From A Conversation About Insurance with John Murphy | Leadership Luncheon · · Golden Triangle Baptist Network
“The reinsurance marketplace is not looking favorably at churches and the faith-based market in the United States. In addition to it, they're all nervous about sexual abuse and molestation.”
On , John Murphy, President of Claims at The Progressive Corporation, spoke about reinsurance during A Conversation About Insurance with John Murphy | Leadership Luncheon on Golden Triangle Baptist Network.
John Murphy, President of Claims at Progressive, participated in a March 2025 leadership luncheon focused on church insurance availability. He stated that the reinsurance marketplace has become "very nervous" about churches and faith-based entities in the United States, citing large buildings and concerns about sexual abuse and molestation as contributing factors. Murphy noted that major church insurers such as Church Mutual, GuideOne, and Brotherhood Mutual are becoming more selective about which churches they insure, and he observed that premiums have been driven up significantly. Murphy discussed the creation of a self-insurance program by the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT), describing it as "effectively a new insurance company" where churches pool their dollars to pay claims. He said the program aims to drive affordability and has applied for a nonprofit ruling from the IRS to avoid corporate income taxes. Murphy advised churches to maintain relationships with multiple agents and to ask about which markets those agents will approach.