MERRILL, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Church Mutual Insurance Company® and MinistrySafe© have joined together to address the risk of child sexual abuse in church and ministry contexts. Church Mutual is the leading insurer of houses of worship and MinistrySafe is the national leader in the design and implementation of safety systems to protect children in ministry programs. This collaboration will offer Church Mutual insureds discounted access to MinistrySafe training and resources intended to proactively prevent child sexual abuse.
“Church Mutual is always looking for valuable resources to help protect children and youth involved in ministry programs," says Guy Russ, assistant vice president of risk control at Church Mutual Insurance Company. "We’re excited about this partnership and the positive impact it will have – providing our policyholders with a deeper understanding of how to prevent child sexual abuse. Our goal is to offer exceptional programs that protect the most vulnerable and those that serve others.”
Church Mutual has a long history of leadership in providing its customers with prevention programs and coverages connected to the risk of sexual molestation. In 1986, Church Mutual introduced the first sexual molestation insurance coverage designed specifically for churches and related institutions. This innovative coverage model has since become a widely accepted standard within the insurance industry. In partnering with MinistrySafe, Church Mutual makes available industry-leading expertise, trainings and resources that will serve to further educate organizational leaders and increase awareness around this highly sensitive topic.
“For any ministry serving children, the risk of child sexual abuse is real,” says Gregory Love, sexual abuse attorney and MinistrySafe co-founder. “To some degree, ministries present an attractive target for the sexual abuser: access to children in a trusting, grace-based environment.”
After representing victims of child sexual abuse for over two decades, Love and his law partner Kimberlee Norris saw recurring, predictable patterns in predatory behaviors. MinistrySafe grew out of their desire to place proactive training and resources into the hands of churches and ministries everywhere.
“The church should be the safest place for children to learn and grow,” Norris says. “As well, it should be a secure environment for abuse survivors to disclose PAST abuse, whether that occurred last week, last month or 30 years ago. This partnership promotes both endeavors.”
About Church Mutual
Church Mutual Insurance Company, founded
in 1897, offers specialized insurance for religious organizations of all
denominations, public and private K-12 schools, colleges and
universities, senior living facilities, camps and conference centers,
and nonprofit and human services organizations throughout the United
States. Church Mutual markets most lines of commercial property and
liability insurance, including multi-peril, workers' compensation and
commercial auto insurance. In addition to insurance, Church Mutual
provides a spectrum of value-added solutions that benefit its customers.
Church Mutual holds the following honors:
- A.M. Best Company "A" (excellent) rating
- 2018 Ward’s 50 Top Performing Property and Casualty Insurers
- BenchmarkPortal Top 10 National Customer Service Center
- Wisconsin 75 by Deloitte US, 2016, 2017 and 2018
- Futuremakers Partner, by Wisconsin Technical College System
- Celent Model Insurer for innovation and emerging technologies
- Award in Innovation for entrepreneurialism and innovation, by National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies
- 2018-2019 Employer of the Year, by Northcentral Technical College
About MinistrySafe
After decades of representing victims in
sexual abuse cases, Gregory Love and Kimberlee Norris founded
MinistrySafe to help ministries meet legal standards of care and reduce
the risk of sexual abuse with preventative measures tailored to fit the
needs of church and ministry programs. With more than 50 years combined
experience in sexual abuse litigation, consultation and crisis
management, Love & Norris understand the risk of sexual abuse and how it
unfolds in children’s programming. Since MinistrySafe’s inception, more
than 13,000 organizations have trained more than ONE MILLION staff
members and volunteers, on six continents in various languages.
MinistrySafe works to protect children and those who serve them.
