Frequently asked questions
Clear answers for the questions behind church insurance decisions.
Explore the proposal process, coverage considerations, underwriting, financing, binding, service, and the roles of the organizations supporting 1225 Unified.
Explore Questions ↓Question directory
Choose a category.
What is 1225 Unified?+
1225 Unified is the church insurance division of Heritage Insures, managed by J W Odom & Associates, LLC. It provides church-focused insurance education, submission guidance, proposal coordination, and continuing service support.
Is 1225 Unified an insurance company?+
No. 1225 Unified does not underwrite, issue, or guarantee insurance policies. Coverage is offered through appropriately licensed insurance professionals and authorized insurance carriers, subject to underwriting and policy terms.
What role does Heritage Insures have?+
Heritage Insures provides the organizational home and partnership relationship through which the 1225 Unified church insurance division serves participating ministries.
What role does J W Odom & Associates, LLC have?+
J W Odom & Associates manages insurance operations, reviews submissions, coordinates underwriting requests, presents available proposals, and supports policy placement, issuance, and service.
What is the relationship with the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc. International?+
1225 Unified works in partnership with the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc. International to help churches strengthen stewardship and protect the ministries entrusted to their care. The Convention is not presented as an insurance carrier or underwriter.
How does a church request a proposal?+
Begin with the preliminary Request a Proposal form. The 1225 Unified team will review the request, confirm the contact and timing, and coordinate the full House of Worship Request for Proposal and supporting-document requirements.
Does every church have to complete the full RFP?+
Yes. The approved Request for Proposal establishes a consistent underwriting profile covering property, liability, operations, risk controls, management exposures, losses, and current insurance.
What documents are normally required?+
Most submissions require current declaration pages, five years of currently valued loss runs, building photographs, COPE information for every location, financial and attendance data, and the completed RFP. Commercial auto, workers’ compensation, and umbrella requests may require completed ACORD applications.
Why do you ask for the current or expiring premium?+
The expiring premium helps establish the current program’s cost, assists with proposal comparison, and may help determine whether a market opportunity is commercially reasonable. It does not determine the final quoted premium.
Can a church submit only its current policy?+
A current policy is useful, but it normally does not provide enough information for a complete underwriting submission. The RFP and requested supporting documents are still required.
What types of insurance may be considered?+
Depending on the church and market availability, the review may include property, general liability, business income, commercial auto, workers’ compensation, umbrella, directors and officers, employment practices, pastoral counseling, abuse or misconduct, cyber, crime, equipment breakdown, and other specialized protection.
Is replacement cost the same as market value?+
No. Market value reflects what property might sell for. Insurance replacement cost estimates the cost to reconstruct the covered building using current materials, labor, debris removal, code requirements, and specialized features.
What is coinsurance?+
Coinsurance is a policy condition that may require property to be insured to a stated percentage of its value, commonly 80%, 90%, or 100%. If limits are inadequate when a covered loss occurs, the claim payment may be reduced—even for a partial loss.
Can every church receive every coverage listed on the website?+
No. Coverage availability depends on the state, carrier appetite, property condition, operations, loss history, underwriting approval, required limits, and policy terms. Some risks may require separate policies or specialty markets.
Can multiple buildings or locations be insured?+
Potentially, yes. Each location and building must be individually described and evaluated, including its occupancy, construction, area, age, updates, protection, value, income, attendance, and operations.
How long does the proposal process take?+
Timing depends on submission completeness, renewal urgency, carrier responsiveness, inspections, property valuation, supplemental requirements, and the complexity of the ministry. Churches should begin as early as practical rather than waiting until the final days before renewal.
Why do underwriters ask follow-up questions?+
Follow-up questions help clarify construction, property updates, operations, safety practices, prior losses, management exposures, drivers, employees, and other factors used to determine eligibility, coverage terms, and pricing.
What if the church has been nonrenewed or cancelled?+
The church should disclose the nonrenewal or cancellation and provide the notice and surrounding details. Alternative consideration may be possible, but availability is not guaranteed and timing becomes especially important.
What if the church has prior claims?+
Prior claims do not automatically prevent coverage. Underwriters generally need currently valued loss runs and explanations of the cause, resolution, corrective action, and current risk controls.
Will the church receive proposals from every carrier contacted?+
Not necessarily. Some markets may decline, require information the church cannot provide, offer terms that are not viable, or remain unavailable because another broker controls access. The proposal presentation focuses on terms actually available for consideration.
Is premium financing available?+
Eligible churches may be offered premium financing through Imperial PFS (IPFS). Financing is a separate agreement and may include a down payment, finance charges, fees, scheduled payments, and cancellation rights if payments are not made as agreed.
Does a financing approval mean insurance is bound?+
No. A premium-finance agreement does not create insurance coverage. All carrier requirements, signatures, payments, and authorized binding confirmation must be completed before coverage becomes effective.
Does receiving a quotation create coverage?+
No. A quotation or proposal is not a binder. It may be revised or withdrawn and remains subject to its stated conditions, expiration, underwriting requirements, and authorized acceptance.
When does coverage begin?+
Coverage begins only when an authorized party confirms binding in accordance with carrier requirements and the stated effective date. A website submission, email, application, signature, quotation, or payment alone does not establish coverage.
Can the church choose installment payments without financing?+
Carrier billing options vary. Some policies may offer direct-bill installments, while others require agency bill, full payment, or premium financing. Available payment options will be explained with the proposal.
What happens after a policy is issued?+
The team follows through on policy delivery, outstanding underwriting requirements, requested changes, audits, certificates or evidence of coverage when appropriate, claims-reporting guidance, and renewal preparation.
How should a church report a claim?+
Follow the claims-reporting instructions in the policy or contact the servicing team promptly for guidance. The website contact form is not an emergency claims-reporting service.
Should the church report incidents even if no demand has been made?+
Potential claims, incidents, circumstances, complaints, or notices should be discussed promptly with the servicing insurance professional. Reporting duties vary by policy, and delay may affect available rights or coverage.
When should the church report operational changes?+
Report material changes before they occur whenever possible. Examples include new locations, renovations, daycare, school, camps, vehicle changes, building rentals, major events, employees, cooking, counseling, or significant property purchases.
Will coverage be reviewed at renewal?+
Yes. Renewal review should address property values, building conditions, claims, attendance, payroll, income, employees, vehicles, programs, locations, carrier requirements, and any significant change since the prior submission.
General information only
The policy—not the website—controls coverage.
These answers provide general education and process guidance. They do not create, extend, interpret, or guarantee insurance coverage. Actual coverage depends on the issued policy, endorsements, limits, deductibles, conditions, exclusions, facts of the loss, and applicable law.
Still have a question?
Let’s discuss the question behind your ministry’s concern.
Contact the 1225 Unified team for proposal assistance, policy-review questions, resources, or guidance on the next step.