Yemisi Izuora
Churches that refuse to perform homosexual “weddings” may be at risk for devastating financial losses in the wake of Obergefell v. Hodges, because insurance companies refuse to cover them.
While the Supreme Court majority gave a nod to religious liberty in its June 26 ruling decreeing homosexual “marriage” a constitutional “right,” countless American churches and pastors may be exposed to more financial liability now that the Supreme Court has imposed homosexual “marriage” across the country.
Pastors are reaching out to their insurance companies inquiring whether their liability insurance will cover them should they be sued for refusing to perform a homosexual “marriage,” and so far, the answer is not good.
“We have received numerous calls and e-mails regarding the Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriages. The main concern is whether or not liability coverage applies in the event a church gets sued for declining to perform a same-sex marriage,” Southern Mutual Church Insurance Company Vice President of Underwriting David Karns wrote July 1 in an “all states” agents’ bulletin.
Southern Mutual covers more than 8,400 churches.
“The general liability form does not provide any coverage for this type of situation, since there is no bodily injury, property damage, personal injury, or advertising injury,” Karns told his agents.
“If a church is concerned about the possibility of a suit, we do offer Miscellaneous Legal Defense Coverage.”
“This is not liability coverage,” he clarified, “but rather expense reimbursement for defense costs.”
“There is no coverage for any judgments against an insured,” he wrote.