More churches across Texas have been paying attention to the headlines over the past several years. This has motivated church leaders to build volunteer safety and security teams. Each Texas church has a unique approach to their church’s safety plan. When the security plan involves members keeping an eye on entrances and exits or specifically monitoring the areas of the building where children are present, that is one thing. But when a volunteer security team involves asking church members to carry firearms, that’s a different conversation altogether.
Armed church security volunteers carry a specific kind of liability for Texas churches that is not always covered by their general liability insurance policy. Some church general liability policies contain firearms exclusions. Others place restrictions on organized security operations or require the insurance company to approve an armed security team.
The key takeaway is that even when a Texas church has general liability coverage, the policy may not respond the way church leaders expect after a firearm-related incident.
This caution does not mean that churches should abandon their plans for security teams and volunteer armed members. It just means that church leaders need to plan appropriately so that their armed volunteer members as well as the church itself are protected from liability.
There is a difference between a church member who legally carries a firearm to worship services and someone the church has formally asked to serve as part of an armed security team. Once the church selects security volunteers, gives them responsibilities, creates procedures, or identifies them as part of a safety ministry, the church takes on more responsibility for the volunteers’ actions.
This exposes the church to liability.
As a result, insurance companies want to understand how your church security team operates. These are a few questions that you should expect from your insurance carrier when you ask about insuring your church’s armed security team:
The answers to these questions give your church insurance company a clearer view of the risk that they are taking on by agreeing to insure your security team.
One of the biggest misconceptions among church leaders is that good intentions prevent legal problems. Unfortunately, that is not always true. Building a legally protected church security team starts with understanding the risks.
Let's imagine a security team member intervenes during a dangerous situation. Maybe a threatening individual entered through the rear of the church and started yelling threats. The volunteer subdued the person, but in the process other people in the room suffered minor physical or psychological injuries. Even though that member acted with the best of intentions and likely saved the lives of many people that Sunday morning, members could file a lawsuit against them and the church. Anyone affected by the incident may decide to seek damages.
This doesn't necessarily mean the church did anything wrong. It simply reflects the reality of today’s legal environment in Texas.
The church and the member will likely ultimately win the lawsuit, but may still spend tens of thousands of dollars defending themselves in court. This is why liability insurance matters. The legal defense offered by a strong liability policy will keep the member and the church from going bankrupt.
Ignoring that reality doesn't make it disappear.
A Firearms Exclusion is policy language that limits or removes coverage for certain claims involving firearms. The exact wording varies by insurance company and policy. Some exclusions may apply broadly to firearm-related incidents. Others may apply only under certain circumstances. A policy may also contain separate restrictions involving intentional acts, security operations, or armed personnel.
Texas church leaders should never assume that their general liability policy automatically covers an armed security team. You need to take the time to review your policy with your church insurance agent.
Finding out that your policy has an exclusion after an incident involving a firearm is too late.
General Liability insurance remains one of the most important parts of any church insurance program. It protects the church from the liability associated with third party bodily injury and property damage claims. However, general liability insurance was never designed to cover every risk a church faces.
Security teams introduce specialized concerns. A volunteer discharging a firearm creates a different set of legal liability questions than a slip-and-fall accident in the fellowship hall.
The insurance company knows this.
That's why many carriers ask additional underwriting questions whenever a church operates an organized security team. Some companies will cover certain aspects of the volunteer team, some will only cover the church if they have paid security and others completely exclude everything having to do with a firearm. This is why it is so important to consult with an insurance agent who specializes in Texas churches.
These subtleties can make the difference between your church facing a lawsuit alone or with an insurance company on your side.
Before creating or expanding a church security team, Texas church leaders need to review their current insurance program. Don't assume coverage exists without verifying it. Review your church’s policy language with your church insurance agent. Ask whether firearm-related claims are addressed by the policy or if you need to find a different solution. If your current policy offers coverage, find out what the underwriting requirements are. Most importantly, work with someone who understands both church insurance and church safety.
Additionally, find out if individual armed volunteers are covered or if they need to seek out their own liability coverage. At Insurance for Texans, we have multiple partnerships that provide both firearms training as well as insurance coverage for armed church security teams.
Lastly, choose your church’s insurance agent wisely. The wrong insurance advisor may never ask about your security team, but the right advisor will address it right away. Church insurance advisors understand how volunteer church security teams change the conversation when it comes to constructing appropriate liability coverage.
Good risk management starts with asking good questions.
The strongest church safety ministries don't start with firearms. They start with standard operating procedures.
The most effective security teams understand that conflict avoidance, observation, communication, hospitality first and de-escalation are often more important than force. Training demonstrates that the church takes safety seriously. Written policies demonstrate that leadership has thought through difficult situations before they occur. Background checks help identify potential concerns before someone joins the team.
Documentation creates accountability.
All of these elements matter to insurance companies because they help reduce risk. More importantly, they help protect people. Creating a security team requires leadership, planning and standards. Most importantly, it requires understanding that safety and liability are connected.
If your church is developing a security team, now is the time to review your insurance coverage.
Many church leaders are surprised to learn that firearm-related incidents, organized security activities, and volunteer safety teams can create liability concerns that deserve special attention.
At Insurance For Texans, our True Texas Church Insurance program starts with questions, not quotes. We want to understand your church's ministries, safety plans, volunteer programs, and security operations before making recommendations. That allows us to identify potential coverage gaps and help your church build a stronger risk management strategy. Protecting your congregation involves more than security training. It requires understanding how your insurance coverage responds when the unexpected happens.
Don’t wait until something happens to find out that your church is not covered.
Click the button below to schedule a review of your current policy with our church insurance team.