Church Liability Insurance

[_Yoda]

I'd like to thank everyone for the advice and I'll keep you posted on what I find out.

Plutarch: Who pissed in your cornflakes? You're not the one in pain and out of work. Even though you suggested that the church buildings should close down in inclement weather in sarcasm, I think it's a good idea if they can't maintain the buildings and parking lots. The church could use a lesson in common sense. Why not cancel meetings for a Sunday? What's wrong with hiring someone to clear and de-ice the parking lot after a major storm?

LOLOL! I would love to know the answer to that one, myself.

There is nothing wrong with cancelling meetings due to snow and ice. It happens in NC all the time. We will have periodic ice storms, and the plows aren't sufficient to get through everything.

Plutarch needs some valium.

;)

[_Ray A]

I know a member of the Church who slipped and feel on the walkway, and she got compensation from the Church. She told me she sued the Church. Still very active and faithful.

[_rcrocket]

Good grief, Plutarch, are you really an attorney? It seems like you don't even have a sound view of what your profession entails. I thought you were being sarcastic in another thread when you said that you weren't a very good attorney. Maybe you were being serious!

Maybe!

P

[_Gazelam]

The Bishop is perfectly capable of handling your parents needs until your Mother is healed. Titheing funds will pay household bills, and the Bisops storehouse will take care of everything else.

What is this? California? Sue this, sue that. Damn liberals.

[_gramps]

The Bishop is perfectly capable of handling your parents needs until your Mother is healed. Titheing funds will pay household bills, and the Bisops storehouse will take care of everything else.

What is this? California? Sue this, sue that. Damn liberals.

Gaz, I know personally many personal injury lawyers. And they are not liberals. Quite the opposite, actually. If you don't know that, why? If you are a typical example of a conservative, then god bless the liberals.

In any event, harmony was right about the possibility of accidents, worse accidents, happening if the local church can't even come up with a way to provide proper maintenance for its parking lots, for heavens' sakes. I would get an attorney just to wake them up to their responsibilities before something worse happens.

You wouldn't think this would be necessary, but then you would think that a church with money for downtown malls could pony up for clearing the parking lots. But, then again, it is the Mormon church we are talking about, isn't it?

[_Mephitus]

The Bishop is perfectly capable of handling your parents needs until your Mother is healed. Titheing funds will pay household bills, and the Bisops storehouse will take care of everything else.

What is this? California? Sue this, sue that. Damn liberals.

I don't know what the laws are there. But here in utah, all businesses are lawfully responsible for maintaining a safe and clean parking lot and walking routes on their property. I.E. clearing snow or debris from walkways and lots so that people can safely get around. If someone is not taking care of this, and does not have insurance to cover it. And is likewise not giving aid for an issue that arose from legal responcibilities, i would say that's a prime example in which sueing is a good idea.

[_Rollo Tomasi]

Does anyone know what the church's liability insurance covers? My mom slipped on a sheet of ice in the church parking lot on Sunday and broke her hip. We've had a lot of snow and ice here in Colorado the last few weeks but the church's lot was an impassable mess while commercial lots and neighborhoods have been cleaned and de-iced satisfactorily. My mom has medical insurance which will pay the emergency room bills, surgery, and hospitalization costs, but will be out of work during the healing and rehabilitation process. Is the church liable in this situation? Does their insurance cover lost wages and deductibles? Any help or links would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

The LDS Church does have a "Church Activity Insurance Program," which provides medical and dental coverage (as well as certain death and dismemberment benefits) for injuries sustained at an "activity" sponsored or supervised by the Church. "Activity" includes participation in church meetings on Sundays. The policy is underwritten by Deseret Mutual in SLC (which is owned by the Church). The max medical benefit is $15,000, and the max dental benefit is $1,000 (these numbers were in effect for 2001, so they may be higher now). Death and dismemberment benefits are limited to $5,000 for loss of life, and $7,500 and less for loss of a limb or sight or hearing.

These benefits are considered secondary to any other insurance benefits an injured person may have, which means that if your mother's medical bills have already been covered by her own insurance, then there can be no recovery under this policy.

Each bishop should have a Church Activity Insurance Handbook that has more details about all this. But you can get further information by contacting Deseret Mutual at 1-800-777-3622; I'm sure they can give you updated information on policy limits, forms and procedures.

I don't believe this policy covers lost wages, deductibles, etc. (just medical and dental bills), but the Church is self-insured when it comes to liability for negligence, etc. They may be able to give you some guidance about this at Deseret Mutual, but the best thing would probably be to hire a lawyer and have him/her contact Church headquarters directly.

Hope this helps.

[_Yoda]

The Bishop is perfectly capable of handling your parents needs until your Mother is healed. Titheing funds will pay household bills, and the Bisops storehouse will take care of everything else.

What is this? California? Sue this, sue that. Damn liberals.

Gaz...No one is suggesting a lawsuit here. I only suggested that Silentkid's mother consult an attorney for advice since, if you read the thread, when he went to the Bishop, the Bishop did nothing in the way of offering any type of help, except to say that there was no liability insurance.

If the Bishop has Ward funds which will help with her medical expenses and her household expenses, and there is a way to do it without getting lawyers involved, then great! I'm a little disappointed that the Bishop didn't step up to the plate and talk to this injured sister about some of the options that the Church could offer her.

[_rcrocket]

Each bishop should have a Church Activity Insurance Handbook that has more details about all this. But you can get further information by contacting Deseret Mutual at 1-800-777-3622; I'm sure they can give you updated information on policy limits, forms and procedures.

I don't believe this policy covers lost wages, deductibles, etc. (just medical and dental bills), but the Church is self-insured when it comes to liability for negligence, etc. They may be able to give you some guidance about this at Deseret Mutual, but the best thing would probably be to hire a lawyer and have him/her contact Church headquarters directly.

Hope this helps.

It doesn't. N/A to site liability issues.

P

[_Rollo Tomasi]

N/A to site liability issues.

I'm not so sure about that. I agree that there are additional limits on Church travel, but being injured on Church property (such as the parking lot) while there for the purpose of attending Church services, would constitute an injury during a Church "activity" as much as breaking one's ankle in the cultural hall during a Church-sponsored basketball game.