The Role of Insurance in Future-Proofing our Churches
The theft of lead has been well documented in both local and national press, particularly from churches. Just as recently as this April, the Nottingham Post reported the jailing of a scrap metal thief after stealing lead and damaging the roof of St. Mary’s in Edwinstowe, the Grade 1 listed 12th century parish church where Robin Hood reputedly married Maid Marian. Our Director Simon Winiarski discusses the importance of specialist insurance for churches.
According to Historic England, roofs are often the target, but thieves also take gutters, downpipes, lightning conductors, as well as stone walling and paving, with such crimes leaving buildings vulnerable through repeat thefts and weather damage.
Churches form the heart of our communities, whether we’re regular worshippers, or occasional visitors for important life events. They are majestic structures, part of our architectural heritage, acting as repositories of historic artefacts and beautiful stained-glass windows.
But many churches in the UK hold insurance policies that don’t fully cover the value of their property, sometimes leaving congregations and local communities to raise donations to make up the shortfall. Given the uniqueness and historic nature of churches and their contents, it’s not unusual for the replacement value of church buildings or contents to far outweigh the market value, so it’s important to get the right advice and valuation and to make sure that your church is fully covered for all eventualities.
As experienced church insurance brokers, we provide bespoke insurance solutions to many churches in the East Midlands. We are able to provide specialised advice and policies for churches of all different sizes and ages, even churches that have sadly had to close their doors. In order to fully understand your needs in terms of buildings, contents and liability insurance we’re able to offer a personal no obligation visit to your church, to get the right valuation and provide you with a policy that will give you the appropriate cover.
If you are interested in talking to us about our specialist church policies and packages, please get in touch with one of our expert team members on 0115 947 0032 or visit https://www.russellscanlan.com/get-in-touch/contact
