Strong foundations for the ministry you’re building.

Insurance for new and church-planting ministries in California.

Just getting started? You need the right coverage, not everything. We help you understand what matters most for a ministry your size, then find the coverage that fits.

Since 1976 4,000+ ministries Independent agency
Two church plant leaders meeting over coffee to plan their new ministry's insurance
Covered from day one Liability · Property · D&O
The ministry lifecycle

Wherever you are, we meet you there.

Ministries grow through seasons, and each one carries different risk. Whether you are planting a church or growing a religious nonprofit, we walk with you through all of them.

Planting A new church or nonprofit finding its feet.
Growing Adding people, programs, and a place to meet.
Established Staff, property, and payroll to protect.
Multiplying Multi-site, schools, and missions.
One agency, every season. From your first service to your fifth campus, your coverage grows right along with you.
The essentials

The coverages every new church needs first.

Church plant insurance, stripped to what you truly need: shopped from carriers who know ministries and shaped to your size.

01

General Liability

The bedrock. It covers third-party injury and property-damage claims, and it is the one policy almost every landlord, school, or venue requires before they let you in the door.

02

Property

Protects what you have gathered, from sound gear and instruments to laptops and the space you meet in, against fire, theft, and storm damage.

03

Sexual Misconduct Liability

The coverage no ministry wants to think about, and none should go without. It provides legal defense and protection against abuse and molestation claims, essential the moment children or vulnerable people are in your care.

04

Directors & Officers

Protects the personal assets of your directors, officers, and board members when a leadership decision is challenged. It defends the people who govern your ministry, so they can lead with confidence, not fear.

05

Workers’ Compensation

Required the moment you have staff. It covers medical costs and lost wages if someone on your team is hurt on the job.

The easy part

Protection without the runaround.

Getting insured shouldn’t feel like a second job. We made the whole experience simple, clear, and quick, so you can get back to the work that matters.

One simple conversation

No twenty-page questionnaire. Tell us about your ministry in a short call, and we shape a quote around where you actually are.

Coverage you can actually understand

You will know exactly what you are paying for. No jargon, no fine-print surprises, just clear answers from people who only insure ministries.

Handled for you

We take care of the everyday paperwork, from certificates of insurance to coverage changes and renewals, so it never becomes your second job.

Resources, on us

A free church risk consultant in your corner.

Most small ministries can’t hire a risk manager, so we wrote ours down. Practical checklists, templates, and guides, free to use whether you insure with us or not.

Free guide

The complete guide to church plant insurance in California.

Everything a new or church-planting ministry needs to know about coverage, certificates of insurance, renting a space, and staying compliant, spelled out in clear, practical terms from your first service onward.

Read the Guide
The Complete Guide to Church Plant Insurance in California
How we serve you

A real partner from day one.

You don’t have to grow into good service. From your very first policy, you get the same expert team, the same carriers, and people who pick up when you call.

What you get

Everything that matters, from the start

For new & growing ministries

A coverage program built around you

We place the essential policies from carriers who know ministries and shape them to your size, never a one-size-fits-all bundle.

A specialist team a call away

Real ministry-insurance experts answer when you call or email, whenever a question, certificate, or coverage change comes up.

Certificates & claims, handled

Need proof of insurance for a venue? We take care of the certificate, and we stand with you if a claim ever happens.

A free risk-management library

Practical checklists, templates, and guides to help you run your ministry safely. Yours to use, whether you insure with us or not.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What insurance do we need to rent a school, gym, or community center?

Almost always general liability, with the venue added to your policy, plus sexual misconduct liability once children are involved. Most venues ask for a certificate of insurance (COI) before your first service, and most landlords require proof of coverage before handing over the keys.

Get the church insurance checklist
What insurance does a new church need?

General liability and sexual misconduct liability are the essentials, and what else your ministry needs depends on your situation. The buyer’s guide walks through exactly what a new church should have in place.

Read the buyer’s guide to church insurance
We’re tiny and meet in a school cafeteria. Do we really need insurance?

Almost certainly, usually because the landlord requires it. The good news: a small ministry’s policy is small too.

Do we get the same support as the big ministries?

Yes, the same team and carriers. What changes is cadence: a ChurchWest agent is a call away for questions, certificates, or changes, while larger accounts add scheduled renewal meetings.

Let’s lay the first stone

Get your ministry’s foundation in place.

One short conversation is all it takes. Tell us where your ministry is today, and we’ll help you cover the essentials, at a price that fits where you’re starting from.

No obligation Right-sized pricing Coverage you can understand Free resources to keep