cat or severity exposure is high.([crexchurch.com](https://crexchurch.com/market-intelligence/?utm_source=openai)) Treat these states and high‑cat zones as sensitive; pre‑clear with underwriting before marketing a full property program. - Workers Compensation specific friction points (from external WC marketing summaries, not formal guidelines): Declinations tied to extensive in‑home operations, heavy social‑services exposures, and adverse claims history. Risks with substantial off‑premises, mobile, or construction‑type operations may fall outside appetite or be priced/underwritten conservatively.([capk.org](https://www.capk.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Executive-Committee-Agenda-7-17-24.pdf?utm_source=openai)) - Certain religious‑related facilities and programs may be insurable only "subject to underwriting guidelines" or may be excluded: higher‑hazard camps, adventure activities, certain counseling/therapy or social‑service models, and programs with high overnight or in‑home exposure should be treated as referral‑only and positioned with a detailed narrative.([centernet.pcusa.org](https://centernet.pcusa.org/legal-resources/risk-management/?utm_source=openai)) Geographic footprint and notes: - Licensed nationally and historically active in all 50 states for core religious and related risks. Subsidiary CM Select used for small to mid‑sized religious accounts and certain small nonprofits in a BOP‑type format in many states.([insurancejournal.com](https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southcentral/2018/02/27/481712.htm?utm_source=openai)) - Agents must assume heightened scrutiny for catastrophe‑prone states (Gulf Coast, certain Tornado/Convective‑storm corridors, some wildfire‑exposed western geographies). Louisiana property is currently described by independent market analysis as no‑longer written; Texas and other high‑loss areas are experiencing significant non‑renewals and rate pressure.([crexchurch.com](https://crexchurch.com/market-intelligence/?utm_source=openai)) Workers Compensation (WC): - Offered for eligible church, school, senior living, camp, and nonprofit accounts, often as part of a broader package. Many denominational or conference programs administer WC with Church Mutual as carrier; local congregations are often required to participate unless moved to alternative arrangements. - Final premium is audit‑based. Church Mutual requires annual payroll audits using its online or printable WC audit tools. Payroll is based on gross wages (before deductions); insureds must report new locations, roles, and confirm contractor certificates at audit.([churchmutual.com](https://www.churchmutual.com/resource-center/customer-center/workers-comp-payroll-audit?utm_source=openai)) - Claims must be reported promptly following internal denominational or program procedures, but ultimate reporting is directly to Church Mutual (often via dedicated numbers for camps, dioceses, or conferences).([diobelle.org](https://www.diobelle.org/temporal-affairs/risk-management/claim-reporting?utm_source=openai)) - Higher‑hazard WC classes tied to construction, extensive travel/over‑the‑road exposure, or intensive social‑services/home‑visit work are frequently declined or heavily underwritten; anticipate appetite issues for heavy social‑service or in‑home programs and be prepared to place WC elsewhere.([capk.org](https://www.capk.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Executive-Committee-Agenda-7-17-24.pdf?utm_source=openai)) Commercial Property: - Core appetite: sanctuaries, education buildings, fellowship halls, administrative buildings, parsonages, and related ministry structures; also school campuses, senior living facilities, and camp/conference center buildings when aligned with Church Mutual’s program structures. - Underwriting now more selective for: - Cat‑exposed roofs or aging, unreinforced structures. - Properties with repeated weather or water losses. - Older facilities without modern electrical, plumbing, or fire‑protection updates. - Expect more stringent deductibles, sublimits, and coverage conditions in high‑risk areas (e.g., separate wind/hail deductibles, higher AOP deductibles, coinsurance expectations) per reported tightening of guidelines.([crexchurch.com](https://crexchurch.com/market-intelligence/?utm_source=openai)) General Liability, Umbrella, and Package: - Typical GL structure for church and denominational programs includes: - $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate GL, medical payments for volunteers and athletic activities, fire legal liability, daycare/childcare coverage extensions, and pastoral professional and sexual misconduct coverage (often at $1M) for eligible ministries. - Umbrella limits commonly start around $10M above GL and Auto; excess limits may be available upon review.([centernet.pcusa.org](https://centernet.pcusa.org/legal-resources/risk-management/?utm_source=openai)) - Coverage can be extended to D&O, employment practices, and other management/professional liability for eligible insureds. - Expect careful underwriting around: - Youth programs, daycare/schools, camps, and any overnight activities. - Abuse/molestation exposure; documented screening, training, and supervision protocols are effectively mandatory for a favorable decision. - Off‑premises events, mission trips, and transportation exposures. Submission expectations (for agents/brokers): - Church Mutual distributes primarily through appointed, ministry‑focused agencies and local representatives. Prospective submissions typically route via a local Church Mutual rep or appointed producer rather than open‑broker wholesale submissions.([churchmutual.com](https://www.churchmutual.com/support/find-your-local-rep?utm_source=openai)) - Strong emphasis on the "underwriting narrative": senior underwriting leadership has publicly stated that insurability begins with how the insured manages risk and how effectively that story is told. Submissions should include detailed narratives on operations, governance, risk mitigation, and recent changes rather than just accords.([riskandinsurance.com](https://riskandinsurance.com/hubs-2025-nonprofit-summit-church-mutuals-jeff-zehr/?utm_source=openai)) - For nonprofit expansion classes (arts/culture, community services, food banks, trade associations, etc.), expect underwriters to scrutinize: - Client population, services provided, and any high‑risk activities. - Abuse/molestation, transportation, and premises‑security controls. - Existing safety programs, incident response plans, and board governance. Broker / producer notes: - Minimum premium thresholds: some wholesale‑partner material notes a $25,000 minimum account premium for certain Church and Education accounts when written through specific program wholesalers; treat this as indicative that Church Mutual prefers larger, multi‑line accounts and is less interested in small monoline placements.([conveloins.com](https://conveloins.com/what-we-do/wholesale/nonprofits-and-human-services/?utm_source=openai)) - Distribution partners that specialize in the nonprofit/ministry space are explicitly valued; producers with niche expertise and the ability to deliver detailed risk narratives will have better traction in appetite‑borderline classes. - Given recent property retrenchment, producers should: - Pre‑screen for geography (especially Louisiana and cat‑sensitive Texas risks) and major loss history before assuming renewal or marketing prospects. - Prepare insureds early for potential non‑renewals, coverage changes, or significant rate/deductible movement. - Coordinate with Church Mutual reps on alternative structures (e.g., higher deductibles, layered towers, or moving only WC/GL while placing property elsewhere) where full‑package appetite is constrained. Operational guidance: - Treat churches, religious schools, and aligned nonprofits as the core appetite, but recognize that underwriting is now highly selective by state and exposure profile. - For Workers Comp, prioritize accounts with stable payrolls, standard ministry or school operations, good claims history, and strong safety culture; avoid heavy home‑health/social‑service exposures and significant construction or OTR driving. - For Commercial Property and CPP/umbrella, emphasize well‑maintained plants, documented risk‑control practices, and willingness to accept modern deductibles and protective safeguards. - Underwriting remains relationship‑driven and narrative‑driven; thin submissions with poor risk‑management detail will struggle even in otherwise "on‑class" businesses.