*** DEBUG START ***
*** DEBUG END ***

Parishes struggle to pay insurance premiums

by
31 January 2014

iStock

From Mr Richard Powell

Sir, - Many parishes in our diocese are currently being subjected to a total overhaul of their insurance agreements that they have with Ecclesiastical. The review, which really should be undertaken at least every five years, is the first that we have witnessed since 1999.

As a consequence of this, many small parishes, with churches that are listed, are now being faced with unacceptable rises in both valuations and premiums.

My own parish has witnessed a 49.95-per-cent increase in the valuation of its Church Rooms, which in turn has resulted in an increase of 22.23 per cent in the premium. For our church, a Grade II* listed building, the valuation has risen by 30 per cent, and its annual premium has risen by 49 per cent. We have an average congregation of 30; and yet we are being asked to insure our buildings, which are part of the nation's heritage, on behalf of the wider community.

Just to pay our parish share and annual insurance means that each member of our congregation needs to give £11 a week, an impossible target for our ageing community. We continue, however, to work with our insurers to try to reduce the figures quoted.

We are told that the figures put forward by our insurers are based on professional advice that does not necessarily need to be acted upon; so is the answer to look elsewhere? You look, and what you find is that Ecclesiastical appears to own about 97 per cent of the market.

Small country parishes, and perhaps many others, just have to be given help on this issue. I am aware that Ecclesiastical does recycle some of its funds back into the dioceses. Surely it would be far better to reduce the premiums.

It is, however, the wider issue of government support which needs tackling urgently. The Government just seems so far behind when compared with other countries in the EU, as several do take positive steps to protect their national heritage. Could not our representatives in the House of Lords start to make this an issue?

RICHARD POWELL
10 Gorse Ridge Drive, Baslow
Derbyshire DE45 1SL

Browse Church and Charity jobs on the Church Times jobsite

Letters to the editor

Letters for publication should be sent to letters@churchtimes.co.uk.

Letters should be exclusive to the Church Times, and include a full postal address. Your name and address will appear below your letter unless requested otherwise.

Forthcoming Events

Women Mystics: Female Theologians through Christian History

13 January - 19 May 2025

An online evening lecture series, run jointly by Sarum College and The Church Times

tickets available

 

Festival of Faith and Literature

28 February - 2 March 2025

tickets available

 

Visit our Events page for upcoming and past events 

The Church Times Archive

Read reports from issues stretching back to 1863, search for your parish or see if any of the clergy you know get a mention.

FREE for Church Times subscribers.

Explore the archive

Welcome to the Church Times

 

To explore the Church Times website fully, please sign in or subscribe.

Non-subscribers can read four articles for free each month. (You will need to register.)