Many churches and other religious organizations have vans and buses because they can hold a lot of people at one time and they are usually relatively cheap to purchase. These vehicles, however, require a special type of insurance called church van & bus insurance.
When Do I Need To Acquire A Church Van & Bus Insurance Policy?
There are many safety factors however that you are exposed to that can cause a serious amount of liability in the event there is an accident without a proper church van & bus insurance policy.
What Are You Transporting?
The first question any insurer will want to know is what you are actually transporting with your church vehicle. If you only use your van to pick up or transport supplies and equipment, your church insurance policy will be significantly different than if you are transporting people. Once you start transporting people (Staff, volunteers, members) your risk increases drastically.
What Certain Types Of Dangers Are You Facing?
The types of vehicles that many churches use to transport members may pose certain dangers:
- They may not be equipped with seat belts
- If there are seat belts, many choose to not wear them
- These large vehicles can be top heavy and prone to tipping and rolling
- Often the operator of the vehicle has not had proper driving training for vans/buses or does not have the correct commercial driving license
What Safety Precautions Are You Taking?
So to reduce your risk, be certain your vehicle has seat belts and that passengers wear them at ALL times. Have every driver be properly trained and licensed to operate a commercial type vehicle. Also, make sure you always keep up routine maintenance on your van or bus and save all documentation that indicates so. If you’re able to complete these few safety precautions, your liability will be reduced drastically.
Reach Out To An Experienced Specialty Insurance Agency
Insurance for your church van and/or bus is a necessity! Keep your vehicle and passengers safe with the right amount of coverage, but also by adhering to the safety tips. Then you can have peace of mind that each trip your church makes will be one made in safety.
For more information or to receive a quote for a church van & bus insurance policy, reach out to Southern States Insurance by calling 888.971.6304 or by requesting a quote online.