The UCC Insurance Board has announced its new program for the upcoming year that includes environmentally friendly endorsements along with other coverage enhancements.

The "Upgrade to Green" coverage is touted as one of the first such endorsements among church-based insurance programs.  It provides participant with additional funds, after a covered partial or complete loss, to rebuild or replace with environmentally friendly materials and appliances. The focus of the plan is energy efficiency, water efficiency, indoor air quality and sustainability.

"Insurance Board participant churches renewing their coverage this year will enjoy many significant enhancements to their already robust insurance program," reports Cathy Green, UCC Insurance Board CEO and president.

Enhancements to the general insurance board program include enriching coverages for unintentional underinsurance, business income, terrorism loss, hired automobile physical damage, directors and officers liability, broad form named insured, blanket additional insured, pastoral counseling, sexual misconduct and employment practices liability, and nurses professional coverage.

Another program enhancement this year for Insurance Board church participants is the ability to participate in a TEGG electrical inspection for $225 regardless of church size, age, condition, or construction.

"The IB is coordinating this value-added service to our participants," says Green, "in an effort to reduce fires and equipment damage due to lightning, electrical surges, and other electrical equipment failures."  Noting how disruptive electrical damage can be to church's ministries, Green hopes the inspections will identify and reduce the risk of these events.

Green says she expects to be rolling our other enhancements and loss prevention tools to Insurance Board participants in the near future. "We embrace our role as a loss prevention partner with each of our participants," says Green. She adds "I look forward to the direction that role takes us."