We’re asked nearly every day, “An outside group is using our facility. Do they need their own insurance?”
You need to ask yourself if this is a ministry of the church or not. If it is, then your normal insurance policy should be fine. This would even extend to church sponsored support groups (like AA, ) or community groups (like Boy Scouts)…but remember that your church is ultimately responsible for all of their activities and you’ll want to be sure that they are taking the same precautions as if it were announced in your church bulletin…workers need to be screened, adequate supervision for attendees, etc.
There are some groups where you need to draw the line. This includes:
- Anyone charging a fee for attendance to an event: Performances, recitals, conferences,room rentals, etc.
- Outside Weddings
- Quinceaneras
- A for profit group using the church facility
- A not for profit using the church facility that isn’t part of your ministry
For these groups, you’ll want to make sure that they provide the church with a certificate of insurance naming the church as certificate holder and additional insured. If they don’t have insurance on their own, there is a great online resource available here. The entire process can be handled online in just a couple of minutes.
Sometimes we are asked: “We have a contractor coming to perform some work at the church, what kind of insurance does he need?”
All contractors need to provide a certificate of general liability AND workers compensation insurance.
