Expected Minimum Insurance Coverage
(12/11/2025)
Title I, Canon 7: Sec. 1 (h) of The Episcopal Church states: “All buildings and their contents shall be kept adequately insured.”
As all property is held in trust for the Diocese; using the Church Insurance coverage as a model, the minimum insurance expectations as determined by the Trustees of the Diocese of Albany are as follows:
COMMERCIAL PACKAGE POLICY, minimum limits:
∙ Buildings & Contents Insured to Replacement Value, “All Risk” Coverage
∙ Fine Arts / Stained Glass $1,000,000
∙ Commercial Crime/Fidelity Minimum $50,000
∙ Comprehensive General Liability Occurrence $1,000,000 Aggregate $3,000,000
∙ Pastoral Counseling Liability Occurrence $1,000,000 Aggregate $1,000,000
∙ Employee Benefits Liability (EBL) Occurrence $1,000,000 Aggregate $1,000,000
∙ Medical Payments Occurrence $30,000
∙ Sexual Misconduct Liability Occurrence $1,000,000 Aggregate $1,000,000
∙ Employment Practices Liability Occurrence $1,000,000 Aggregate $1,000,000
DIRECTORS & OFFICERS (D&O) POLICY
∙ Directors’ & Officers Occurrence $1,000,000 Aggregate $1,000,000
UMBRELLA POLICY (Excess Liability)
As excess over Commercial General Liability, Pastoral Counseling, Sexual Misconduct, Directors’ & Officer’s, Owned Auto, Hired and Non-Owned Auto and Workers’ Compensation. See comment in the Notes below regarding increasing Umbrella coverage limits.
∙ Umbrella Liability Occurrence $1,000,000 Aggregate $1,000,000
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION POLICY
∙ NY Workers’ Compensation Benefits Statutory
∙ Employers Liability $1,000,000
NOTES:
∙ Pastoral counseling liability should be extended to all employees and volunteers who are engaged in pastoral work (rather than being limited only to ordained clergy).
∙ Additional coverage limits should be considered, in particular for Umbrella liability coverage. Such consideration should be made in the context of reviewing appropriate coverage and the affordability of such coverage.
∙ Coverage for “Back Up of Sewers and Drains” should be considered.
∙ Churches located within a Federal Flood Zone should purchase separate flood coverage. Your insurance advisor can assist you with this.
∙ Consider the financial strength and rating of the insurance company as part of the insurance decision process.
Parishes that are not insured with Church Insurance are expected to forward a certificate of insurance to Canon Neal Longe <nlonge@albanydiocese.org> on an annual basis with the renewal of your policy.