The History of Insurance Board

How It Began

In 1979 a local church trustee and entrepreneur in northern California felt that churches could improve insurance costs and improve services by forming group policies. The money saved by the churches could be put toward mission opportunities.

By 1981, a group church insurance program was established in northern California. Within a year, six western conferences had joined. Insurance Board now is governed by the 38 UCC conferences. We serve churches and related ministries in all 50 states by providing church property insurance and church liability insurance as well as coverages that protect the governing bodies within the denominations we serve and their related ministries. 

How We Grew

In 1991, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), joined the program, which was endorsed by the Executive Committee of the Conference of Regional Ministers and Moderators. Insurance Board is now a Recognized Ministry Partner of the Disciples of Christ.

January 1, 2002 marked the beginning of the United Church Insurance Company, a nonprofit captive insurance company subsidiary of the Insurance Board – designed to take advantage of new opportunities for insuring church-related organizations such as retirement housing and educational institutions.

More Expansion

In 2009, the Board of Directors approved the Presbyterian Church (USA) as another denomination it serves. In 2016, the Board approved the Alliance of Baptists. Churches and related ministries of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and Alliance of Baptists can now enjoy the full benefits of a faith based insurance program run by church people for church people. The Insurance Board is recognized by the Presbyterian Mission Agency as one of only three insurance programs that meets their strict standards.

Expanding Again

In late 2018, the Board of Directors approved Insurance Board to begin offering church property insurance and church liability insurance to interested congregations and affiliated ministries within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and the Reformed Church in America (RCA) denominations.

Today

Currently, more than 4,000 church organizations participate in our program, with a combined value of more than $15.5 billion in assets covered – and these numbers continue to grow. We are church people who want to provide the best church property insurance and church liability insurance available.