Over this busy summer season I have been consulting on several significant church fire claims. All of them are losses in excess of two million dollars. Although they represent different congregations in different geographic locations they shared one common element. That common thread was inadequate coverage for the cost of code upgrades.
Sometimes common sense does not prevail. It would seem a simple truth that a hundred year old church with replacement costs in excess of three million dollars would require more than fifty thousand dollars in code and ordinance coverage.
Just think of current code requirements regarding fire detection and suppression, accessibility, make up air requirements to cite only a few. Be good stewards of your church properties and consult your local code official as to what requirements might come into play in the event of a significant fire. Then discuss coverage for those issues with your insurance broker.
