Car Insurance for Clergy

In the course of their duties, many clergy members must drive a significant distance during the course of the year. While their primary work is seen at the pulpit, clergy often go out into their communities to help church members and work on projects. Just like other drivers, they also have homes and sometimes families, and they have to balance their budget with insurance premiums.

As such, it’s important for clergy members to acquire insurance coverage that is not only protective but also offers appropriate savings.

This article will shed some light on insurance policy items that work well for members of the clergy. It will also demonstrate some tried and true methods that comparison shoppers can use to find surprising auto insurance deals online. These apply whether the church offers coverage for active clergy and other church employees or if clergy are getting their own insurance.

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What Auto Insurance Coverage Do Clergy Members Need?

Insurance shoppers can pick and choose when it comes to these insurance coverage options. Clergy members can be well served by certain types of optional coverages.

Like many other drivers, clergy members may be tempted to cut corners and only get the minimum required auto insurance. Unfortunately, this could cost both the church and the clergy more if there’s ever a claim. Minimum coverage generally only covers a small amount of liability and sometimes medical expenses depending on the state. What other coverages should you consider?

• Collision Coverage – This is typically the most expensive part of a more comprehensive insurance policy. It covers damage to your car associated with a covered accident. If your car is financed, the bank may require collision coverage. If you haven’t filed a claim recently, your collision rates could go down significantly.
• Comprehensive Coverage – This insurance option protects against damage from unforeseen circumstances that can include hail storms, floods, fires, wildlife, and similar incidents. It covers damage not directly related to an auto collision.
• Towing Coverage – This car insurance policy choice pays for costs associated with vehicle tows. Breakdowns on remote areas of the highway can cost hundreds of dollars In towing fees. By carrying this insurance item, costs of tows are completely covered.
• Glass Coverage – This option can be ideal for drivers who put on a lot of miles. With more trucks on the road throwing up debris than ever, having glass coverage is becoming more of a necessity all the time.
• Rental Car Coverage – Whether you’re in an accident or have another covered claim, you could be without a car for weeks. Rental car coverage costs just a few dollars each renewal period, and it covers up to 30 days of rental car use.

How Can Clergy Members Save on Auto Insurance?

Churches may look for discount programs for employees. Some insurance companies may also offer benefits like no deductible protection if you’re parked at your workplace (i.e. the church building). In most cases, clergy members and other church employees would do well to follow a few tips.

• Comparison shopping – With thousands of insurance companies vying for attention, there are significant potential deals to be found for those willing to dig. Comparison shopping sites do this digging on behalf of customers. With our online calculator, all you have to do is enter your zip code and answer a few questions to get multiple quotes.
• Look for Group discounts – Clergy members are, by definition, members of a recognized group, and thus may be eligible for group discounts. For information on specific options, the declaration pages of specific insurance websites should be consulted.
• Safe driver discount – In some cases, certain insurance providers even provide rebate checks to motorists who drive certain distances without an accident.
• Safety Features – The car that is driven can itself be a source of insurance policy savings. Cars that include safety items such as side-impact air bags, traction control systems, and safety radar often qualify for discounts. Whatever you’re driving, make sure to highlight the safety features.
• Mature Driver Discounts–Senior citizens with good driving records also automatically qualify for certain discounts. Clergy members who are in this age group would do well to apply for savings of this kind.
• Health-related discounts – Some auto insurance firms offer discounts to those who live healthy lifestyles. Clergy members who are non-smokers and who are in good health for should always remember to check this option out when comparison shopping.
• Employment status discount – Depending on the church in question, clergy members may be classified as either self-employed or staff members. Individuals who are considered to be staff are often provided eligible for valuable tax refunds. (For more information, read our “Do car insurance companies check employment status?“).
• Multi-Policy Discounts – You can save on insurance by using the same insurance provider to administer different policies. Since clergy members are likely to have homeowners and life insurance policies, this is a factor to take into careful account.

Critical Car Insurance Coverage Items

Many people would like to think of clergy members as the safest type of drivers. The truth is clergy are diverse people with different driving habits and experience. More importantly, they cannot control the drivers around them. They still need to carry certain kinds of insurance coverages.

Liability coverages are known as mandatory coverage items and can provide effective protection for the worst kinds of auto accidents.

Included in this requirement are bodily injury liability coverage and property damage liability coverage.

• Bodily injury liability insurance – The insurance pays medical costs for those injured in a car accident with a policyholder.
• Property damage liability – This mandated policy item covers damage to non-vehicular property that is caused by the policyholder or their vehicle. While it may be rare for drivers to run into buildings, it can be expensive when they do.
• Personal injury protection – This coverage is also known as PIP and provides payments for injuries sustained by the passenger and driver of the insured vehicle. Since many clergy members may operate church vans or may frequently travel with multiple passengers, PIP premiums should be provisioned accordingly.

Serving as a minister is an honorable calling that can call for a lot of driving in service of the people. No matter where you live, you should always have proper coverage to protect you wherever you’re going. Just as clergy should have good health insurance, you should also have sufficient auto insurance to protect your interess.

Compare car insurance options to find the best rate for the coverage you need.