*This is a standard form and should be checked by a local lawyer. This section does not constitute legal advice and is not a substitute for consulting a professional lawyer. Many churches allow communal plants to meet in their facilities. As a best practice, the ecclesiastical plant should have its own insurance and sign an agreement on the use of the facilities. Basic general liability insurance is not expensive, but offers decisive protection for both the church and the church that owns the building. If the event is for a group, you need a signed facility user agreement and an insurance certificate. If it is the marriage of a person or something for a member of the municipality, it is not necessary to conclude an agreement on the use of the facilities. In general, the risk should be assessed in the light of the nature of the activity, the number of people involved and whether the group is made up of children or the elderly. The next time you open your facilities to an outside group, make sure you are protected by downloading this standard Facility Use Agreement form.* A Facility Utilization Agreement protects your church from liability while allowing you to provide space for outside groups. You can define the conditions of use of your premises by the group and indicate that they will be left in good condition and handed over to the church. You can also add a language that says the group is keeping your church unharmed and compensates it. “Indemnification” means that the group agrees to reimburse your church if you have to pay damages as a result of an incident. One thing many churches don`t think about is their potential responsibility when they allow outside groups or other churches to use their facilities.
Some churches may have a martial arts group, scouts, a daycare, or a separate church that uses the building. If someone from the group is injured at its site, the church could be held liable as the owner of the land. In addition to the legal responsibility of the Church, such accidents can increase the Church`s insurance premiums. The good news is that you can minimize the Church`s liability through an agreement on the use of the facilities. It is best to have insurance for each group that uses your facility. Your agreement on the use of the facilities should include an insurance clause in the language. If the group has insurance, protecting your church is simple. Simply ask them to mention your church as an additional insured on its general liability policy and issue you a certificate of insurance attesting that your church has been added. This transfers the primary responsibility to their insurance and not to that of the Church.
Do you take this important step before sharing your ecclesiastical institutions with an external group Does your Church allow outside groups to use your facilities? What protective measures do you use? Leave your comments below. Sign up to receive the latest articles, guides and news from AGFinancial. To learn more about ways to reduce ecclesiastical risks, call our risk management team at 866.621.1787 or email me at jsparks@agfinancial.org. . . .